What IS That Building?
If you are taking your golf cart in for service, sitting on the Airport runway, or even visiting Waste Management, you might have noticed a large, light green building with some delivery trucks in the driveway. It is sometimes referred to as “Reef Central,” but is really the Ocean Reef Commissary that consists of three warehouses and much more. The Bake Shop, all those yummy desserts, and the Banquet Kitchens all reside in this nondescript building, too—but, that is another story! You would not believe that this building, tucked away behind the Airport for 24 years, is such an important part of Ocean Reef Club and thus all of our lives.
So what is inside those walls?
Dan Taylor, Director of Purchasing, met me outside of Reef Central and then we cautiously went in to see one of the warehouse areas that consists of enormous shelves of goods, five coolers (huge refrigerators), two freezers, and especially designed storage spaces for wine, produce, china, cooking supplies, and everything our restaurants need on a daily basis. It is impressive to see the large quantity of supplies stacked almost to the ceiling and that is just the first floor! Then directly upstairs on the second floor are areas for retail and paper goods. This means all you see and purchase at the Golf Shop, The Burgee Shop, the Gift Shop, the Tennis Pro Shop and Port O’ Call Wine and Spirits come to the Commissary first for processing.
How does this all work—so seamlessly?
The Commissary is open seven days a week year-round. Orders from all venues are emailed nightly and then printed out at 6 a.m. for the famous “clipboards” that hang on the warehouse wall. Every morning this talented team of 13 gets to work filling those orders for delivery around The Reef. Smaller box trucks, vans, and golf carts take the filled orders to the shops and the restaurants. Lazaro Martinez, Commissary Manager, and Will Davis, Purchasing Manager, coordinate this complicated process and competent team.
Where does this all come from?
The volume of deliveries is staggering. Just in the month of December, 1800 dozens of eggs, 12,000 avocados, 3600 pounds of Mahi, and 4600 pounds of chicken tenders were delivered to the Commissary. There are about 40 vendors that arrive at the Commissary weekly and some come daily as produce, seafood, and meat must be fresh and high quality for our chefs. The trucks have their scheduled arrival time and many have been coming to The Reef for years. It is quite a well-organized, but hectic place, especially in the morning as cases of goods arrive, are inspected, logged in, counted, and divided for delivery across The Reef. This centralized delivery limits traffic of these large trucks through The Reef as they enter the Gate, drive down Anchor Drive, and then after Four Corners make a left turn as they drive directly to the Commissary.
It is an amazing group of people that efficiently manage the intake of ALL that Ocean Reef Club needs on a daily basis year around. So next time you sit down to a delicious meal at one of our fine dining venues or buy a gift at one of our Ocean Reef Club stores, remember that everything you see first arrived at the Commissary on the other side of the runway. And a huge thank you to the Commissary team!
Pictured above: The Commissary Team stands in front of the “famous clipboards” in the Warehouse, which are printed and hung each morning with orders from all the venues at The Reef.