UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Tri Town Foods in Uncasville is being honored this month with an environmental stewardship award. The store is making itself more energy efficient and saving a lot a money in the process.

Using high tech efficient fluorescent lighting was one of the biggest changes, and owner Rick Sharr said an attractive incentive package from Connecticut Light and Power made it all happen.

They converted the old Beit Brothers store that was in the same location. It closed after an electrical failure.

Sharr said, “This program we invested about $100,000 into the store. The payback is in about two years.”

The heat is circulated. It comes from the electric motors that keep the cases cold. The lights in the cases were replaced with energy efficient L.E.D. strips.

All of the cases in the store have been converted. The electric motors that are not visible are modern and more efficient. At night, they pull down shades to keep the cold air inside.

Tri Town’s next project is to go solar to save even more money.