| INTERIOR DESIGN |
Raley’s Headquarters
PHOTOS BY CHIP ALLEN
ARCHITECT: COACT DESIGNWORKS / INTERIOR DESIGNER: COACT DESIGNWORKS / FURNISHING
COMPANY: MTA INSPIRED SPACES / GENERAL CONTRACTOR: STUART JAMES CONSTRUCTION, INC.
Founded in Placerville in 1935 by Thomas P. Raley and currently employing around 12,000
people, Raley’s is one of the most recognizable grocery stores in Northern California. Al-
though the company has been around since the early 20th century, the recent redesign of
its 69,600-square-foot West Sacramento headquarters has brought the building squarely
into the 21st. The renovation of the headquarters, which was originally built in 1984, took
place between 2014 and 2018, and designer Jessica Paredes with Coact Designworks says,
“The main concept for the space was focused on creating a healthier and happier office.”
Coact created a more open environment for the three-story building, with better circulation
and wayfinding, and eliminating private offices to provide more natural light. “Even Michael
Teel, the owner of [Raley’s], gave up his work space, so it was a huge change from the top
down,” she says. The first floor retains the red branding of Raley’s logo, and the reception
area opens to the lobby with natural wood elements and a living green wall. The other floors
have their own color schemes, with subdued blues and greens on the third floor, and bright-
er yellows and blues on the second, which is dedicated to IT. Though not entirely exposed,
an acoustic ceiling reveals some of the structure’s brace frames, and its multiple levels and
depth contrast with the circular pendant lights. The redesign also honored the company’s
history by mixing modern elements with the past, like placing a classic portrait of founder
Thomas P. Raley outside of a glass conference room near a slinky, gray curved couch. The
renovation also included a natural-light photo studio with a home-style kitchen, used for
in-house photography and videography. n
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