Customers can expect to see a little more space at the Martin’s Super Market in Niles in the near future.

Ted Alwine, director of engineering for the local grocery store chain, said Monday that Martin’s is in the process of planning for a small expansion of the store, located at 720 S. 11th St.

The addition would extend out about 20 feet on the west side, or back, of the building, allowing Martin’s to have more space for the dairy and frozen foods sections.

“That’s our biggest need (at the Niles store),” he said.

The new space will be storage and prep areas allowing the current storage and prep areas to be remodeled into retail space. As part of the expansion project, the grocery store will be remodeling much of the interior and reconfiguring the cafe portion of the store.

Alwine said they plan to install new restrooms on the cafe side.

In order to move forward with the expansion, Martin’s requested from the Niles City Council Monday an amendment to a 2006 lease it entered into with city for a portion of the old railroad property owned by the city located just west of Martin’s. The property is used for access to the Martin’s employee parking lot, located on the west side of the railroad property.

The council granted the amendment request unanimously.

Alwine said if “everything goes well” they hope to get started on the addition project by the end of summer.

He doesn’t expect construction to disrupt business or last very long.

Martin’s last expanded approximately five years ago.

Martin’s also agreed to provide a future trail easement on the west side of the building for the construction of a portion of the Indiana-Michigan River Valley multi-use trail path.