Construction is under way to convert the old Food Lion in Highland Plaza shopping center to a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Hixson, Tenn.Map
Highland Plaza
Wal-Mart is responsible for the new construction at Food Lion's old, and now vacant, storefront at Highland Plaza, the 1950s-era strip mall at the corner of Ashland Terrace and Highland Plaza.
The Arkansas-based mega retailer is introducing its Neighborhood Market line to the plaza, according to Chattanooga building permits. The Neighborhood Market format calls for smaller, grocery-only stores in more residential areas, a break from Wal-Mart's Supercenter format. The Neighborhood Market line was launched in 1998.
According to city building permits, Wal-Mart plans to build a 41,000-square-foot grocery store and a fueling station at Highland Plaza.
It's not a surprise development, given the strong case that Wal-Mart is simultaneously preparing to build two Neighborhood Market stores in other parts of Chattanooga and one in East Ridge.
Neighborhood Market stores are also going up in Fort Oglethorpe and Dalton.
George Bright, CEO of Fletcher Bright Co. and owner of Highland Plaza, declined to comment Monday on the nature of the grocery store coming to Highland Plaza.
Bright bought the plaza in the mid-1990s and said Monday it's still a premiere piece of real estate, especially with the face lift that's currently in the works.
A vacant building at the corner of the property, formerly occupied by Grumpy's Music and Books, has been remodeled and will soon house an 8,000-square-foot facility operated by Memorial Hospital, said Bright.
There is currently a Big Lots, Dollar Tree and Tuesday Morning in the Highland Plaza shopping center. The plaza, one of the city's first, has a handful of empty storefronts right now.
"It's had its good years and its bad years," said Bright.
Bright said Food Lion gave up its Highland Plaza storefront voluntarily when the store's lease expired in 2012. The Highland Plaza store was one of several Food Lion stores that closed around that time.
The new Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market should provide a boon for other nearby retailers.
Johnny Thompson lives near the Highland Plaza shopping center and said Monday that a Wal-Mart grocery store will be a welcome addition.
"It will be very convenient to stop in and get a few grocery items and other supplies without dealing with the parking and checkout lines of a Supercenter," he said. "It will be great to see that shopping center revitalized."
Construction has begun, but there is no timeline immediately available.
Meanwhile, three miles north on Hixson Pike, work has begun on another grocery store as developers repurpose the old Bi-Lo building at 5414 Hixson Pike and move in a Harvest Market store, according to building permits on file at the city.
Contact staff writer Alex Green at agreen@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6480.