Food City plans to build a replacement for a store in Rossville that will offer patrons a state-of-the-art unit when finished by next summer, the company's chief executive said Tuesday.
"It was an older store we bought that's completely outdated," said Food City CEO Steven C. Smith about the Mission Ridge Road site that will temporarily close in January. "It's a good store and a good location."
The larger, 38,100-square-foot store will go at the same location as the existing operation and offer customers new departments, he said.
The new unit will include an in-store bakery/deli with a hot food bar, and an expanded cafe and seating area, according to Food City.
Full service meat and seafood departments will offer pre- marinated and seasoned oven-ready products as well as all-natural meats with no solutions added, including certified Angus beef, the company said.
Food City plans
* Abingdon, Va.-based Food City is working to open seven new stores across the company, according to CEO Steven C. Smith.* A new store in Athens, Tenn., is slated to open today. In addition, the chain is looking at a couple more stores in Georgia, and it's finalizing leases on those units, he said. "We're still working in Chattanooga on a location or two," Smith added.* The company said in 2015 after it entered the Chattanooga market that it planned to spend up to $50 million over three years on the 29 area Bi-Lo stores it acquired to make it the area's biggest grocery chain.
Expanded grocery, frozen food and produce departments will go beyond the usual fare with gourmet, international and specialty items.
Rapid check-out service will be provided by five traditional lanes, one express lane and four self-check-outs. The store also will hold a pharmacy with a drive-thru and a Food City Gas N' Go that will include diesel fuel.
Food City's Battlefield Parkway unit in Fort Oglethorpe and the Chickamauga Avenue store in Rossville will serve Mission Ridge customers during the temporary closing that will take place for about five months, according to the supermarket chain.
Smith said that while the existing store is demolished and the new one raised, the current employees will work at other nearby Food City units.
"Nobody will miss a paycheck," he said. "They might have to driver farther to work."
Closing the store, even temporarily, was a difficult decision, but the only viable option that would allow Food City to safely construct a larger, much more up-to-date store, Smith said.
"Rest assured that we will utilize every resource at our disposal to erect the new structure in the quickest, safest manner possible to minimize shopping interruption and inconvenience to our customers," he said.
Store Manager Cade Allison said he's excited about the new store and the added services it will provide customers.
"Our store planning and development team does an excellent job and I'm confident they will get us up and going as quickly as possible," he said.
Daryl Massey, Food City's district manager, said the larger departments will allow for enhanced variety and selection and greater ease maneuvering through the store.
"I am confident that our customers are going to be pleased with their new, much improved Food City and will agree that it was well worth the wait," he said.
The new location will feature concepts ranging from energy- efficient glass cooler doors, parking lot lights and refrigeration systems to motion sensors and 100 percent LED lighting as well as an open rafter ceiling design, according to the company.
Food City parent K-VA-T operates 132 retail outlets throughout Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee and North Georgia.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.