HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The first of six Food City supermarkets being built in the Huntsville area is on target to open in late October, company leaders told FOX54 on Tuesday.
The opening of the first store in the metro will come about 18 months after the announcement of a major expansion into the area.
Construction of the Owens Cross Roads grocery is nearly complete and training of the first team members there has begun. Most of the estimated 200 jobs -- some full time, some part time -- will be filled in the weeks ahead. That process is expected to take two-to-four weeks.
The Owens Cross Roads store will be a full-size, 60-thousand square foot supermarket that includes a pharmacy, bakery, hot bar, coffee shop and cafe. A fueling station will be in operation adjacent to the parking lot.
Virginia-based Food City is in the early stage of a major build-out in the Tennessee Valley, which is part of its expansion into the state of Alabama.
In Huntsville alone, the six stores constitute a $100 million investment that will add about 1,000 jobs.
After Owens Cross Roads, the company plans to open its next three area stores in Spring 2025. Those locations are:
- Old Gurley Road NE (Trailhead neighborhood)
- Memorial Parkway NE (Stovehouse)
- Governors Drive SW (North Huntsville)
The Old Gurley Road NE and Memorial Parkway NE stores will be about 55,000 square feet, while plans call for the Governors Drive SW location to be a more compact 33,000 square feet.
Two additional Huntsville stores will follow.
Food City CEO Steve Smith told FOX54 the company that the company was drawn to Huntsville by the city's population growth, its strong economy and the reception that the company received from the community as it explored areas of opportunity.
"There's room in the city for a good regional grocer," Steve Smith said. "We're going to keep growing, and we're especially interested in the northern part of the state."
Smith said expansion could include more locations in Madison County outside the Huntsville city limits.
Earlier in August, Food City opened a new full-service store in Fort Payne.
It now operates 140 traditional grocery stores and 17 specialty shops, such as wine and spirits stores.
