OWENS CROSS ROADS, Ala. — Hundreds of customers showed up early to Food City, looking for deals on groceries and getting their first look at a new place in town to shop.
Describing the first hours of the store's opening, divisional executive vice president Rodney Dillard said, "We had 200 [people] at the door this morning before we opened up. We're very excited to be here and ready to serve the Huntsville market."
During those first few hours, the store's first 200 customers received free sausage, a biscuit, some coffee and a commemorative coin worth $35. But to get to opening day, food service supervisor Trish Kenney said months of work went into planning and developing the location.
Kenney said, "It's a lot of work to get started, but I'm telling you that we're pros in doing that. We come in from the ground up and get all of our product baked and ready, fresh, for you. 70% of everything in the bakery and deli department, we make here in-store."
The Owens Cross Roads store is the second Food City location in northern Alabama and the first in Madison County. Vice president Rodney Dillard said the company will open three other locations in Madison County in the months ahead.
Dillard said, "One is on Highway 72. One is on Memorial Parkway... and then one is on Governor's Drive downtown."
Those stores are likely to open in the spring. They will have similar features as the Owens Cross Roads store. In all, six Food City locations will be built in northern Alabama, amounting to a $100 million investment that will add close to 1,000 jobs to the region.