ATHENS — It doesn’t get much better than this, according to Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks, as community leaders and Food City representatives broke ground Friday for a 57,000 square-foot store in Athens, marking the grocery chain’s continued expansion in Alabama.
The store, at the intersection of Lucas Ferry Road and Elm Street, will include a sit-down café, Asian wok, hearth and pizza ovens, fresh-rolled sushi, hand-cut meats and seafood, custom-cut produce, a pharmacy, fuel center, and a curated beer and wine selection.
Once completed, it will become the eighth Food City in Alabama. The Virginia-based grocer opened its first store in the state in 2021 in Albertville.
“We got kind of recruited to come to Alabama over in Albertville some four years or so ago,” said Food City President Steve Smith. “And we just love doing business in Alabama.
“It’s just been such a real treat to meet a lot of the friendly people, and there’s such good growth going on in North Alabama, such robust job growth and home growth. We just thought it was a natural place for our company to go.”
The Athens project is expected to generate $23 million in annual taxable sales and will include infrastructure improvements in the area.
Marks said the impact goes far beyond groceries.
“This is just an exciting day,” he said. “Anytime you can invest $20 million in a capital project, 180 employees, a 57,000 square-foot building, grocery store, gas department, pharmacy. I mean, how much better can it get on a day like today?
“So thank you and we welcome Food City.”
Incentives for the project were approved by the Athens City Council last November.
The agreement allows the city to reimburse the company annually for 10 years or until $2.4 million is reached using sales tax revenue generated by the store.
Marks said the west side of town is “exploding” with development, and growth continues to move in that direction.
Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce President Pammie Jimmar agreed.
“We are so excited about the possibilities of other businesses and other developments that would develop around this,” she said.
Representing U.S. Rep. Dale Strong’s office, Daniel Ceci praised the project as a major investment in Athens’ continued economic growth and encouraged everyone to keep the momentum going.
“Let’s throw some dirt and get to work,” he said.
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