News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Work continues on Cookeville’s new Food City, but the opening of the 10th Street store will not happen for a few more months.
Food City CEO and President Steve Smith said delays in equipment deliveries caused the push back.
“The floors are poured. The main power is not on in the store yet, so we have temporary power on in there, but the workmen are able to work,” Smith said. “A lot of the refrigerator equipment is in the store. It’s yet to be set, so the store is starting to take shape.”
Smith said an official opening date has not been decided but that could be shared within the next month. The Virginia-based company originally aimed to open last fall.
“Last week, myself and a couple of other gentlemen were down and visited the store and got to see the progress we’ve made,” Smith said. “I am proud to say we’ve made great progress and we should have the store open in just a short period of time.”
Smith said the staffing process has already began for the some 54,000 square feet store. Smith said he expects a team of 150 to 200 part-time and full-time associates to operate it.
“We’ve started to do interviews,” Smith said. “I know our store manager, he is a Cookeville resident. He’s been over there a few weeks working to start to get his team together. We have a few people that will transfer in for some key roles, but most of our associates will come from the Cookeville area.”
At the same time of construction, the city of Cookeville continues work to widen East 10th street to Old Kentucky Road. Food City will be the first of many stores to fill the 14 some acre property.
Food City has been a part of the Cookeville community for sometime with the company donating about $391,000 to the Cookeville-Putnam County Tornado Relief Fund in 2020.
