Food City Revamps 6 Chattanooga Stores

Food City, operated by Abingdon, Va.-based K-VA-T Food Stores Inc., has remodeled six locations in the Chattanooga, Tenn., area, and is also planning to introduce its first fuel station in the region, according to a published report. The banner's newly remodeled St. Elmo store will get the inaugural fuel station, with another one set to begin construction in Harrison and a half-dozen additional stations in the pipeline.

The grocer intends to spend as much as $50 million over three years on the 29 area stores it purchased from Jacksonville, Fal.-based Southeastern Grocers in July of last year.

Food City EVP of Operations Mickey Blazer told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the company would begin work on six more store renovations by early fall, although he declined to name specific sites, noting that the company was still in negotiations with property owners.

The overhauled stores now feature refreshed storefronts and such interior upgrades as new refrigerated cases, an enhanced meat and seafood service area, a fresh food bar, and café seating, as well as an expanded hot bar and pizza case, and a beer growler station with 12 craft beers on tap.

Look for Store of the Month coverage of Food City’s Johnson City, Tenn., supermarket, which offers many of the features of the remodeled Chattanooga, Tenn.-area locations, in Progressive Grocer’s September 2016 issue.