Earlier today, Food City officials announced plans to acquire the Cooke’s family of stores in the Greater Cleveland market area. The stores range in size from 15,000 to 35,000 sq. ft., and include five Fresh n’ Low locations, as well as the Cooke’s Food Store & Pharmacy:

Cooke’s Food Store/Fresh n’ Low Locations

• Fresh n’ Low, 3870 Candies Creek Lane NW, Cleveland, TN

• Fresh n’ Low, 2010 Broomfield Road SE, Cleveland, TN

• Fresh n’ Low, 99 Highway 286, Eton, GA

• Fresh n’ Low, 101 State Highway 58 South, Georgetown, TN

• Fresh n’ Low, 116 Whitewater Drive, Ocoee, TN 

• Cooke’s Food Store & Pharmacy, 3400 Keith Street NW, Cleveland, TN 

“We’re extremely excited to add the Cooke’s family of stores to our existing Food City locations, which have served the Cleveland community for many years.  We plan to make some large investments in the greater Cleveland area to ensure the future success of our new teammates,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer.

Family owned and operated; Cooke’s was founded in 1936. The chain is dedicated to providing top-notch customer service, a tradition that has been passed down through four generations. The locations are known for their fresh cut meats, deli, fresh produce, full-service Cooke’s Pharmacy, and community involvement.

Dan Cooke said, “On behalf of the entire family, we thank the Cleveland community, our customers, and our employees for your loyalty and support. It has been a privilege to serve you for the past 86 years. We are grateful that our employees will have the opportunity to continue our commitment to the community.”

While Food City plans to make significant capital investments in the Bradley County and greater Cleveland markets, the company plans to retain the Cooke’s/Fresh n’ Low name and operate both formats in a similar fashion for the immediate future. Food City will also endeavor to hire the vast majority of the store associates, retaining their years of experience. Cooke’s shoppers can expect to find top quality products at the lowest possible prices, including many of the brands they enjoy today. 

The Food Partners acted as financial advisor to Cooke’s in the transaction.  “We hope to finalize the acquisition and begin operation of the Cooke’s family of stores by October 1st,” said Smith.

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 140 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama. For more information, visit foodcity.com.