Earlier today, company officials broke ground on the new Food City, located at 1375 Broad Street in downtown Chattanooga. The 53,300+ square foot retail supermarket is expected to open late Summer. 

“We are proud to work with the City of Chattanooga and River City Company to develop this very unique project.  We are confident that this will be a very enjoyable and fun place to dine and shop, as well as a complimentary addition to the neighborhood,” says Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer. “In addition to great food, we anticipate being able to offer beer and wine in a friend-welcoming atmosphere,” adds Dan Glei, Food City senior vice president of merchandising/marketing.

The downtown Chattanooga store will include an in-store bakery and deli offering fresh baked goods, deli meats, cheeses, hot foods, fireplace, fresh sushi, hickory smoker, brick pizza oven, Asian wok and hot food bar, fresh food bar offering a variety of soup, salad and fruit selections, beer and wine on tap, and one of the company’s largest seating areas with over 115 total seats, including a sunroom and large outdoor patio.  The food court will offer a restaurant-quality experience for breakfast, lunch, and dinner into the evening. Full-service meat and seafood departments will offer pre-marinated/seasoned oven ready products and a complete selection of top-quality meats, including Certified Angus Beef. In-house meat cutters will be available to hand cut steaks and fresh meat to order. Expanded grocery, frozen food, and produce departments will go well beyond the normal fare with a huge selection of specialty, gourmet, and vegan items.  The Food City Floral Boutique will be staffed with a designer seven days per week, offering a full assortment of fresh-cut floral arrangements, bouquets, gift items, and more. Rapid checkout service will be provided by five check-out lanes and thirteen self-checkouts. The location will also feature a Food City Pharmacy, Starbucks café, offering a wide assortment of blended hot and cold coffees and beverages and an assortment of tasty breakfast sandwiches and pastries. The store will also offer GoCart curbside pick-up and home delivery services for customers wishing to shop online. Several award-winning energy saving concepts will be included, ranging from energy efficient glass cooler doors, parking lot lights, and refrigeration systems to motion sensors, and 100% LED lighting. 

“Successful communities offer a complete mix of uses—with jobs, goods, services, and culture accessible within a short walk or bike from home,” says Mayor Tim Kelly. “As Chattanooga continues to grow, this new Food City is a shining example of how quality urban design and land use can make our downtown more livable and connected—and, by bringing fresh healthy food to a neighborhood that needs it, more equitable.” 

In order to conform to downtown Chattanooga’s Form Based Code requirements, this unique Food City anchored mixed use project will also consist of approximately 16,000 sq. ft. of two-level retail and office space along Broad Street and six two story town houses along W. 13th Street. 

“River City Company is excited to welcome Food City to Broad Street in Downtown Chattanooga! By listening to community voices and using urban design principles, the store will match local architecture and serve as a tremendous asset – providing fresh and healthy food within walking distance to downtown residents and employees,” says Emily Mack, River City Company president and chief executive officer.

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 149 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama.