CARMI, Ill. -- Officials with Hucks convenience store operator Martin & Bayley Inc. said that they have signed an agreement to own and operate a Save-A-Lot grocery store in Carmi, Ill., reported the Carmi Times.
The location was the site of a Buy-Low grocery store until earlier this year, when Buehlers, the owners, closed due to financial problems within the corporation, the report said.
The new, 15,000-sq.ft. Save-A-Lot will offer a full range of grocery items. It will include a full-service prime butcher shop and complete [image-nocss] produce department. Plans are to offer the items at prices lower than superstore prices, said the report. The company also plans to offer gasoline discounts based on grocery purchases.
We wanted to provide people of this area a first-class operation with a product line that was reasonably priced, said Martin & Bayley Chairman Randy Fulkerson. The Save-A-Lot franchise allows us to do this.
The purchase of the store franchise increases Martin & Bayley's commitment to Carmi and White County, which also includes their corporate office, distribution center and two c-stores. The company has plans to expand with Save-A-Lot by adding additional units in the future, the report said.
Martin & Bayley began in the grocery business and at one owned more than 30 Big John stores. The company sold that division and currently operates 134 Huck's Food & Fuel c-stores in a five state area.
The new Carmi Save-A-Lot, like the rest of Martin & Bayley will be 100% owned by the employees of the company and is scheduled to be open for business by February 2006, according to the report.
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