Friday, January 27, 2017

TOP STORY >> Edwards will open in Beebe

Edwards Cash Saver at 1701 W. Dewitt Henry Drive in Beebe will have its grand opening with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the old Knight’s Super Foods location.

The 50,000-square-foot store has been completely remodeled and the parking lot has been repaved.

“It is a good regional store that will pull in customers from several towns. We look forward to open ing on Wednesday,” owner Steve Edwards said.

During the grand opening, Edwards is giving away silver dollars to the first 300 customers and a free bag of Best Choice grocery items to the first 100 customers.

Shoppers can register to win a 35-quart Yeti cooler.

The Edwards stores have become known as “the Meat People,” and the Beebe store will include a large meat department. It will include the finest meats at great prices featuring certified Angus beef.

“We’re looking forward to serving the community,” meat department manager Johnny Garcia said.

Although the store will not include a full-service deli, it will have a large smoker making hot smoked ribs, chickens, pork, brisket and other meat items available daily.

The store will also have a large fresh produce department, along with a full selection of name brand and private-label grocery items.

Because this is a Cost Plus supermarket similar to the Edwards Cash Saver stores in Jacksonville and North Little Rock, all of this will be available at the store’s cost plus 10 percent at checkout.

Edwards entered the central Arkansas market in 2009 after operating in east Arkansas for five decades.

In addition to Beebe and Jacksonville, Edwards has supermarkets in Forrest City, Harrisburg, Marianna and four locations in Little Rock, one in North Little Rock and Bryant and convenience stores in McCrory and Augusta.

Gary Proffitt of Cabot, Edwards’ vice president of operations, supervises stores in central Arkansas.

He oversaw the remodeling of the old Knight’s stores in Beebe and Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville store opened in April.

Proffitt began working for Knight’s while he was still in high school.

He gained extensive management experience while working for the Megamarket and Food 4 Less chains and later as a retail counselor for Fleming Foods.