By Sarrah Peters/News Editor
The groundbreaking for the future Publix in Rainbow City was held Monday at 10:30 a.m. The groundbreaking event was hosted by The Gadsden/Etowah County Chamber and MAB American Management, LLC.
Plans for the new Publix, which will be located on the corner of Highway 77 and West Grand Avenue, have been in progress since 2010.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Rainbow City Mayor Terry Calhoun. “So many people have asked me questions about it, but the question has changed from ‘When is that Publix going to get started?’ and ‘Will it ever get started?’ to ‘When is it going to open?’”
The intersection was chosen for its ideal traffic patterns and its accessibility.
The store will be 45,600 square feet. The building will also include 20,000 square feet of retail space and two outparcels.
“The city is excited about the new jobs, the revenue and the other retailers to come,” said Calhoun.
The building plans include space for 15-20 additional stores or restaurants, which they hope to use to develop additional small businesses in the area.
The mayor thanked the Publix representatives, the developers, the city council and other legislatures for their support in the process of making the idea of the Publix a reality.
“This is one of the most exciting projects, one of the largest projects, and one of the projects that has the greatest potential than anything that I’ve seen for Rainbow City in many, many years,” said City Attorney Jim Turnbach, who has worked for Rainbow City for almost 35 years.
The store is hoping the grand opening will take place around October of 2015.
The store is also planning a hiring event in the city as they prepare to open.