By Maggie Beamguard
Insider Editor
For months, grocery getters in Seven Lakes have navigated a Food Lion in transition. On Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 7:45 a.m. the Seven Lakes store was one of 167 Food Lion stores to simultaneously celebrate a grand reopening with a ribbon cutting for the refreshed shopping experience. Other Food Lion stores in Moore County also have been upgraded.
The coordinated celebrations of the ambitious $365 million investment in the greater Raleigh-Durham market included gift cards, games, giveaways and more for local customers.
The Seven Lakes store tapped customer Frank Feggler, who has shopped at the Food Lion for 31 years and knows the employees by name, to cut the ribbon. Store Manager Mike Haymore said it was an honor to stand beside Feggler and expressed gratitude for his business and for keeping store employees on their toes.
Upwards of 60 people attended the occasion, and 15 participants won an opportunity to win gift cards ranging from $150 to $1,000. Seven Lakes resident Ann Fought, who moved to the area from Ohio two years ago, won the top prize.
The remodel of the Seven Lakes location, which employs 66 people, began on Jan. 22. The bulk of the work wrapped up at the end of July.
Haymore and Food Lion employees were cheerful as they welcomed customers and enjoyed the moment together. Haymore, who started in the grocery business as a bag boy and retrieving carts at the Pinecrest Plaza Food Lion when he was 16, was humbled by the moment.
“I’ve been in this business for 30 years. I’m finally a store manager. I care for the community. I care for the staff. And I care to do the right thing” he said. “I’m humbled to be in this position. I’m blessed to be in this position. I’m proud to be in this position.”
The event provided an opportunity for associates to showcase new store features. The remodeled store at Seven Lakes features a fresh, modern look and an enhanced and efficient shopping experience that includes new self-checkout lanes and energy-efficient LED lighting and refrigerated cases with doors.
Haymore said that the biggest change for customers was the addition of the self-checkout lanes. While customers have welcomed the option enthusiastically, Haymore acknowledges some don’t care for them.
The addition of the self-checkout option does not reduce the need for cashiers, he said, but rather provides additional convenience to customers.
The self-checkout is most popular among afternoon shoppers stopping by after work and 57 percent of their total shoppers have been using the machines.
Customers discovered an expanded product assortment with a specific focus on a variety of ready-to-go meals.
The ready-to-go meals are prepared in house and are available near the butchery. Other deli products, including burritos, butter chicken and mac and cheese are made by a company based in Charlotte and can be microwaved for a quick meal on the go.
Through Food Lion’s Local Goodness program, more local items will be available including fresh seasonal produce grown in North Carolina.
Approximately 500 new products will be included in the average of 24,000 products per store, including a large selection of organic, gluten-free and plant-based items.
“Food Lion has also donated $250,000 through its hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds, to support the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and Inter-Faith Food Shuttle,” said a Food Lion spokesperson. “The investment in the remodels and partnerships reflects Food Lion’s continued commitment to the towns and cities it serves.”
Food Lion, founded and based in Salisbury since 1957, is owned by Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
