RICHMOND, Va. -- Ukrop's Super Markets here said it expects to open its first store in Roanoke, Va., next summer.
Roanoke, located approximately 200 miles southwest of here, "is a market that hasn't had a store like we offer, so we see it as an opportunity," said Robert Ukrop, president and chief operating officer of the 30-store chain.
Roanoke is a city with several universities where students and locals already are familiar with the Ukrop's name, he pointed out. So far, the 60,000-square-foot store is the only one Ukrop's is planning for Roanoke, he added.
The store had originally been scheduled to open this fall, Ukrop acknowledged, "but when you're dealing with an urban store on a redevelopment site, a number of issues arise -- in this case related to various permits and environmental issues -- that result in the process taking longer than originally expected."
Because the store will be in a shopping center that includes a Walgreen Co. drug store, Ukrop said the company agreed to operate without a pharmacy.
Instead, it will use the extra space to offer a store-within-a-store that will expand its offerings of natural and organic foods, he said. The store will also include a restaurant with seating for more than 150 people on two levels, he added.
