Fareway furthers its Iowa footprint expansion

 Fareway Stores Inc. is expanding its brick-and-mortar footprint in Iowa.

The Iowa-based grocery retailer plans to build a 10,600-square-foot full-service, neighborhood grocery store in Hull, Iowa, the grocer announced on Thursday. Last month, Fareway opened its first of three stores planned in West Des Moines.

The new store will be located at the southwest corner of Highway 18 and Division Street. Construction is planned to begin in late summer, with a tentative opening in spring 2024. The grocer will close on the property soon, with more details in the near future, the company said in a statement.

“Communities depend on a local grocer to offer high-quality products and unmatched service and help keep communities vibrant,” said Fareway CEO Reynolds W. Cramer. “We look forward to serving area residents of Hull and want to thank city staff and community leaders for helping make this project possible.”

The new Fareway will feature the Midwest grocer’s high-quality meat department, which it touts as “second-to-none,” with a full-service butcher counter, produce, competitive prices and to-your-car carryout. The new store will offer Fareway’s FastLanes, a self-service checkout option, and online shopping and curbside pick-up, the grocer said.

“Our residents have been waiting for a local grocery store committed to great customer service and our small-town values,” said Hull Mayor Arlan Moss in a statement.

Looking to strengthen its leadership team and advance the grocery retailer’s omnichannel strategy, the grocer also last month announced several corporate promotions. The executive promotions include Aaron Irlbeck, who is now SVP of campus operations; John Cramer, who is now VP of e-commerce operations, and Chad Hickcox, who has been promoted to regional VP.

Fareway, which is a family-owned business, operates over 134 stores in seven states. The Midwest grocer also operates standalone meat markets and last year opened its first Fareway Meat Market in Minnesota.