Last updated on January 26th, 2017 at 09:37 am
by Alissa Marchat/staff writer
2016 ended as a positive year for the Peach State, which saw a slight dip in unemployment over the course of the year. The Georgia Department of Labor’s (GDOL) October report, released in late November, put the state’s unemployment rate at 5.2 percent—a few tenths of a percent lower than last year’s 5.5 percent. While that number ticked up a fraction from September’s 5.1 percent and is higher than the national average of 4.6 percent, the GDOL is optimistic about the state’s future.
“The rate increased slightly as our labor force grew by 27,795 as more jobseekers began looking for work in October,” said State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “Since some new job-seekers won’t land a job immediately, they are counted as unemployed, which can result in a rate increase. But, our employers continue to create jobs, so there are a lot of good opportunities for work.”
The number of jobs in Georgia increased by 2.3 percent over the course of the year, translating into nearly 100,000 new jobs. By comparison, the national growth rate is lower at 1.7 percent. The state’s grocers seem to be doing their part in bolstering Georgia’s economy. 2016 saw the growth of a number of grocers, including new store openings and remodels.
Kroger replaced a Dawsonville store with its new Marketplace format, boasting a significant increase in square footage and product assortment. The retailer also opened a new location in an Atlanta mixed-use development. Sprouts continues to expand its presence in the state, with two new stores scheduled to open in early 2017, each bringing approximately 100 jobs to their communities.
Grocer growth
Kroger’s Atlanta Division hosted grand opening festivities this fall for a store in Atlanta that’s been under construction for more than a year. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Nov. 9 for the Lindbergh/Piedmont Kroger at 2542 Morosgo Way.
The 84,397-s.f. store is part of Lindbergh Place, a high-density, mixed-use, transit-oriented development located in the city’s upscale Buckhead community. Kroger anchors the project, which includes 175,000 s.f. of retail space including the grocery store, 225 residential units and a three-acre urban park. Fuqua Development oversaw the project.
As part of the grand opening, which included a tour of the store and the introduction of the store’s click-and-collect service called ClickList, the company presented $420,700 to Susan G. Komen Atlanta from October fundraising initiatives and unveiled a mural by a local SCAD (Savannah School of Art and Design) artist that commemorates the culture and diversity of the community.
The store features a deli, pharmacy, floral shop, organic section and vitamin shop, in addition to an expanded meat and seafood department.
Kroger says the store brings 300 new jobs to the community.
Publix also opened a store in Georgia on Nov. 9, in Moultrie. The store, located in the Moultrie Commons shopping center, is 45,600 s.f., with the chain’s typical perishable and grocery departments as well as a pharmacy.
On Dec. 15 (after press time), a store was set to open in the Atlanta area, in Smyrna. It is the same size as the Moultrie store and also features a pharmacy, according to the Publix website. The Smyrna store is located in Jonquil Plaza.
Lakeland, Florida-based Publix operates about 185 stores in Georgia.
Natural and organic grocer Sprouts Farmers Market will open a new store in Marietta (3805 Dallas Highway SW) on Jan. 25 and in Decatur (2551 Blackmon Drive) on March 1, 2017. The company has estimated that its stores bring about 100 jobs each to their communities.
Sprouts says its offers consumers a complete healthy grocery store experience featuring fresh produce, bulk foods, dairy, meat and seafood, bakery, deli, vitamins, body care and more. Shoppers can find a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables and barrels of grains, nuts and sweets. The bright, open stores showcase fresh-baked goods, eclectic beer and wine and thousands of natural, organic and gluten-free groceries, according to the grocer. Each store features an in-house butcher, who helps customers with special cuts of meat, seafood seasoning and handcrafted sausages made daily. Sprouts calls itself a one-stop-shop known for low prices on a wide selection of healthy products and knowledgeable team members.
Healthy Corner Store Initiative comes to Atlanta
The Healthy Corner Store Initiative, a Philadelphia-based program that has helped to bring healthier foods to corner stores across the city for more than a decade, has been brought to Georgia thanks to a collaboration between Georgia State University’s School of Public Health and Morehouse School of Medicine’s (MSM) Prevention Research Center, according to the Albany Herald.
“Participants living in South Atlanta neighborhoods gave ‘access to healthy foods’ in their communities a poor ranking in a survey conducted by Morehouse School of Medicine’s Prevention Research Center (PRC) in 2012-13,” the organization says on its website. “We listened to the concern. The PRC and Georgia State University’s School of Public Health have teamed up for the Healthy Corner Store Initiative, which is working with local store owners to boost the number of healthier food options in neighborhoods that have few or no grocery stores and produce markets.”
Eleven stores in Fulton County had been tapped to participate in the program as of Thanksgiving, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. Stores already identified as healthy corner stores on MSM’s website as of Dec. 9 are: Atlanta Food Mart (1190 Metropolitan Parkway), Peach Pantry (1085 Katherwood), Sylvan Food Mart (1709 Sylvan Road), Metro Foods (1407 Metropolitan Parkway), Quality Meat Market (2034 Sylvan Road) and Lakewood Food Mart (2808 Lakewood Avenue, Suite B).
These stores feature signs identifying them as healthy corner stores; will stock at least four healthy food choices, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, low-sodium canned vegetables or low-sugar canned fruit; and will feature in-store signage directing shoppers to the healthier options.
*Editor’s note: Find the complete Georgia Market Profile in the January 2017 print edition of The Shelby Report of the Southeast.
