Drivers had one question on their minds when they made their way off Fire Tower Road or Beacon Drive into the newly constructed Winterville Commons shopping center.
“When are you going to open?” shouted the drivers at a store employee sitting behind a table, under a tent in front of the new supermarket.
“May 16,” the young man said before walking to the vehicles, offering customer rewards cards.
Food and beverage distributors are joining store employees in stocking shelves in preparation of the Winston-Salem-based Lowes Foods opening its latest location.
“We have seen incredible excitement from this area and are very appreciative of the reception we have received so far,” said Kelly Davis, Lowes Foods’ senior director of guest engagement. “We’re very excited about the excitement we are seeing.”
Davis said she is looking forward to the community’s response when the store holds its ribbon-cutting at 7:55 a.m. May 16 followed by its official opening at 8 a.m.
Davis said there is typically a lot of excitement whenever Lowes opens a new location. “This area seems to have a little more energy than we typically see.”
Becky Smith, a chain account manager with Coastal Beverage Company, who was stocking coolers with cases of beer on Friday, showcased that excitement.
A Winterville resident, Smith said she’ll be shopping at Lowes.
“We like to have anything that is very convenient for us to get to,” Smith said. “We obviously have a lot of other grocery stores in this area but it’s nice to have this type of variety coming into the area. They have a lot of fresh items.”
Founded in 1954, Lowes Foods employs nearly 9,000 people and operates more than 80 full-service supermarkets in the Carolinas, according to a company news release.
During the last decade, the company has grown to offer specialized experiences for customers along with the traditional pantry staples, fresh meats and produce.
The Winterville location features Lowes Foods Originals, areas that offer specialized products and services located in individualized stalls along the interior perimeter of the store.
One of the most unique aspects of the store is The Beer Den. In a bar-like setting, shoppers can purchase North Carolina-produced craft beers that they can drink while they shop or fill a growler or crowler and take home.
Davis said the den will have offerings such as seasonal and special event beers. There will be half-price pints on Thursday and Friday Night Flights, where a flight of beers can be purchased for $5, she said.
Customers are limited to two in-store purchases, said Davis.
Individuals who don’t want alcohol can purchase coffee or smoothies at Boxcar Coffee, Davis said.
Other offerings include The Chicken Kitchen, which supplies all types of prepared chicken ranging from rotisserie style to wings to chicken salad and chicken noodle soup.
The Smokehouse offers a daily rotation of meats smoked on site. It too has specials such as a half-rack of ribs for $5 on Friday.
There also is Sammy’s, a place to pick up a sandwich or pizza for lunch or dinner. There also is a bakery, a cheese shop and SausageWorks, which features locally made pork, beef and poultry sausages.
Pick and Prep, located in produce, has staff that will prepare produce for customers, Davis said, slicing, dicing and julianning fruits and vegetables as the customer needs for their recipes.
The store also has The Community Table, where shoppers can eat and drink.
Davis said on Friday customers can grab a $5 half-rack and $5 flight of beer and have a $10 dinner.
Constructed of reclaimed wood from local barns, it also serves as the site for events such as recipe sampling, activities for children, and eating tips, including how to eat gluten free.
Lowes Foods Originals were born out of a rebranding effort that began in the mid-2010s, Davis said.
“We interviewed over 100 people. We went into their homes and talked about groceries and what they thought about different things and what they thought about us,” Davis said. “We didn’t really have an identity. We were clean, people liked shopping with us, but we weren’t high, high end and we didn’t have low, low prices, at the extreme discount end, we were kind of stuck in the middle.”
From there, the Lowes Foods Originals concept was born.
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