Officials with West Point Market have finalized the sale of the store’s property in West Akron to make way for a Whole Foods store, and have narrowed their options for a site for a new version of the iconic specialty foods grocery.
“I want to give customers what they expect in our new flagship store,” said West Point CEO Rick Vernon. “I want to do it right. I’ve spent 40 years here.”
Vernon, the third-generation part-owner of the family business, earlier this year revealed plans to close the nearly 80-year-old store at 1711 W. Market St. and build smaller markets focusing on best-selling items.
Vernon said that he eventually would like to have five or six “satellite shops” in Northeast Ohio, in addition to the flagship store.
Vernon said last week that West Point officials are considering two sites in Fairlawn for the planned main store. It would feature West Point’s signature Killer Brownies, along with an array of prepared foods, wines, cheese and more and is expected to open before the holidays next year.
One site for the new store would involve constructing a new building, the other would entail remodeling an existing structure. At about 13,000 square feet, the new West Point would be about half the size of the current store in Akron’s Wallhaven area.
An entity affiliated with developer S.J. Collins of Fairborn, Ga., outside Atlanta, paid $4.5 million for the West Point property, according to Summit County property tax records.
Also last week, Vernon detailed plans surrounding the closing of the store in late December.
The plan is to remain open through Christmas Eve, close Christmas Day and then reopen the next day, with all items priced at a significant discount. Vernon said the store will remain open through the end of the year if enough inventory remains.
Vernon said nearly all of the shop’s workers are staying until the end. Regular employees are receiving financial incentives to stick around. The store’s payroll totals about 90 full- and part-time workers, including seasonal employees.
Officials with other locally owned groceries have made presentations at the store about employment opportunities.
S.J. Collins confirmed in July that it planned to build a retail complex, anchored by a Whole Foods organic/natural foods grocery, where West Point now stands.
The developer also has purchased a building at 1745 W. Market for $450,000 and the building at 1755 W. Market for $388,000.
Construction on the Whole Foods Market store is to begin next year and the store is to open in 2017, according to city officials.
In recent years, West Point, like others in the specialty grocery business, has faced increased competition, with traditional grocers expanding their offerings and a growth in high-end chains.
The sale of the property will allow West Point to invest in a reformatted business, with the smaller stores, Larry Uhl, president of West Point, has said. Uhl has decided to leave the company, and will not help to open the proposed smaller markets as planned.
Russ Vernon, Rick Vernon’s father, brought Uhl on board as a partner in 1999, as part of a succession plan. Uhl previously was vice president of marketing for Au Bon Pain, a chain of bakeries and cafes in Boston.
Russ Vernon retired in 2000, handing the reins over to his son Rick and Uhl.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. You can follow her @KatieByardABJ on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com.