Regional supermarket chain Lowes Foods coming to Aiken
Jan. 7—Aiken will soon be getting a Lowes Foods.
Information provided to the Aiken City Council ahead of Monday's meeting indicates that Lowes Foods will be the tenant of a 50,000-square-foot building to be constructed at a new shopping center on the Southside.
Lowes Foods is a regional supermarket chain operating stores in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. It was founded in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in 1954. The company has 81 stores.
It is a subsidiary of the Hickory, North Carolina, based Alex Lee Inc. Alex Lee also owns a distribution company, Merchants Distributors LLC, that serves other grocery stores in the southeast including KJ's Markets.
The shopping center will be located behind and to the north of the Circle K gas station located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Whiskey Road, Powderhouse Road and Stratford Drive. Access will be available via Whiskey Road and two points on Powderhouse Road.
The Aiken City Council approved the annexation of the property, its zoning as planned commercial and the concept plan calling for the construction of the 50,000-square-foot store, 20,040 square feet of additional retail space and nine buildings with 48 total attached single-family homes June 13.
City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh wrote to the city council Thursday that the plans for the shopping center include the construction of a deceleration lane where Powderhouse Road ends at Whiskey Road.
He said the city has had several conversations with the shopping center's developer, Aiken Powderhouse LLC, and has determined that it is appropriate to share the costs of the construction of the deceleration lane.
To share the costs, city council must agree to enter a cost-sharing agreement with Aiken Powderhouse LLC.
The agreement to be considered by city council on Monday evening calls for Aiken Powderhouse LLC to pay for the design work for the deceleration lane — Bedenbaugh says the cost is estimated at $85,000 — and the city to pay for the construction at an estimated cost of $100,000.
Bedenbaugh said the deceleration lane will be the city's second upgrade to the intersection. He said the city paid for the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection more than a year ago.
The city council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in the city council chamber on the third floor of the municipal building located at 111 Chesterfield St. SW.
