Arkansas Town Gets Two Hispanic Groceries
ROGERS, Ark. -- Two former Foodtown supermarkets here are scheduled to reopen this year with a Latin accent, according to a published report.
The location at 305 N. Second St. will become the second store under the El Ranchito banner, while the location at 300 S. Eighth Street will soon be a Supermercado La Villita. El Ranchito's other store is in Springdale, Ark., and La Villita currently occupies a strip mall not far from its future site.
El Ranchito owner Tony Almaraz told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that his new store would reach out to Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike, since "on this side of town, I don't see too many grocery stores." Almaraz added that the El Ranchito store in Rogers would feature more produce and meat than the market it's replacing. The store is slated to open in May or June.
Supermercado La Villita, owned by Almaraz's cousin Antonio Prujillo, will begin moving into its new location in two weeks' time, a process that should be completed by this summer. Prujillo also owns the Foodtown Jr. convenience store and gas station at the site, which suddenly closed a few months ago with all of its inventory intact. He plans to lease out the c-store and filling station.
Both Foodtown locations were owned by James William and Linda Sue Suggs, who filed for bankruptcy in October 2005.
The location at 305 N. Second St. will become the second store under the El Ranchito banner, while the location at 300 S. Eighth Street will soon be a Supermercado La Villita. El Ranchito's other store is in Springdale, Ark., and La Villita currently occupies a strip mall not far from its future site.
El Ranchito owner Tony Almaraz told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that his new store would reach out to Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike, since "on this side of town, I don't see too many grocery stores." Almaraz added that the El Ranchito store in Rogers would feature more produce and meat than the market it's replacing. The store is slated to open in May or June.
Supermercado La Villita, owned by Almaraz's cousin Antonio Prujillo, will begin moving into its new location in two weeks' time, a process that should be completed by this summer. Prujillo also owns the Foodtown Jr. convenience store and gas station at the site, which suddenly closed a few months ago with all of its inventory intact. He plans to lease out the c-store and filling station.
Both Foodtown locations were owned by James William and Linda Sue Suggs, who filed for bankruptcy in October 2005.