IGA owners talk expansion plans

Published 7:40 am Monday, December 14, 2009

By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



The Town of Kimberly could see its business development multiply in coming months.

Tracy Crane, who co-owns Kimberly’s IGA MarketPlace along with Daniel Stone, announced at Tuesday’s council meeting that he and Crane will soon start expanding North Jefferson Plaza, where IGA is located off of U.S. Hwy. 31.

Crane and Stone bought out their former partners, and now own all of the land associated with North Jefferson Plaza.

“We were always owners in the store, now we own all of the property,” Crane said.

His company has received tentative approval for a bank loan in order to build a strip mall. IGA is currently the only existing building there.

Crane said he and Stone want to build two restaurants and other retail stores. He did not name specific businesses, but said he has received several calls from interested parties.

“The reason we’re doing this is we want to keep he development focus in the Kimberly-Morris area,” Crane said. “The town needs it and we need it. We need to move forward.”

Crane said construction could start as early as March or April, with stores opening for business by October 2010.

IGA opened in October 2008. The development included a sewer with a capacity of 3,000 gallons per day.

The Jefferson County Department of Health has issued a permit for 2,000 gallons per day.

Crane said the store currently uses about 700 gallons a day. He said that if necessary, he would apply to get the remaining 1,000 approved by the health department.

Crane told the council that sewer limitations will prohibit a full-service restaurant that requires use of a dishwasher from moving to the area.

However, he said there will be a restaurant that uses baskets and would thus reduce the use of a commercial dishwasher.

One of the requirements for Crane and Stone’s company, Elite Holdings, to receive the loan was to get approval from the town council.

They received it, as the council approved an agreement with Alabama Limited Liability Company.