CAPE CORAL, Fla - The Cape's wait for an organic food store is just about over. Lucky's Market will be part of a future shopping plaza in early 2019.
"It is very similar to a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe's and we've been trying to get one of those in this city for a long time," said Nita Whaley, who works for the city's economic development team.
Lucky's Market will be joined by at least a gas station and a few fast food chains. The future plaza will set on the 8 acre stretch of land on the corner of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Santa Barbara Boulevard.
"It's right in the epicenter of Cape Coral," Dan Creighton from Creighton Construction and Management told 4 In Your Corner. "Over 70,000 cars and trucks pass here daily," he added.
Creighton Construction and Management has invested almost 5 million dollars in the property. It worked with the city for plans to change the infrastructure in order to accommodate the future traffic the plaza will attract.
"This was going to be a storage place or something along those lines, but if we gave it great access it could turn into something great," Creighton said.
Lucky's Market's Cape Coral location is their first store in Lee county. The chain has another store in Naples. Todd Kerscher is the store director there and told 4 In Your Corner of the store's success since they opened.
"We combine fun and good healthy eating," Kerscher said. "We'll be perfect for the Cape."
Kerscher said many of the customers that shop at the Naples store travel from Cape Coral.
"I'd say several people are traveling in excess of a 100 miles to come here," he said.
Kerscher said the Cape Coral store will hire somewhere in the range of 140 to 160 people. However, Creighton believes the jobs won't end there.
"There's going to be several other businesses on this corner. I think there is going to be between 300 to 400 new jobs," Creighton said.
Lucky's Market hopes to be operation in early 2019.
