Dollar General Market to open this weekend
Store located at old Shop-Rite building
DG Market manager James Harris and store employee Amanda Patterson work to stock shelves on Tuesday morning (March 28) in preparation for the opening of the new Rocky Top supermarket this weekend. (photo:G Chambers Williams III )
Store manager James Harris said the exact opening day was uncertain, but added, “We’re still planning to have it open this weekend.”
The DG Market will be a full-service supermarket, located in the former building of the Shop-Rite supermarket in downtown Rocky Top.
This will be the first supermarket in Rocky Top since the Shop-Rite closed in 2018, bringing an end to what had become something of a “food desert” in north Anderson County.
The developer, JMB Investments of Knoxville, closed on the $457,000 purchase of the Shop-Rite building in early November 2022, and was issued a building permit by the city of Rocky Top for $886,850 in upgrades and improvements to the property last Nov. 22.
Raven Construction of Knoxville has been the contractor for the work on the 20,915 square-foot building.
Of the total space, 11,000 square feet will be used for the shopping area, with the rest of the space reserved for storage and future expansion, City Manager Michael Foster said.
The current Dollar General store on Norris Freeway will remain open.
A DG Market differs from a regular Dollar General store by its much-larger size and being stocked as a full grocery store, including fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. DG Markets even have ads listing weekly specials like most supermarkets do.
More information about the DG Markets and their weekly specials may be found online at: dollargeneral.com/market.html