Natural Grocers of Lakewood, Colorado, announced Tuesday that it will open a new store in Jonesboro in the first half of 2017 and bring 18 full-time jobs to the community.
The 25,000-SF store will anchor the Caraway Plaza shopping center at 1315 South Caraway Road, according to a news release.
Halsey Thrasher Harpole Commercial Real Estate manages the center and brokered the deal to bring Natural Grocers to northeast Arkansas. Managing Partner Gary Harpole told Arkansas Business, "Natural Grocers invests approximately $2.2 million dollars per store when opening a new location."
He said in the release, "This is one of those times when an overwhelming desire of the market gets met by a leading national company. Every survey, formal or informal, that has been conducted in this market asking people what kind of retail development they want to see has resulted in a call for a company like Natural Grocers. They are an incredible operator with an outstanding reputation and history. This is a big day for Jonesboro and northeast Arkansas."
Natural Grocers employs more than 3,000 people, operates 130 stores in 19 states and has stores in Fayetteville and Little Rock.
The company will be hiring store leadership, department managers, cashiers and a nutritional health coach for the Jonesboro location.
"Commitment to our employees has always been a top priority — it is one of the founding principles on which we base our business practices," Kemper Isely, co-president of Natural Grocers, said in the release. "We cannot properly serve our customers without our talented staff and nutrition experts. The crew we're putting in place in Jonesboro will be the experts in their field and will bring a great deal of knowledge and value to the Natural Grocers family and the local community."
Natural Grocers will offer 100 percent USDA Certified Organic produce, naturally raised meats, pasture-based dairy products, free-range and pasture-based eggs; a mix of national brands and locally produced products; and free nutrition education classes to the public.