5/24/2010
Construction on 93,000-square-foot supermarket will begin this summer
WEST DES MOINES, IA – Officials with Hy-Vee, Inc. have announced plans to build a supermarket in Sycamore.
The Iowa-based retailer has leased a former K-Mart site in the Sycamore Plaza shopping center at Illinois Highway 23 and Oakland Drive in Sycamore. Construction will begin this summer on a 93,000-square-foot supermarket and adjacent convenience store, with an opening planned for late spring of 2011. The new store will create 350 to 400 jobs and represent an investment of about $17 million in the DeKalb-Sycamore economy.
Known as the company with the “helpful smile in every aisle,” employee-owned Hy-Vee operates 229 retail stores in eight Midwestern states, including 12 stores in Illinois. In 2009 Hy-Vee recorded total sales of $6.4 billion, ranking it among the top 30 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the nation.
Hy-Vee’s commitment to making lives easier, healthier and happier is reflected in the design of its retail stores. In the new Sycamore store, the emphasis will be on freshness, variety, convenience and service, with features such as a food court with dining area; a pharmacy; a wine & spirits store; a staff dietitian; a HealthMarket showcasing natural, organic and special dietary products; a meeting room that will house the store’s cooking school; a Caribou Coffee outlet; and much more. The convenience store will offer Hy-Vee shoppers discounts on gasoline purchases.
Dennis Ausenhus, senior vice president of real estate and engineering for Hy-Vee, said the company had looked at several sites in the DeKalb-Sycamore area before selecting the Sycamore Plaza location.
“We see tremendous opportunities for Hy-Vee in this market,” Ausenhus said. “Hy-Vee traditionally has done well in university communities, and our redevelopment of this site should serve as a catalyst for further retail growth in the area.”
Sycamore Plaza developer John Pappas said Hy-Vee’s announcement is a positive sign for the DeKalb-Sycamore economy.
“Hy-Vee is a top-notch company,” Pappas said. “They’ll bring good-paying jobs and outstanding services to the community. I’m very happy to have Hy-Vee here.”
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 229 retail stores in eight Midwestern states. For 2009 the company recorded total sales of $6.4 billion, ranking it among the top 30 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Visit the company’s website at www.hy-vee.com
