By Staff
Hopes are store will help fill void left by Kmart
By Connie Nowlin
Managing editor
Super Fred's held its grand opening at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday in spite of nasty weather.
Dignitaries from the company, headquartered in Memphis, and the city, cut the ribbon for the store, part of a chain of some 430 stores in 14 states.
The business was begun in 1947 in Coldwater, Miss., with a cigar box for a cash register. It now employs more than 7,000 people and offers apparel, window and bath products, health and beauty supplies and much more.
The company now has a 900,000-square-foot warehouse in Memphis that covers more than 20 acres under roof.
The store, at 109 Linberg Ave., offered a $100 shopping spree, as well as hotdogs and cold drinks to its customers and visitors at the celebration.
The merchandising strategy of the business is to stock frequently purchased items and address the everyday needs of its customer.
The average store is 16,000 square feet and holds more than 11,000 items.
"The people of Atmore now have a store they can be proud of," said Mayor Howard Shell, as he addressed the crowd.
"Many businesses will not do all Fred's has done, but they have gone all out, even down to the landscaping," he said.
The company contends that the stores are of convenient size and location, and prides itself on its own label products and everyday pricing policy.