By By Janet Little Cooper
The transaction between Pepsi and neighbor Jerry's Hardware is becoming apparent as Pepsi recently took the first step in clearing the way for the square block transformation.
Pepsi purchased the building and premises of Jerry's Hardware owned by Jerry Cochran in order to give the soda distributor much needed space.
"The primary reason we bought it was because we are so short of room," Pepsi executive Dale Ash said. "This will give us a good bit more room. We do not have adequate parking, leaving employees to park along the street or wherever they can find available. We also have to store equipment at our homes."
The plans for the additional space include having a paved parking lot on the corner of Presley Street and Nashville Avenue and moving the South Alabama Vending offices from its current location of Church Street into the yellow Jerry's Hardware building.
"We really aren't looking at a lot of renovation involved in this," Pepsi owner Hooper Matthews, Sr said. "We will be putting in walk in coolers and freezers and making at least three offices in the existing building purchased from Jerry. The old SAV building on Church Street will be turned into the service department and storage."