New Granite Shoals Supermarket now hiring; store opening soon
Granite Shoals Supermarket is closer to opening day. Store owners plan a soft opening soon and a grand opening in late March or early April. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
Granite Shoals Supermarket is now hiring and plans a soft opening sometime in the next few weeks, owner Tony Hijaz announced. The grocery store, which will be open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week, is accepting job applications. Visit the website or email gs.supermarket@gmail.com for more information.
“We’ve already gotten applications,” Hijaz said. “We’ll be doing interviews in the next 10 days, if anybody is interested.”
The soft opening will give new hires experience before the grand opening, which is planned for late March or early April.
“Anybody who wants to walk in during the soft opening can,” Hijaz said. “We want to get our staff used to serving customers. We want to get people trained.”
The front of the store, 7911 RR 1431 East, is finished while construction inside is coming along. Checkout counters, refrigerators, freezers, self-serve drink stations, and more are ready.
“We have everything in house,” Hijaz said. “The final details will be decided in the next 10 days. We’re working on the software and starting the process of opening.”
He is awaiting final word from the city of Granite Shoals Code Enforcement, which has visited the business to ensure it meets legal requirements for safety and occupancy.
Hijaz first announced in 2019 that he and his partners were renovating the old Ryder’s Bar and Grill building into a market that would offer fresh produce and meats, a full-service deli, beer and wine, and gasoline. The goal was to open that summer, but when that didn’t happen, Hijaz and partners submitted revised plans to the city in January 2020. Progress has been slow but steady as the COVID-19 pandemic interfers with the supply chain and construction goals, Hijaz said.
“We’re excited to open,” he said. “The contractor has promised this will be the last week he’ll be here.”