A centrally located Food City has closed and talk in the neighborhood, and at neighboring businesses, is that a Walmart Neighborhood Market is looking to take over the site.
The First Avenue and Fort Lowell Road Food City closed earlier this month, company officials said, after its lease expired. Food City moved into that site in November 2001. Its 30 full-time and 17 part-time employees were absorbed by the company’s 14 Tucson-area groceries, which include eight Food City stores, five Bashas’ and an AJ’s Fine Foods.
“We deeply appreciate the long-lasting relationships we have with every Arizona neighborhood that’s been home to one of our stores,” Rob Johnson, a company spokesman, said in a email response to queries. “Leaving a neighborhood, therefore, is never easy.”
Owners of the plaza in which Food City was located are listed as 3200 N First Avenue LP, records from the Pima County Assessor’s Office Show. Attempts to reach the owners were unsuccessful.
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Walmart officials said they could not confirm that a Neighborhood Market would take over the location.
In a statement, spokesman Bill Wertz said, “Walmart is always looking for better ways to serve our customers but we have no development plans in the Tucson area to announce at this time.”
Walmart entered the Tucson market in 1989 and currently has 19 stores in Pima County.
Star reporter Joe Ferguson contributed to this report. Contact Gabriela Rico at grico@tucson.com
Gabriela Rico
Reporter