New grocery store coming to Ila

The mayor and council approved property owner John Davis’s plans to convert an old sewing plant into a 3,000 square foot grocery store with gas pumps at their regular council meeting last week. Renovation on the former sewing plant, which was most recently used as a church, have already begun.

Davis told the council that the store will employ approximately six to ten people and that he hopes to hire locally.

Councilman Nathaniel Hobbs said the store will be a great asset to the community.

City clerk Susan Steed said the storefront will face city hall (Hwy. 98), which is where the gas pumps will also be located. Parking will be to the new front of the store as well, on the corner in the now empty lot where an older home once stood. Steed said the store should be similar to the Marketplace in Danielsville, only somewhat smaller.

She said Davis brought a copy of the plans for what the finished structure will look like, but gave no timetable for when the store will be open.