Fareway opening new Cedar Rapids store Wednesday

Fareway Stores will mark the opening of its 110th location tomorrow at 3717 First Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids.

The 31,000-square-foot store will be an anchor for Town & Country Shopping Center, one of the oldest shopping centers in the state.

The store is about 7,000 square feet larger than the company's existing supermarkets in southwest Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha and Marion.

Fred Greiner, Fareway president and chief operating officer, said the store will offer a meat counter, fresh produce, more organics and gluten-free foods. It also will have a fresh bakery.

Boone-based Fareway is expected to employ about 100 people at the new Cedar Rapids store.

While bringing in some experienced employees from the company's other stores, Greiner said the company planned to hire a majority of the employees from the surrounding area.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for 9:30 a.m., with the store opening for business at 10 a.m.

The first Fareway store opened for business at 624 Story St. in Boone on May 12, 1938. The privately owned company opened a corporate headquarters in Ames, quickly followed by additional locations in Webster City, Fort Dodge, Estherville, Carroll and Oelwein.

Fareway opened its 100th store in 2011 and recently expanded to other Midwestern states including Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota.