Development coming to old Family Dollar site, alleyway closing as well

Out with the old, in with the new for property sitting idle at the intersection of North Main Street and Fairmount Avenue in Cedartown after a pair of positive votes the from the City Commission on Monday night.

Jack’s Family Restaurants is bringing a new location to Cedartown this year, with plans to completely replace the old Family Dollar that closed when they moved to South Main Street in 2016.

Representatives from Jack’s asked the city for two requests during the January 9 meeting. They wanted a parcel at 103 West Fairmont Avenue changed from its current zoning designation of R-2 to C-2 in order to build on the old Family Dollar property, and to close an alleyway that also allowed drivers to cut through the parking lot.

Arun Malvea and Taylor Dozier came on behalf Jack’s to talk to Commissioners on Monday night about their plans for revitalizing the property and locating a new restaurant in town.

The footprint will require the closing of the public alley that briefly connects the parking lot. Dozier did note the company was surprised to find the alley in place. They believed the closing to be more of an administrative procedure.

City Manager Edward Guzman did note before the commission voted to approve that they were unaware of the alley being public as well since no documentation was immediately found for its existence.

There was no opposition during a public hearing to the rezoning change and the closing of the alley, and the Commission closed out those hearings quickly. During the regular session, they voted on both measures unanimously.

No immediate timetable for demolition and construction was announced during the meeting.

Jack’s has locations around Polk County, but this is their first foray directly into the Cedartown market. They hope to find success and help future employees grow along with the company undergoing a “growth spurt.”

“Some of the benefits that we offer include an opportunity to renew and rebuild what is there currently that is generating zero tax revenue with a brand new state-of-the-art facility,” said Malvea during the public hearing.

Once built, plans are to employ up to 50 people from Polk County, including management positions with opportunities to rise in the corporation since it will be a corporate-owned store.

“We’re company-owned wholly, and we’re growing. We’re in growth mode, so we offer advancement opportunities for those who want to work for us,” Malvea said.

The corporate -owned fast food restaurant joins a marketplace that includes multiple fast food competitors in the immediate area including McDonald’s, Popeye’s, Bojangle’s, Taco Bell, Checker’s, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Captain D’s, and Domino’s, not including local eateries as well.

Jack’s has locations immediately around Polk County in Rome, Tallapoosa, Piedmont, Centre, Jacksonville and Anniston. They began in 1960 in Homewood, Alabama and have a southern-focused theme centered around breakfast, chicken and a variety of burgers and sandwiches.