Shop Around: It’s official: Lowes Foods is coming to Lexington

Carolinas-based grocer Lowes Foods officially confirmed today that the chain will be opening a Lexington location at the corner of Augusta Highway/U.S. 1 and Charter Oaks Road across from Lexington High School.

The Lexington location will be the first Columbia-area store for the chain and is expected to open in early 2017.

“Our Lexington store will be very focused on supporting local, while providing exceptional attention to our guests,” Lowes Foods president Tim Lowe said. “Our commitment to local includes offering produce sourced through our partnership with over 200 local farmers, and featuring a wide assortment of unique local products found throughout the store.”

Key features of the Lexington store will include special store areas called Lowes Foods Originals, which include: Chicken Kitchen, SausageWorks, Pick & Prep, The Beer Den, and the Community Table. In an effort to tout the promotion of locally grown products, Lowes Foods will also feature a “pick your own herbs” section in the front of the store that will allow customers to clip a fresh sprig of rosemary or thyme. The store will also offer their Lowes Foods-To-Go online personal shopping service.

The store's Beer Den will feature a craft beer collection, including numerous South Carolina-brewed beers. Guests can purchase 64- or 32-ounce growlers and then have them filled with craft beers direct from the tap. The Beer Den also will offer hundreds of bottled craft beers, including the ability for beer lovers to create their own favorite six packs.

The Community Table section will allow shoppers the opportunity to gather samples of local foods and learn how to prepare them. The area will also will offer events such as recipe sampling, crafts for children and gluten-free eating tips.

In the Pick & Prep area, shoppers can select fruits or veggies from the store's produce department and have them chopped or sliced by Pick & Prep hosts acting as sous chefs.

Lowes Foods was founded in 1954 and operates 95 full-service supermarkets in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. A Greenville location is expected to open later this year.

This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 11:22 AM with the headline "Shop Around: It’s official: Lowes Foods is coming to Lexington."