New Store Concept in Georgia to Redefine Future of Grocery

Proclaiming its intent in its name, a new grocery store called FreshTake is in the works in Augusta, Ga. Set to open in summer 2024 on the site of a former Whole Foods Market, the store will provide a different kind of experience for customers by combining shopping and leisure activities.

First, the shopping: The 42,000-square-foot FreshTake store will offer a wide selection of fresh produce, bulk food products, bakery items, general merchandise and health and beauty selections. The meat counter will be staffed by in-store butchers and staff who can grill up a customer’s meat order while they shop. The same option is available at the seafood counter, where customers can pick seafood to be steamed onsite.

[Read more: “The Fresh Market Showcases Experiential Grocery in Florida”]

The store will sell a broad assortment of prepared foods available at a pizza and pasta station, sushi bar, sub and sandwich area, hot food bar, smoothie and juice kiosk and more. Meals and snacks can be brought home or enjoyed at in-store seating areas with free wi-fi.

Recreation and entertainment are as much a part of the experience at FreshTake as groceries. The store – located in the same town that hosts the annual Masters professional golf tournament – will include a five-hole putting green. Customers can also gather at the beer and wine bar to watch a game on one of 13 large-screen televisions. A spacious outdoor patio is being designed with fire pits and a walk-up barbecue smokehouse.

The FreshTake concept is the brainchild of legacy grocer Jackson Mitchell, a fourth-generation member of Albertville, Ala.-based Mitchell Grocery Corp. Mitchell is CEO of the new enterprise and runs Jackson Mitchell Holdings, Inc. “We are thrilled to introduce FreshTake to Augusta," Jackson said. "This store represents the culmination of my career and a deep love for the grocery business. Our goal is to create a space that not only offers top-quality groceries but also becomes a hub for the community, where people can come together to enjoy great food, entertainment, and convenience."

In 2019, Jackson Mitchell Holdings acquired Little Giant Farmers Market Corp., which operated five independent grocery stores in Georgia.

FreshTake is located at 2907 Washington Road in Augusta.