Roof damage from last January's record snowfall forced the closure of the only full-service grocery market in the small Western Idaho town of Weiser. The company that owns the store has announced the location for a full-size replacement.
Following the closure of its downtown store, Ridley's Family Markets worked quickly to set up a replacement in a smaller building nearby. Now the company has announced plans to construct a new building on the outskirts of Weiser near an existing Bi-Mart store.
Although she preferred a downtown location, longtime Weiser resident Barbara Barber is happy a replacement is on the way.
"Well I feel a sense of relief that finally we are going to have a full-size grocery store again," Barber says.
While some residents are concerned about senior citizens' access to the new building on the city's east side, Barber hopes someone can be found to take over the old store's location.
"Right now there's a giant black hole in the middle of downtown Weiser," she says.
Ridley's Family Markets expects construction of the new building to begin by mid-March.
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