MEMPHIS, Tenn. — High Point Grocery is set to reopen Tuesday, under new ownership and has a brand new look.
The impacts of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic forced the grocery store’s long-time owner, Charles Shirley to sell the business.
After being closed since April, High Point Grocery was recently sold and now has a new owner, Rick James, who says people in the community are excited to shop at the store again.
“We’ve had folks looking through the windows to see what we’re doing,” James said. “And everyone of them has expressed they can’t wait for the store to get back opened, and we’re excited too.”
High Point Grocery has been a staple in the High Point Terrace community since 1950. When it closed down in April, people had to travel a little further to get what they needed.
James, who currently owns three Cash Saver stores, says he and his team have been working very hard to give the store a fresh new look to welcome back long time customers.
“It doesn’t matter how much time you’ve got for one of these things,” James said. “There always ends up being a lot to get done in the last day before opening.”
James says he is very excited to rehire 11 of the 12 former employees at High Point Grocery who lost their jobs. Cash Price, an assistant manager, says he was excited when he received the phone call to come back to work.
“He called me and he immediately was just like…’I want you back,” Price said. “I know how much the employees mean to the store.'”
There will be COVID-19 protocols in place when the store opens on Tuesday, such as face coverings for employees and customers and social distancing. Nevertheless, with the safety measures in place, that means the butcher shop will be open as well.
The High Point Grocery reopens Tuesday at 8 a.m. The hours are Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.