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It’s official

3 min read

Residents in Cape Coral are about to have another grocery option, one that thinks outside the box and provides a change of pace to what consumers may find at a conventional store.

Lucky’s Market, a supermarket that offers organic and natural selections, broke ground in Cape Coral Monday after more than a decade of hang-ups with permitting.

“We’re extremely excited to be in Cape Coral,” said Tim Johnson, construction project manager for Lucky’s. “I know the community has really rallied behind getting an organic grocery store here, and Lucky’s fits the bill.”

The 30,000-square-foot store is set to open in early June and bring 150 jobs to the Cape.

Creighton Construction and Development is erecting the new grocery store that is set on the southeast intersection of Veterans Parkway and Santa Barbara Boulevard.

“We’re super excited for a great public/private partnership that has been long overdue,” said Dan Creighton, CEO of Creighton Construction and Development. “It’s going to be (Cape Coral’s) first, biggest, natural organic grocery.”

Lucky’s was founded in Colorado, but has made waves across the country, especially the Sunshine State.

Cape Coral will be home to the 22nd Lucky’s Market in Florida. Naples (two locations) is the closet place to find a Lucky’s in Southwest Florida until the Cape store opens next year.

Lucky’s hangs its hat on providing natural and organic food at competitive prices.

You’ll find most items that you would at a regular supermarket, though many of the products are vetted for health standards and are locally sourced.

They still offer good old-fashioned favorites as well.

“Our grocery department caters to all our customers and their wide-ranging palates. You’ll find everything from 100% raw and vegan goodies to Cheerios and Campbell’s,” reads Lucky’s website.

“It’s just a whole different way of shopping,” Johnson said. “When you go to your typical grocery store, you think of loading up for two weeks or something until you come back again. The Lucky’s Market customer comes in about two/three times a week and leaves with two or three bags of that fresh supply of what they need, and then they come back.”

Johnson said the store is equipped with all of the basics and may be a little more compact than a normal supermarket, but is full of natural, healthy ingredients to make whatever cuisine it is you wish.

Lucky’s also has countless health conscious recipes and even releases a Health & Happiness magazine each month.

The Cape Coral project dates back to 2007, with Creighton citing issues with permitting, other players, economic crisis and other factors accounting for the delay in getting Lucky’s to the city.

“We’ve fought (many hurdles) to get what was supposed to be here,” Creighton said. “Which makes it so phenomenal to have the right team in place all the way around. From the city staff, to the mayor, city manager, permitting department, entitlement department, we really have it all together now in the city and community. So I’m excited this day is finally here.”

Mayor Joe Coviello, who was on hand for the groundbreaking, is also excited to have Lucky’s come to Cape Coral.

“Lucky’s has been in the making for a long time, and we’re going to create quite a few good-paying jobs and that’s exciting for anyone in our city,” Coviello said.

When asked if Lucky’s can be compared to a Whole Foods, Anderson said, “Exactly, they’ve got some competition with Lucky’s coming.”

-Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj