Following Walmart Express' exit from the area, Anderson welcomed a new Harps grocery store with open arms.
Harps returned the favor on Wednesday by opening its doors to the public.
The Anderson branch is the 82nd Harps store in the region.
CEO Roger Collins addressed the crowd at the ribbon cutting and expressed his hopes for the employee-owned grocery in the years to come.
"We're very excited to be in the community and have our owners here," he said. "We want to be the friendliest grocery store in America."
"It's always good when a new business comes to town. Our objective is to work with businesses and help grow the area," said Mayor John Sellers. "The city of Anderson welcomes you."
The store offers gasoline, packaged goods, adult beverages, garden-fresh produce, and a butcher on-site to cut any of the meats they have available.
The Meat Department provides USDA Choice meat with no solutions added.
If the store doesn't have a specialty item that you want in stock, they can special order rare items such as duck and turducken.
"We can be your one-stop butcher shop," said butcher Jeff Dupree, grinning.
"I think it's of importance to the customers to know that we cut our meat fresh, daily," said Brian Zamzow, district manager. "We are 100 percent committed to serving only the best produce to customers, in the cleanest environment."
Zamzow said that Harps takes pride in their associates' community involvement and he looks forward to moving forward with the city of Anderson.
"We encourage our employees to get involved with the community," he said. "A successful community breeds successful businesses."
The store -- which is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week -- is at 224 East Missouri Highway 76.
General News on 08/25/2016