Harps to unveil Marketplace format in flagship Springdale store

Harps Food Stores will re-open their flagship store located directly in front of the corporate office at 2894 W. Sunset Ave., in Springdale on Wednesday (Sept. 17). This will be the first Harps Marketplace location its hometown.

This Harps Marketplace will include a full service meat and seafood shoppe including live Maine lobster, and an expanded variety of fish, shrimp and crab. The store will also have an expanded bakery/deli, freshly prepared sushi and made-to-order pizzas, a Western Federal Credit Union, and drive-thru pharmacy.

For the first time there will be a Dunkin’ Donuts Shop inside the store with a drive-thru on the side of the building. Dunkin’ Donuts is scheduled to open within two weeks by Oct.1.

“Every company probably has a store where most of the corporate headquarters associates shop and this is that store for Harps. When we opened this location in 1974, it was on the extreme western edge of Springdale. In 1992 we added approximately 35,000 square feet and did a total remodel that we thought made it one of the finest stores in NWA. That was 22-years ago and we needed an update badly. While we really hated to close the store for 9-weeks, it would have been a real mess trying to remodel while open. We are truly delighted with the finished product and we believe our customers will be, too. This store will be worth the trip. We hope everyone in Springdale will come by to see us.” Harps President Kim Eskew said in a statement.

Harps has grown its business to 75 stores employing more than 4,500 people in the backyard of grocery giant Wal-Mart who continues to blanket the region with its own version of grocery stores – Neighborhood Market. One of the markets is located directly across the street from Harp’s new Marketplace and one more is planned within two miles at the Don Tyson interchange on Interstate 49.

Harps debuted its new Marketplace format in Bentonville two years ago on North Walton Boulevard. Wal-Mart also recently announced a new Neighborhood Market on an adjacent lot in Bentonville.

Harps continues to hammer home their “no solution injected, no sodium added fresh beef, pork and poultry” as a fundamental difference between the two retail grocers.