************
HOMELAND ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING FOR NEW NORTHEAST LOCATION
OKLAHOMA CITY – August 20, 2021 – Homeland (HAC Inc), an Oklahoma, employee-owned company, invites the community to celebrate the opening of their new, full-service grocery store at NE 36 and Lincoln in Oklahoma City with a Grand Opening ceremony on September 1st at 9am and “First Sunday” Community Day on September 5th from 1pm-5pm.
The grand opening will include remarks from Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice, Cathy O’Connor, President of the Alliance for Economic Development for Oklahoma City, private investors and Marc Jones, CEO and President of Homeland. The Douglas High School Band, Comm-UNITY line dancers, and Rumble will entertain guests.
The “First Sunday” Community Day will feature local organizations, music, food trucks, kids activities, an appearance by OKC Thunder’s Rumble, live remote with Power 103.5 and fun for the entire family. Food trucks and music will continue every first Sunday each month.
“We are thrilled that an Oklahoma City- based grocery store will serve the neighborhoods in northeast Oklahoma City,” said O’Connor. “The area has been underserved for far too long. The City of Oklahoma City, Ward 7 City Council members, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, residents and the Alliance for Economic Development have been talking to grocers about locating in NE OKC for nearly 25 years. Homeland recognized the need for healthy, full-service grocery options in this area and we are thankful for their leadership and partnership.”
Homeland and Hunger Free OK are also announcing that the NE 36th and Lincoln store is the first in Oklahoma City to offer Hunger Free Oklahoma’s Double Up Oklahoma Program which matches SNAP (also known as food stamps) dollar for dollar with DUO Bucks redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables (up to $20/day). Anyone receiving SNAP benefits is automatically eligible and no application is required. SNAP participants may simply shop with their SNAP/Oklahoma EBT card to start earning DUO Bucks.
The new 30,000 square foot grocery store will present a unique shopping experience to provide fresh, healthy grocery options to customers in the underserved northeast Oklahoma City area. It will feature a pharmacy and will boast an array of fresh offerings such as organic fruits and vegetables, freshly baked breads, a custom butcher shop and fresh, ready-to-eat deli foods. Daily lunch and dinner hot menu with made-to-order salads, grilled wraps tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas and 14" take and bake pizzas. Party trays are available every day with only the freshest ingredients, along with a bakery offering custom cakes.
Perhaps what’s most exciting about this Homeland location is the participation of locally established businesses such as, Not Your Average Joe coffee and Lil’ Leos Barbeque. NYAJ will offer a variety of coffee drinks, and an ever-changing menu of beer and wine-by-the-glass. And we expect a line out the door for Lil’ Leo’s delicious barbeque and their famous strawberry banana cake.
The store will have indoor seating for 38 near the grab-and-go prepared foods and an outdoor patio that seats 19. With wine and beer by the glass from NYAJ, the patio will serve as a perfect environment for the monthly “First Sunday” food truck and music event.
“The combination of the fresh deli, bakery, wine by the glass and casual seating areas allows us to offer an inviting atmosphere,” says Marc Jones, CEO and President of Homeland. “We want our store to serve as a gathering place for the neighborhood, where shoppers can grab a prepared lunch and enjoy it on the outdoor patio or where we can host community gatherings with food trucks and entertainment. This store combines several new ideas that our customers are looking for and we’re excited to offer them together in one store.”
Another feature of this store is the public art not only outdoors but also indoors by artist Shakurah Maynard, local graphic designer and photographer who created murals and black and white photography throughout the store as homage to the sense of family, community, and joy she has found in the Northeast Oklahoma City community.
Outdoor murals will be created by Manifold Creative Concepts. The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City and The City of Oklahoma City’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs and Homeland, announced previously that the firm had been chosen to design three murals covering two exterior walls visible from the corner of NE 36th and Lincoln. The exterior murals will connect the store to the surrounding community, reflect the culture of this Oklahoma City neighborhood and help to reveal our city’s unique character. This investment in public art is a priority in northeast Oklahoma City, the core of our city’s Black heritage.
CMSWillowbrook built the store and the architect is Mark Thomas of Architects Collective with civil engineering by Johnson & Associates. The store will serve several local neighborhoods and will share the block with the new MAPS 3 Senior Wellness Center that is planned to be complete in fall 2022. The store and wellness center will be served by a new EMBARK bus shelter.
Learn more about the Hunger Free Oklahoma’s Double Up Oklahoma Program at https://hungerfreeok.org/doubleupok/
For more information, follow Homeland Stores on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit our website: www.homelandstores.com
###
About Homeland Stores
Homeland is part of the HAC, Inc. grocery chain headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. As of 2021, HAC operates 79 grocery stores in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Georgia. HAC operates under multiple banners including Homeland, United, Cash Saver, Ponca City Discount, Food World and Piggly Wiggly. Homeland is HAC’s largest banner as well as Oklahoma’s largest locally-owned grocery store chain with 34 locations statewide. Homeland has been 100 percent employee owned since 2011. The company traces its roots back to 1916 when the first United Supermarket was opened in Sayre, Oklahoma.
