Two Madison-area stores open for business
Shoppers lined up for the first day of business for Ollie’s Bargain Outlet on Madison Boulevard March 18. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)
By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer
MADISON, HUNTSVILLE – At one end of Madison City, just off of Madison Boulevard, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet officially opened for business at 9 a.m. March 18. Close to 75 people stood outside to be the first in the store, which also has locations in Adamsville and Gadsden.
The bargain retailer, situated at 9076 Madison Boulevard, is estimated to have brought 50–60 jobs to Madison.
Tim Crutcher, of Harvest, was the first person to walk out of the store with purchased items. An avid fisherman, Crutcher bought two fishing rods and other items to go along with his hobby.
“I just might be back here sometime,” he said.
At the other end of Madison – on the Huntsville side of Highway 72, actually – Sprouts Farmers Market opened a couple hours before Ollie’s, at 7 a.m.
The Huntsville store is the chain’s 200th location, and second in Alabama behind the location that opened on Highway 280 in Birmingham one month ago. In another month, the Sprouts store in Hoover will open for business.
“We carry a wide range of organics,” store manager Phillip Whitehurst said. “Our niche is produce, our quality, our pricing.”
The Huntsville Sprouts store is one block east of Aldi Supermarket, which opened in November 2011.
“Gluten-free is huge with us, too,” Whitehurst said. “All of our meats are hand-cut.”
Whitehurst also touted the store’s vitamin department, which he called “very strong.”
The store also held a preview party at 4 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day. Vendors were handing out free samples, which will continue through March 21.
