Jacksons to Double Size & Scope of Its Distribution Facility
MERIDIAN, Idaho — Jacksons Food Stores will double the space and capabilities of its distribution center following the move to a new facility.
Capitol Distributing, a distribution center that serves the convenience store chain, will move from Meridian to a location in Caldwell, Idaho, reported the Idaho Press-Tribune.
The distributor plans to purchase a 56-acre site at the southwest corner of Skyway Street and KCID Road that is currently owned by the Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency. On May 8, the agency approved a letter of intent from Capitol that states its desire to move to Caldwell and build a new distribution center there.
Previous negotiations between the city and Capitol occurred over a period of months, with issues arising from Caldwell as it saw as a lack of project commitment from Capitol and a lower jobs-per-acre density than what the urban renewal agency normally sees when selling land for economic development, according to the report.
Attorney Mark Hilty noted that the agency is focused on economic development and job creation rather than just selling bare ground.
The planned facility would occupy 200,000 square feet and employ 130 people when completed, while the existing Meridian facility is only a little more than 100,000 square feet. It would include a distribution center and warehousing; general manufacturing including food production, preparation and storage; office space; and parking.
When addressing the raised concerns, Cory Jackson, president of Jacksons Food Stores, said the company is committed to building the facility in Caldwell.
"It's a significant project and one that we're going to be very proud of," Jackson said.
The first phase of the project would be building the facility and creating the jobs, but the next phases could vary, as Jacksons plans to add new features to the facility that it does not have now, such as a bakery and a commissary.
Jackson added that the company is anxious to move forward with the project because it has run out of space at the Meridian facility and is being forced to turn down new business opportunities as a result. He also stressed excitement for going back to the company's roots; his father, John Jackson, started his first store in Caldwell 40 years ago.
"This town is pretty near and dear to my heart," he commented.
The letter of intent also stated that Capitol plans to build on 40 acres of the property and leave the remaining 16 open for future expansion. Due to urban renewal requirements, the letter included language stating that Capitol must build on the land before the year 2018 or it will have to transfer the land back to the agency at the same price it paid.
Capitol Distributing, which is owned by John Jackson, owner of Jackson Food Stores and Jackson Energy, distributes to 450 c-stores in total, 240 of which are Jacksons locations.
Jacksons Food Stores has grown from a single service station in Idaho in 1975 to 228 company-operated convenience stores in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Utah. Its sister company, Jackson Oil, provides wholesale branded fuel to 854 locations in nine Western states.