An additional acquisition last month will allow Minyard Food Stores to increase its previously announced $1 million Lakewood store expansion plans, according to a Minyard representative.

Minyard agreed in January to acquire the Rucker Insurance building at Gaston and Richmond, allowing expansion of its existing 2118 Abrams store by about 70 percent, says David Hardin, Minyard real estate representative.

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New plans filed with the City Board of Adjustment call for Minyard to expand its existing 25,300 square foot store to 42,710 square feet. This compares with Minyard’s expansion request last month for a 36,630-square-foot store.

The Board of Adjustment will hear public comments and review the new plans Feb. 11, according to City officials.

The Rucker acquisition comes on the heels of Minyard’s January expansion announcement that will result in demolition of a building housing Ice Cream on the Rocks, Centennial Liquors and Fishburn’s Cleaning, as well as the former Southwest Savings building at Richmond and Gaston. A spokesman for Rucker Insurance declined to comment on the building sale or the insurance company’s plans.

The Rucker acquisition does not affect those plans, Hardin says. If Minyard’s new plans are approved by the City, the grocery store will be the only building on the triangular site bounded by Gaston Avenue, Abrams Road and Richmond Avenue.

New plans call for the grocery store building to expand toward Gaston Avenue, with delivery trucks accessing the store from Gaston, Hardin says. The existing store configuration requires some delivery access from Richmond Avenue.

Additionally, an eight-foot concrete screening wall will be erected from the north end of the new building to the intersection of Richmond and Gaston avenues, as well as along Gaston until the most northerly Gaston Avenue parking lot entrance, Hardin says. The wall will screen the building’s loading dock areas. Additional trees will be planted at the Gaston and Richmond corner.

As part of the original expansion, Minyard requested variances from the City to reduce the Gaston Avenue greenbelt from the required 25 feet to 10 feet, and to build a seven-foot sidewalk on Gaston Avenue (as required) but leaving existing five-foot sidewalks fronting Abrams Road and Richmond Avenue.

If you have questions concerning the proposed expansion of Minyard’s Lakewood grocery store, contact City planner Doug Waskom (670-4169) or Minyard real estate representative David Hardin (393-8211).