EARLE, Ark. ( WREG ) — A small Arkansas town is preparing for some major changes as it gets ready to open its first grocery store in years.
Just off the main highway into Earle, Arkansas, construction is ushering in progress. The new Dollar General Market is weeks away from opening.
Earle Mayor Jaylen Smith said the store is set to open in March or April.
“It’s gonna be more jobs, and also, it’ll be addressing the food insecurity problems that we have,” he said.
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When Mayor Smith was elected one year ago at just 18 years old, one of his promises was to get Earle moving.
“We are tearing down abandoned houses. So this year, we have one-hundred plus houses on our list that will be torn down this year,” he said. “Because to get something new in your community, you have to get rid of the old. An old door won’t open a new door.”
Now, the new grocery store is bringing it to fruition, giving folks in Earle the option to buy fresh food without traveling 15 or 20 miles to the next town.