COLONIE — Facing sharply increased competition, Price Chopper said Friday it will build a concept store meant to set the tone for its challengers.
The store will have 16 different eateries, an in-house cooking school, and produce grown and harvested in the store. It will be created by an expansion of the current Latham store on Route 9.
With four new ShopRite stores built in the Capital Region, as well as new competition from The Fresh Market, Trader Joe's and a coming Whole Foods market, Price Chopper intends to invest $61 million in 11 of its Capital Region stores. Its most ambitious effort is the expanded Latham market, expected to add 60 food-service jobs to the 350 now there.
"Our goal here is to create a store by which all other stores will be judged," said Neil Golub, executive chairman of the board for the company. "Every seven to 10 years, we go back to the drawing board. In our industry, there are those who lead and those who follow. The followers see what you're doing, and they try to replicate that."
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