After 24 years under the control of John Leemkuil, Capitol Centre Foods will switch to a new owner next month.
Madison native Mitch Eveland, who was a long-time general manager at seven local Pick ‘n Saves, will take over the store starting Nov. 4.
"I've been in the grocery business for 35 years, so it's something I know very well," Eveland said.
According to Eveland, one of the biggest changes he hopes to make to the store is to add wine to its current beverage selection. Although the store already sells beer, Eveland will appear in front of the Alcohol License Review Committee at its Oct. 17 meeting to transfer the beer license to his ownership and potentially add a wine license.
City Council President Mike Verveer, District 4, who represents the neighborhood around Capitol Centre Foods and sits on the ALRC, said he does not anticipate any problems with Eveland's request.
"I'm happy to support his license application," Verveer said. "I don't foresee it as controversial at all."
Eveland said he will also be looking into expanding the store's current selection, including organic and natural foods.
"We'll be looking at all of the products the store sells and make sure we have everything customers are looking for," Eveland said.
Despite these improvements, however, Eveland said there will not be any immediate changes.
Capitol Centre Foods has been a valuable asset to the neighborhood since its opening, according to Verveer.
"Before Capitol Centre Foods opened in the mid-1980s, there were no supermarkets in the downtown campus area for over 10 years," Verveer said. "So when John Leemkuil opened it, it was a tremendous improvement in the quality of life for students and others living downtown."
Verveer said although Capitol Centre Foods has remained the neighborhood's only grocery store since then, a new Willy Street Co-op will be opening across the street from it in January or February 2008.
"The neighborhood is actually going to have a lot of great choices, with changes at Capitol Centre Foods and the addition of the Willy Street Co-op," Verveer said.
