The wait is over. Work starts to transform empty building into Rouses Market Biloxi
It’s been eight months since the announcement that Rouses Market is coming on Pass Road in Biloxi, and now construction work is set to begin.
The city this week issued building permits for $4.7 million to start the construction, said Jerry Creel, community development director. Additional permits will be issued for heating and air-conditioning systems, mechanical, electric and plumbing as construction progresses, he said.
The 40,000-square-foot store will be at 2348 Pass Rd. at the intersection of Popp’s Ferry Road. The new store will employ about 200 people.
Rouses announced in late January the store was coming to Biloxi, and residents are eagerly waiting to see work begin, Creel said. The retrofit of the store could take about a year.
The building has sat empty since March 15, 2018. Demo already began, and now the store will undergo a comprehensive remodel inside and out.
“It will be very different from the old grocery provider that was in that spot, not only in how it looks, but in the products and services offered,” said Donny Rouse, CEO of the company.
Rouses said the store will provide local seafood and local produce, a sausage kitchen, smokehouse, bakery, florist and seafood boiling room.
Rouses also has a store down Pass Road in Gulfport, along with stores in Ocean Springs and Diamondhead and one under construction in Picayune.
