Fresh Value held its grand opening Wednesday morning at its first North Alabama location in Athens Town Center after a soft opening last Friday. The Birmingham-based supermarket chain celebrated the big day with several great giveaways, including a free bag of groceries to the first 100 customers.

“We are excited to bring an affordable shopping solution to Athens,” the owner of Fresh Value, LLC., Gerry D’Alessandro, said. “There is a lot of great things happening in Athens, and we are honored to have the opportunity to serve this community.”

The Athens fresh Value location is the 14th location in Alabama. The 19,000-square-foot store offers a five-dollar steak night and is known for their discount meat deals and weekly flash sales. The store’s pricing is a cost-plus model.

Athens Fresh Value General Manager Rhonda Childers said, “Most all other retailers have their markup and everything already on their tag. Our tags show the store cost, or what it takes for us to bring it into the store. Then the ten percent is going to be added at the register.”

“Fresh Value’s cost-plus model is about as simple as it sounds,” Terry Stanley, Fresh Value COO said. “This concept will save you money weekly on thousands of grocery items.”

Signs are posted throughout the store to help customers with how the cost-plus works.

As Fresh Value celebrates the new Athens location, customers can stop by to register to win one of many fun toys and prizes. The first 100 customer grocery giveaway will continue through Friday.

Outside, representatives from Zeigler grilled hot dogs on a large grill the company brought from North Carolina. Christopher Zarins, VP of Sales for Zeigler, came down for the opening with his family and golden retriever, Owen.

He said, “We wanted to do a promotion for the store opening as well as come out and support them, because it is a partnership.”

Fresh Value is located at 625 US Hwy 72 E — formerly home to Sav A Lot.