Family Dollar buys former grocery site

Discount retailer to occupy Churchill’s on W. Central

The Churchill’s store that closed last year was purchased by Family Dollar. It will open in the Old Orchard neighborhood next year.

A West Toledo property that was home to a Churchill's Super Market for more than 60 years will become a Family Dollar store.

Lynn Colwell, who managed the Churchill's store and is a member of the Churchill family, said he expects the deal to close within 10 days.

A Family Dollar spokesman confirmed the deal and said the store, at 2849 W. Central Ave., would reopen in the first half of 2014.

The sale price was unavailable. The 1.2-acre site had been listed for $615,000.

The Churchill’s store closed last year. It opened as a meat storage locker in 1947 and became a neighborhood grocery in 1951.

Last year’s closing marked the end of the Churchill’s Super Markets chain, which was founded by brothers Joseph and James Churchill, who after growing up on a family farm opened their first Toledo grocery store at Detroit and Woodruff avenues in 1917.

Joseph’s son, the late Gen. Walter A. Churchill, expanded the business into a respected Toledo-area name.

The general’s son, Walter A. Churchill, Jr., operates his own stores, Walt Churchill's Markets, in Perrysburg and Maumee.

The Walter A. Churchill, Sr., Trust owned the West Toledo store.

Family Dollar of Matthews, N.C., has more than 20 stores in the Toledo area and 7,600 stores in 45 states.

Contact Chip Towns at: ctowns@theblade.com or 419-724-6194.