Boulder-based natural foods grocer Lucky’s Market announced Tuesday that it plans to open a flagship store in the 32,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Savers at 695 S. Broadway in south Boulder.

“We are super excited,” said Bo Sharon, who founded Lucky’s Market in 2003 with his wife, Trish. “We were trying to secure a south Boulder location for the last few years, and the thought of ‘bookending’ Boulder was always kind of a dream.”

The store, opening in early 2016, will give Lucky’s three locations in Boulder County and bring the company’s total store count to 14 nationwide.

The south Boulder locale will feature in-house cured and smoked bacon, fresh produce and seafood, a full bakery and a large selection of ready-to-eat meals made in-store.

The store will employ about 130 people. With this addition, Lucky’s Market will employ approximately 500 people in Boulder County.

In a prepared statement, Bill Reynolds with W.W. Reynolds Companies, owner of the property, said, “Lucky’s Market will bring to South Boulder many exciting new shopping options. We are very fortunate to have our homegrown grocer as an ‘anchor’ at Table Mesa.”

W.W. Reynolds, which also owns the adjacent Table Mesa Shopping center, purchased the building in May for $4.6 million from a group of six owners that included the Joyce Family Charitable Lead Annuity Trust No. 2, for which the University of Colorado Foundation is trustee.

Tenants for the three still-vacant spaces in the building have not been announced, and officials for W.W. Reynolds could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

The announcement by Lucky’s clears up months of mystery and speculation surrounding the property.

Savers, in the space since 1997, announced in mid-November that the sale of the building would force the thrift store to close. Tenants reported at the time that Whole Foods had purchased the property, an assertion that the Austin, Texas-based chain denied and that has since been proven untrue.

Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons had been subleasing the property to four tenants — Savers, Dollar Tree, Table Mesa Laundry and Theatrical Costumes, now relocated to 673 30th St. — but decided not to renew. That decision ultimately resulted in the ousting of the businesses, BizWest later reported.

Sharon said he had “no idea” what was going on at the 40,000-square-foot property until he got a call from Reynolds in May asking if he was “still interested” in a south Boulder space.

“That’s the first I heard of it,” Sharon said.

The announcement was greeted by enthusiasm by south Boulder residents and nearby businesses.

Jack Fisher, sales supervisor at Neptune Mountaineering, 633 S Broadway St., said it was a great opportunity for the area.

“Hearing that news, we are super excited to have another local business in the vicinity,” Fisher said. “I think any presence of a local business is great for the community.”

Also on Tuesday, Lucky’s announced the launch of a new web site for Lucky’s Community Project, the company’s outreach initiative that partners with area nonprofits to funnel a portion of profits to local causes.

“We are thrilled to make even more of an impact in our hometown, and support more individuals and programs,’ Sharon said.

Shay Castle: 303-473-1626, castles@dailycamera.com, @shayshinecastle