Peter Ammons, who works with his father, brother, and sister in the family's supermarkets, said the project happened in spite of the January 2017 sweetened beverage tax, which has been blamed for depressing soda sales and cutting into merchants' profits. "Despite the challenging business climate in the city since the beverage tax was implemented, our family made a decision to move forward with this new store and keep our commitment to the community," he said in a statement.