The sign for a 20,000-square-foot retail opportunity at the corner of King and Weber has a “leased” sticker on it and approved site plans at the City of Waterloo have a Farm Boy logo.

According to Joel Cotter, director of the city’s planning division, the property at 417 King St. N. is indeed planned for a small grocery store, which recently obtained site plan approval. The building permit is being processed and an excavator is already on-site.

Michael Lambert, a representative with Whitney & Company Realty Limited Commercial Real Estate Services, said he couldn’t speak to the development due to a nondisclosure agreement.

Cotter said construction will most likely commence in the spring when the weather improves.

A property search shows that the vacant 4,251-square-metre property was sold in January of last year to a numbered Ontario company for $1,673,510.

Site plans show a floor area of 2,483 square metres, including a 138-square-metre mezzanine, with the building footprint close to the corner of the King/Weber intersection. Parking is located to the rear of the property and toward the Charcoal restaurant on King Street North. Right-in, right-out access from the property will be provided off King.

Farm Boy, Ontario’s fastest-growing fresh food retailer, announced the development of 10 new Canadian stores in December, but that list didn’t include Waterloo.

Because city approvals aren’t yet finalized, Farm Boy’s marketing manager Jim Empey said he was unable to comment at this time.

“We typically don’t talk about any new store until shovels are in the ground,” he said.

According to a press release issued by the company in December, new stores range in size from 12,000 to 38,000 square feet. All will feature the core Farm Boy fresh food experience including an extensive selection of farm-fresh foods, chef-inspired takeout meals and popular private label specialty products. As well, the stores will continue to offer a broad selection of locally-made, organic, and plant-based foods.