McAlister's Deli Comes to West Plains!

 

by Pa Rock

Backwoods Gourmet

I don't know the history of the establishment, but up until recently one of our local grocery stores had a parking lot that was literally more than twice the space the store needed to run its business.  Early last spring ropes and markers began going up on the far end of the parking lot indicating that something was afoot.  A few days after that one of the people in my cardiac rehab group announced that she had heard that a "McAlister's Deli" was going in at that location.

A new place to eat is big news in a small town, and while some in the cardiac rehab group were unfamiliar with the McAlister's chain, those of us who were experienced travelers assured the rest that the business would be a welcome addition to our town's grub supply.   

(I have been to two McAlister's:   one inside of the airport in Springfield, Missouri, and the other in northwest Arkansas near where my sister, a McAlister's fanatic, lives.  I gave up coffee many years ago and now get my caffeine buzz through unsweetened iced tea, and I know from experience that McAlister's has really good iced tea!) 

Progress on the project was slow, and the actual construction did not start until summer.  But once the builders arrived,  it went up fast and some (me included) suspected they were shooting for a Labor Day opening.  That holiday came and went, however, and still the new place was not open.   Not long after Labor Day I was in the grocery store next to where the new food place was standing empty, and I asked the lady running the checkout when the McAlister's would open.   She looked around before answering, and then leaned across the counter and whispered, "The 16th."  

"Is it a secret?" I asked, incredulously.

"Oh, no."  She said, in her regular voice - and then continued ringing-up the high-priced groceries.

The overly dramatic checkout lady was right and the new eating establishment did open this past Monday morning, September 16th.  My son and I had planned to go there for dinner that evening, but we each had occasion to drive by during the day, and each time the place was packed - so we will check it out later after the novelty begins to wear off.

Our community's "daily" newspaper, which offers a print version only on Wednesdays and Saturdays, had a front-page photo today showing the crowd waiting to get into the new business when it opened its doors for the first time at 10:30 a.m. on Monday.  The newspaper reported that more than one hundred people were standing in line for the event.  It was definitely a big deal in a small town!

McAlister's, welcome to West Plains.  May your business and our community both benefit from your decision to open one of your delis here. I'll stop by for an iced tea and a sandwich just as soon as you have a table to spare!