MOODY — Commuters and coffee drinkers will soon have a new choice. A project to bring Starbucks to one of Moody’s busiest gateways broke ground Dec. 15. Developers and city leaders gathered on Thursday for a groundbreaking ceremony on the future site of the Starbucks at Moody Parkway and Blue Ridge Drive in Moody.

Will Roark, Brice Johnston and Chris McCoy with RJ Development thanked all the stakeholders involved in the project, saying the project was coming up on about the one-and-a-half-year mark.

“We’re excited to see this project come to fruition and want to thank all those involved in the process. We have enjoyed working with the City and County on this project,” McCoy said.

The 2,500-square-foot Starbucks is scheduled to open in June 2023 and will create approximately 20 jobs. Customers will have the option of indoor and patio seating, as well as a drive-through. The project brings a multi-million-dollar investment to the City of Moody.

“The city council and I listen to our neighbors about the different retailers we would all like to see in Moody,” said Mayor Joe Lee. “Most times this involves our team connecting the right developer, who has a relationship with the retailers we want, with a property owner who is willing to work with them. I am happy we were able make this happen on this project. I know this project will be a tremendous success because this is a brand many have talked about, and Chris McCoy’s team has worked hard to make it happen. It’s all about working as a team.”

“We are happy to once again be able to partner with Mayor Lee and his team on another great project,” said chairman Stan Batemon, of the St. Clair County Commission. “Chris and his development team have been wonderful to work with, and I believe this is just the first of many of their investments in Moody and other parts of our community”

RJ Development specializes in all aspects of commercial real estate with a primary focus on the development of new retail shopping centers. The company has developed more than 2 million-square-feet of retail space.

For more information, contact Chris McCoy via email at chris@rj-dev.com.