Clayton News Daily

Photo by Jim Massara Workers put up a temporary Wayfield Foods sign at the old Food Lion location on Tara Boulevard. Its grand opening was Tuesday.

Just four months after Food Lion moved out, Atlanta-based Wayfield Foods has taken over its two Clayton County locations, creating at least 50 new jobs.

The Tara Boulevard location marked its grand opening Tuesday with a ribbon cutting attended by Wayfield founder Ron Edenfield, Clayton County Chairman Eldrin Bell, and Clayton County Chamber of Commerce president Yulonda Darden Beauford. Wayfield will move its Riverdale Road store to Food Lion’s old location on Riverstation Boulevard on June 19.

Both Edenfield and Wayfield board member Moses White said that in addition to the 50 jobs created at the Tara Boulevard location, jobs would be added at the Riverstation Boulevard location as well, although neither had a specific number.

Bell said after the ceremony that his duty “was to let no impediment stand” to Wayfield moving in, and that he worked with the chamber of commerce and the county’s public-relations people to make Wayfield’s entrance as easy as possible.

Bell thanked Edenfield for opening stores in Clayton County — and used the opportunity to do a little cheerleading.

“Clayton County is looking up and giving all of you wonderful people work here. If you don’t live in Clayton County, it’s time you move to Clayton County so you can walk to work every day,” he said with a smile.

White said that Bell was instrumental in getting Wayfield to take over the Food Lion locations.

“We heard Eldrin Bell, we heard him loud and clear, when he said he wanted these jobs for the citizens of Clayton,” White said.