DALTON, Ga. — Based out of Omaha, Neb., developer Jim Otis said he’d been looking across the Southeast for a good retail property and believes he has found it on the site of the Kmart on Walnut Avenue, which is scheduled to close in March. He’s been working with the property’s owners for more than two years to redevelop the site and he says he believes Dalton residents will like what is planned for the property, which will be anchored by a 50,000-square-foot Food City. The site will also include a Ross store, an Ulta Beauty and a PetSmart.

“This site, close to the interstate, is really where they wanted to be,” he said.

Officials at Food City did not immediately return a telephone message Tuesday afternoon. Ross is a discount department store chain headquartered in California, and Ulta is a chain of cosmetics and skincare stores headquartered in Illinois.

A site plan for the development also shows a proposed Kay Jewelers and RAK Outfitters. But Otis says those are just proposed at this point.

Sears Holdings, which owns Kmart, announced in December the store would be closing. Otis said their contract calls for them to clear the inventory out in March. He says that half the building will be torn down to make way for the Food City and the remaining half will be remodeled for the other stores. He says he expects the Food City to open in early November.

Some Kmart shoppers said Tuesday they are interested in the new stores.

“I’ve shopped here for years, so I was sad to hear it was closing,” said Dalton resident Jane Malone. “But I’m glad it will be redeveloped so quickly.”

Dalton resident Maria Garza said she hadn’t heard of Ulta.

“But I have heard of Ross and will shop there,” she said.

Coldwell Banker Kinard Realty worked with the owners of the property to put the deal together.

“This is a great site and Walnut Avenue is a great retail corridor,” said Bill Blackwood, an owner at Coldwell Banker Kinard Realty.

“Food City is a a quality operation. All of these stores are, and I think Dalton residents are going to be really happy when this opens,” he said.

Mayor Dennis Mock said he is excited to hear of plans for the site.

“This is a prime piece of commercial real estate that has been underutilized,” he said. “It will be great for the city to have name brand stores on that location.”

Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce President Rob Bradham agrees the site has has been underutilized for several years.

“It will be nice to see greater economic activity and vitality there,” he said.