BATON ROUGE - Residents in north Baton Rouge can expect a new local grocery store. 

Rouses Market is opening a new location at the intersection of Florida Boulevard and North Ardenwood Drive. The grand opening was Thursday at 8 a.m. and customers lined up for hours to be among the first inside. 

“We absolutely understand the importance and need for this store,” says Donny Rouse, CEO. "Access to fresh, affordable food is critical to a community’s growth.”

North Baton Rouge is considered a food desert: an area where fresh food is impossible or difficult to access for a majority of the community. The store will also employ 200 people in full- and part-time positions.