BATON ROUGE - Rouses is opening its latest store in North Baton Rouge, aiming to help fill a major need for an underserved part of the community.

Rouses said Monday that it plans to open the new market at the corner of Florida Boulevard and N Ardenwood Drive. 

The new store is part of a joint effort to redevelop the area with Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, Councilman Cleve Dunn Jr. (District 6), Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Build Baton Rouge, and Baton Rouge North Economic Development District.

"Developing a best-in-class Rouses Market on Florida Blvd. is expected to have a major impact on the community," the company said in a statement. "Residents currently must travel a considerable distance to reach a supermarket or grocery. Rouses will anchor and contribute to the redevelopment and revitalization of Ardenwood Shopping Center and the surrounding area."

The new North Baton Rouge location is slated to open in summer 2023 with the groundbreaking scheduled for July.