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Since You Asked: Former Foodland on Stewart Avenue may get new business Saturday Apr 15, 2017 at 12:01 AM I drive by the old Foodland store on West Stewart Avenue every day. There has recently been some new work being done on the building. Is something finally moving in? I've heard multiple speculations, but all of my sleuthing skills haven't turned up any factual results. I'm hoping you'll have better luck. — Melody B., Medford   We're glad you're looking for the facts, Melody, because that's what we like to deal with here at Since You Asked headquarters. It's hard to believe, but the Foodland store at the corner of Steward Avenue and Kings Highway closed in 2005. For half a century, that location was a grocery destination for Medford residents. A 12,000-square-foot Piggly Wiggly opened in January of 1956, touting its “acres of parking space.” That store gave way to the present 29,000-square-foot Foodland building in 1994. As to your question, we asked Sam Barnum, Medford's building director, and he said a permit was taken out for a façade improvement. "It needed a facelift," he said. Barnum said he's heard that a Southern Oregon company is considering moving into the building, but the name of the possible new owners hasn't been released yet. A year ago, the owner of the building removed the coolers from inside the store, and Barnum said he expects more work on the building. So, stay tuned, Melody.  — Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them.