From the busy parkway, the Sugarloaf Development looks like any other shopping complex along Sugarloaf Parkway.

ASSI Plaza boasts more than 10,000 selections of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Indian foods of the finest quality and lowest prices. The largest of its kind east of the Mississippi River, ASSI Plaza is a 61,500-square-foot full-service Asian grocer offering fresh produce, food courts, live fish and a number of other services.

However, the 150,000 square feet of retail space offers shoppers a variety of Asian-themed restaurants, mercantile shops and much more.

Housed in four single- and multi-level buildings, 44 stores and services call this development home, offering a unique array of choices for the Asian community. Anchored by one of the largest Asian food supermarket chains in America, ASSI Plaza, Galleria at Sugarloaf is on 18 acres fronting Old Peachtree Road.

Noticing an influx of nearly 30 Korean churches within a five-mile radius, Gary Furrow, principal at Sugarloaf Development Group, saw an opportunity to meet a need in the community. "Gwinnett's Korean community is more than 40,000 strong, and we wanted to build a development that would meet their needs for food, shopping and entertainment," says Furrow.

The development is nearly 75 percent full, and Furrow expects 100 percent capacity before the Christmas shopping season. "Galleria at Sugarloaf is not just for the Asian community; we want everyone to experience the unique shopping experience this development has to offer. We had a choice, and always had a good experience with Jackson EMC. Their account representatives are very knowledgeable and always there when we need them," Furrow recalls.

"We needed Jackson EMC's assistance early on in the project to be sure we were able to meet our client's energy needs. Our clients have enough to worry about as shop owners. Lighting and maintenance is one less thing they have to worry about because of Jackson EMC," says Lance Davis, assistant vice-president of Precision Planning, the company that designed the development.

David Lee, Jackson EMC Commercial/Industrial marketing representative, knows first-hand the importance of offering reliable service at a moment's notice. "I got a call the day before the grand opening that ASSI Plaza wanted more parking lot lights. With less than 24 hours to respond, we had to move quickly and had crews on the scene within an hour," recalls Lee. Although account representatives go the extra mile for their customers, Lee makes it clear that he doesn't work alone. "I may be the first point of contact; however, we work as a team. I contacted Hiram Smith, Jackson EMC distribution design specialist, and he organized the team to get the job done in time for the grand opening."