Above left: Marvin's president and CEO, Boyden Moore makes a cut at the Marvin's grand opening board cutting Friday in Thomasville. Above right: Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day speaks at the Marvin's grand opening. Marvin's Building Materials and Home Center store in Thomasville held its grand opening Friday.

Instead of a traditional ribboncutting, a selection of people involved with opening the store took turns cutting through a board with a hand saw.

The store became the center of controversy in August when the Thomasville city council approved a sales tax rebate program to lure the store to town. Under the program, a portion of sales taxes collected through sales made at the store will be rebated back to help defray the costs of developing the property for the store.

Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day and the council came under fire from local business owners who felt the program was creating an unfair advantage for the chain store.

When giving his remarks, Day donned a Marvin's cap saying, "If you're going to go, might as well go all the way. I've been a part of three of these openings at this location, for Wal-Mart, Goody's and now Marvin's."

"Making it easy for our customers is what Marvin's is all about," said Boyden Moore, president and CEO. "I would like to to thank Mayor Sheldon Day and members of the local chamber for their help and support in this project," said Moore.

The store is expected to employ about 25 people in the 41,000 square-foot space. The new store in Thomasville is the fourth new store Marvin's has opened in 2009. Marvin's currently operates 26 stores in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida.