Published on: April 24, 2015
• The
Boston Globe reports that Roche Bros. will open its new Downtown Crossing store in downtown Boston next week, in a space previously occupied by Filene's Basement. The store, according to the
Globe, "promises to be part traditional supermarket, part take-out food emporium," and will be "the only market of its kind in the neighborhood."
The story goes on: "Offerings at a store that Roche Bros. describes as the neighborhood’s 'first large-scale supermarket' will include charcuterie sandwiches, protein parfait cups, and quinoa-and-kale bowls along with freshly baked cookies made with Calibut dark chocolate.
"Downtown Crossing may be a pedestrian oasis of residents and office workers, but according to research by Roche Bros., it is also a grocery wasteland where deli sandwiches and fresh seafood are as scarce as free parking places."
There won't be any parking lot for the store ... but since pretty much all of the customers will come by foot, that shouldn't be a problem.
"The Downtown Crossing location has no parking lot where customers can load up a minivan with a week’s worth of groceries," the
Globe writes. "As a result, the new Roche Bros. will emphasize prepared foods and small portions. Much of the store’s 3,000 square feet of street-level space will be devoted to 'grab-and-go' items for breakfast and lunch, designed to appeal to the large number of office workers in the area. Meanwhile, the store’s 22,000 square feet of basement space -- where brides once engaged in grab-your-dress fights -- will feature a deli, a salad bar, a soup bar, a butcher shop, a seafood area, and an on-site kitchen."
• The
Philadelphia Business Journal reports that "after experimenting with an urban grocery concept called Everything Fresh at a small store on Walnut Street in Philadelphia, Ahold USA is reportedly seeking to eventually open eight stores throughout Center City.
"The high-end markets would run from 10,000 square feet to as much as 20,000 square feet though the spaces could be smaller, according to market sources. They would cater to consumers looking for fresh, organic produce, prepared meals and 'kickass prices' as its website says."
In addition, sources tell MNB that Ahold has similar designs on Boston as a market where the small-store, fresh-driven format might work.