'bfresh' grocery coming to 240 Elm St -- Official city press release

[ron_newman]

I just got this from the city:

Fresh Foods Store Coming to Davis Square’s 240 Elm St. Building

Urban grocer’s model aims to focus on fresh foods

An urban grocer, Fresh Formats LLC, has filed building permit applications to open a fresh foods market at 240 Elm St. in Davis Square, the site of the former Social Security Building. Ongoing renovation of the building is underway and it is expected that the 11,000-square-foot ground floor will be a neighborhood market later this year.

The building, which is currently vacant, also includes 20,000 sf of office space on the two upper floors that will be occupied by Davis Square Architects, a long-time tenant prior to the renovation, and others. An additional 2,400 sf of office space in the basement will be leased separately.

“Neighborhood residents have been clamoring for a grocer to complement the neighborhood’s specialty grocers including McKinnon’s and Dave’s Fresh, so this is welcome news,” said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “To have the kind of truly livable squares our community values, we need neighborhood grocery stores, as well as services that cover the full range of community needs from banks, salons, and eateries to pharmacies and doctor’s offices. It’s this mix that helps transform a simple business district into a vibrant town center.”

Fresh Formats LLC is an Ahold company. They developed the bfresh® concept which debuted in Allston, Mass. September 2015. bfresh emphasizes fresh foods including organic produce along with natural and bulk foods and conventional groceries. The site plans received by the City also include an onsite bakery and a “Little Kitchen™” offering prepared foods made from scratch.

“My hope is that we not only have a new fresh foods market in sight, but a new community partner that will be a good neighbor in the square,” said Ward 6 Alderman Lance Davis. “With the loss of places like Farmer’s Bounty, it’s good to see another grocer coming to help anchor the heart of the square.”

Jackie Rossetti
Deputy Director of Communications
City of Somerville
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville, MA 02143
Office: 617-625-6600 ext. 2614
Cell: 857-636-2396
www.somervillema.gov

Comments

[lancedavisward6.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting, Ron!

[teko.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the news! Good to see this finally put down in black and white.

While I had been interested in the Crunch Gym that was originally going in on the 2nd floor, I'm kind of glad that it's just office space. Shopping at the CVS in the square can be a bizarre experience, hearing constant SLAM BASH CRASH from the gym upstairs.

[ron_newman]

Here's the bfresh web site. They have only two stores so far, the first of which is on Harvard Ave. in Allston. The other one is in Fairfield, CT.

bfresh's parent company, Royal Ahold, also owns Stop & Shop.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

This is very good news! I never really thought it would happen, but now I'm looking forward to it.

I think the office space is also good news, instead of more luxury condo$. People working jobs in Davis mean more daytime (breakfast/lunch) business for the square's restaurants and shops. That's a plus.

[courtney (from livejournal.com)]

Hi Ron,

I also posted the press release here, as well. Feel free to delete it.

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

Count me among the happy - I would have probably preferred the Roche Bros, but that wasn't to be.

I've never quite understood why Trader Joe's hasn't opened a store in DS, or at least nearby. I'm no business analyst, but it seems like a perfect fit. I know they've said parking is an issue, but the Coolidge corner location has almost no parking and the one on Boylston St has none at all, and both of those do really well. I end up going to the one at Alewife, but most of the time I take a car, instead of a bike, because even though it's only two miles, the last bit up and over the train tracks on Alewife Brook Parkway is no fun, and kind of a pain as well (use the sidewalk, which is in crappy shape, and you're competing with pedestrians in a narrow space, or take the road and have the crap scared out of you). And it's too far to be a convenient walk - one in Davis would do a booming business, I'd think.

I think dealing with the city is the real issue. That's what killed Roche Bros. and I hope Fresh
Formats has the stomach for dealing with King Joe C, and we don't lose that as well.

Best of luck to FF - I hope they make it.

[fortlotus.livejournal.com]

This sounds like great news! Thanks for sharing, Ron!

[courtney (from livejournal.com)]

Hmmm...looks like they won't get their certificate of occupancy until the city gets paid: http://bit.ly/2087dfe

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

Great news! Looks like Joe's gonna try to shake down the business for another $138K:

http://somerville.wickedlocal.com/news/20160406/somerville-officials-demand-138k-in-labor-costs-after-collapse-before-grocery-moves-into-240-elm-st

And they wonder why people and businesses keep leaving...