After the Opening: Patch Talks to The Fresh Market Grocery Store

The Fresh Market recently opened at Bradlee Shopping Center, in Alexandria, to great fanfare. Now that it's open, Patch had a few questions for management. Drewry Sackett, PR and Community Relations Manager for The Fresh Market, answered our questions:

Patch: Are you still hiring new employees for the Bradlee store? If so, what positions?

Sackett: We’ve hired approximately 90 people for the new store, and we’ve been really pleased with the fantastic employees we have hired from the Alexandria community. We still have a few positions available, and those interested in working with us should visit careers.thefreshmarket.com.

Patch: How many square feet is the new store? Are all of your stores the same size? If not, is the Bradlee store larger or smaller?

Sackett: This store is approximately 25,700 square feet, which is slightly larger than our typical square footage.

Patch: A lot of grocery stores stay open fairly early/late and some even 24 hours. How did The Fresh Market decide on its hours of operation?

Sackett: We’re open Monday – Saturday from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., which is consistent with most of our stores' hours.

Patch: How many items in the store are Fresh Market brands?

Sackett: We have over 1,000 private label products.

 Patch: Why doesn't Fresh Market have a "loyalty" card that shoppers can use to get a discount?

Sackett: We focus on providing outstanding customer service and high-quality food in a unique shopping environment, and invite our customers to “Experience the Food!” We do not have a loyalty program at this time, preferring instead to offer the same specials to all of our customers.

Patch: The Fresh Market seems to emphasize an upscale experience for shoppers -- what are some of the details that make shopping here extra special?

Sackett: The Fresh Market provides a unique grocery shopping experience in a warm and inviting atmosphere, featuring high-quality perishables, distinctive foods and superior customer service. Our stores are more intimate than a typical supermarket or big box store.

Patch: Is everything in the store organic?

Sackett: The Fresh Market offers shoppers a wide variety of both organic and conventional selections throughout the store. All of the organic products we sell are certified organic, and are clearly marked and easy to find in our stores. We often carry organic items alongside conventional ones in order to give customers the choice.

Patch: The Fresh Market was holding wine tastings during the opening; is that something that will continue?

Sackett: The Fresh Market will host monthly chef demonstrations and wine tastings at the new store.

Patch: What will you do as far as events go? Holding any outdoor farmer's markets when the snow goes away? 

Sackett: The Fresh Market will host seasonal sampling events and monthly chef demonstrations at the Alexandria store. Customers can visit www.thefreshmarket.com/community to find details on any upcoming events.  We’re excited to serve the Alexandria community and hope our shoppers will stop by when we have special events happening at the store! We encourage customers to sign up for our Fresh Ideas emails. We will send emails letting customers know about events, chef demonstrations and specials.

Patch: Will the store be working with local farmers and wineries?

Sackett: The Fresh Market places emphasis on supporting local farmers and manufacturers. We have an extensive program for supporting local farmers in order to offer local produce in our stores. Locally grown and produced products are clearly labeled throughout the store with 100 and 300 signs (sourced within 100 and 300 miles of the store respectively).