Whole Foods Market will open a new 40,000-square-foot store in West Chester on November 18, relocating the grocer’s longtime Mason location to 8310 Liberty Way, the company announced in a release on October 20. The West Chester store will open at 9 a.m. on opening day, with regular hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily after that, according to the release.
The Mason store has served the local community since 2007, the company said, and the move shifts that operation a short distance west into Butler County’s Liberty Way corridor. The new store will be led by Store Team Leader Rachel Abrams, according to the release. The company described the West Chester location as a relocation of the Mason store, not an additional store for the area.
The new location will feature more than 300 products from Ohio and neighboring states, sourced with the help of Lillian Huber, the company’s Forager for Local and Emerging Brands, the release said. Named local suppliers include Hartzler Family Dairy for milk, Deeper Roots Coffee for packaged coffee, Don Popp’s Honey Farm for honey, Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op for cheddar cheeses, Snowville Creamery for lactose-free cheeses, and Ohio City Pasta for fresh ravioli.
Departments planned for the store include full-service seafood and meat counters, a bakery, a prepared-foods department, and a wellness and beauty section, according to the release. The seafood counter will offer ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat items, and the meat counter will offer cuts to order, made-in-house sausage, and marinated meats. The beverage selection will include more than 700 wines and 270 craft beers, including local offerings from Rhinegeist Brewery, Sonder Brewing, and Columbus Brewing Co.
Prepared foods will include hot food and salad bars, fresh pizza, a sandwich venue, and sushi rolled daily, the company said. The bakery will offer bread baked daily, along with seasonal and special-diet items. Grocery pickup will become available shortly after opening, and Amazon Prime members will be eligible for discounts and additional savings on sale items.
On opening morning, customers will be offered coffee from Deeper Roots Coffee and samples from local and national suppliers, the release said. The first 300 customers in line will receive a limited-edition Liberty tote bag and a coupon with savings up to $100 off, according to the company.
In connection with the opening, Whole Foods Market said it will provide a food donation and a monetary donation to La Soupe, a nonprofit that makes regular surplus food pickups from local Whole Foods stores. The release said La Soupe previously received a refrigerated van through the company’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program.
For shoppers in Mason, West Chester, and Liberty Township, the practical change is location and timing: the Mason store’s run dating to 2007 ends with the move, and the replacement store opens November 18 on Liberty Way. Residents should note the 9 a.m. opening-day start, an hour later than the regular 8 a.m. opening time listed in the release.
Photo: Mike Mozart, CC BY