STAMFORD — More than two years after it was first announced, the Whole Foods on High Ridge Road has finally opened its doors.
Within the first hour, the parking lot was full and checkout lines went into the aisles. People crowded the sections and patronized stands from local vendors, including New Jersey-based Wellshire Farms, which provided samples of the company's kielbasa sausage, and Edenesque, a New-York based company that specializes in plant milks and produces oat and pistachio milk, which offered oat milk to customers.
Stamford residents Dean and Kate Kimball said they normally go to the Whole Foods in Greenwich or Darien, but were happy to have another store that can support the growing population of Stamford. Dean Kimball also said it helps to have a Whole Foods in Stamford so they no longer have to sit in traffic on Interstate 95 to get to the store in Greenwich, or drive out to Darien from where they live by the waterfront. The store also has organic supplies, which they both said they were happy about.
"We're pretty impressed," Dean Kimball said.
The new 44,648-square-foot grocery store at 110 High Ridge Road opened Thursday in the former Lord & Taylor building, next to Saks Off 5th.
Because of the layout of the previous business in the building, the Texas-based company said it designed the Stamford store’s layout to emphasize curated spaces "that give each department its own boutique feel, showcasing a blend of natural textures and rich tones."
The store includes more than 1,000 local items from the Northeast, sourced with the help of John Lawson, Forager for Local & Emerging Brands at Whole Foods Market, the company said.
The opening date gives Stamford another supermarket after the Stop & Shop on West Main Street closed Oct. 31.
Features of the new Stamford store include produce "evoking a fresh, organic market feel, with an array of certified organic, conventional and Sourced for Good produce, including potatoes and squashes from Row 7 Seed Co., salad varieties from Gotham Greens and microgreens from Gilberties Organics," the company said.
The store also includes a full-service meat counter, more than 220 craft beers from more than 30 local breweries, a full bakery with vegan and gluten-free options and specialty sections for cheese, bread and seafood. It will offer local items including plant-based cookie dough from Doughy, oat and pistachio milks from Edenesque and kitchari from Divya’s. Like other Whole Foods, it will have a large prepared foods section with a hot bar, salad bar and pizza, with made-to-order sandwiches, sushi and a Market Plate section of entrees and sides.
The owners said that the grand opening includes local outreach: "New Covenant Center will receive a refrigerated van and food donation as part of Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods Program. This initiative, launched in 2020, aims to enhance the operational capabilities of local food rescue organizations, enabling efficient transport of food from surplus locations to areas with the greatest need," the company said.
Regular store hours will be 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores, serving customers in more than 530 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
To learn more about Whole Foods Market, visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.