Marlboro Whole Foods Opens Wednesday

Behind the glass doors at Whole Foods in Marlboro today, an army of employees in aprons are energetically stacking shelves with simmer sauce, hanging aisle signs, and learning how to master the cash register. 

The 40,000 square foot all-natural food supermarket is readying to open its doors on Wednesday 9 a.m. in the all-new Marlboro Commons on Route 9 South near Robbinsville Road/Route 520, next to an Ulta, Petco, Ethan Allen, Walgreens and Verizon store. Township officials will be on hand to watch the ceremonial breaking of bread (apparently everyone grabs a hunk off a giant loaf of challah bread) and the ceremonial ribbon-cutting. 

Whole Foods is expanding in New Jersey. In our area, the nearest Whole Foods Markets are in Middletown and Princeton, but new stores are coming to Clark in last 2014 or early 2016, in Wall in 2016, followed by Metuchen in 2016/2017. 

The new Marlboro Whole Foods store is located near Wegman's gourmet supermarket, and across the street from Livoti's Old World Market, which opens on Thursday.  

The Marlboro Whole Foods will not carry liquor. But in addition to its popular meat, produce and seafood sections, this store will include a fresh-squeezed juice stand, a pickle-antipasto-kimchi bar, a hot barbeque self-service bar, pick-your-own baking chocolate in bins, a Danish pastry bar and a staff holistic nutrition expert to dispense one-on-one health advice.

The decor is decidedly rustic farmhouse, with reclaimed wood utilized to evoke the feeling of being in an airy barn under exposed beams. The Marlboro store features an indoor pavilion where community groups can hold gatherings. A children's play area is attached.  Store decorator Nathalie Gray said she was inspired by the roadside farm stands and markets she encountered in Marlboro. "And the huge flower stands," she said. Flowers are situated at the entrance of the store. 

Katy Sheehan, 25, of Flemington was busy in the baking area. A former restaurant pastry chef, she is one of the 200 new hires at Marlboro Whole Foods -- the 60 others have come from other stores. When she heard about the store opening, she quickly applied for the job by filling in the application on her smart phone.

Now she is learning how to prepare cake for vegans and how to work with team members in a mass production environment. "It's exciting and challenging at the same time," she said. "I love the product, the passion Whole Foods puts out." 

The first 250 customers will get a reusable canvas Whole Foods shopping tote. Opening week specials in the meat department will include international spiced kebabs for Memorial Day cookouts, organic hot dogs, boneless chicken breast and ribeye steaks. The seafood department will be offering deals on 5 ounce lobster tails, wild caught Coho salmon. Produce will be offering deals on organic strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, as well as local asparagus and tomatoes. 

Customers can connect with Marlboro Whole Foods on its own Facebook page, which already has more than 9,30 fans. You'll find a coupon there, good for $15 off a $50 purchase on opening day.