Whole Foods coming to Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER – Whole Foods, the nation's largest retailer of natural foods, wants to open a store in the township.

The company, which has 408 stores throughout the country, confirmed Monday that it anticipates opening a 50,000-square-foot store that will be constructed at Route 22 and Chimney Rock Road by late 2017, according to Michael Sinatra, a spokesman for the company.

Whole Foods could be part of a larger retail complex tentatively proposed for the north side of the $10 million interchange between Route 22 and Chimney Rock Road, said Howard Turbowitz, the township's economic development officer.

No formal plans for the development have been submitted to the township, Turbowitz said. Retail uses are allowed in the zone.

Retail development has been eyed for the property next to the Stavola Quarry for two decades.

"We've been waiting for this for many, many years," Turbowitz said.

Turbowitz said having stores like Whole Foods locate in the township is part of the municipality's strategy of redeveloping property and improving residents' quality of life.

A representative of Stavola Co., the owner of the property, confirmed Whole Foods' announcement. Stavola owns six shopping centers in Monmouth and Ocean counties

The retail center, tentatively called Chimney Rock Crossing, is part of the redevelopment of the property that includes the department of public works facility that serves Bridgewater, Somerset County and Bound Brook.

Whole Foods included the signing of a lease for the Bridgewater store in a news release earlier this month that announced record-breaking sales for the latest quarter.

Sales rose 10 percent for the quarter to $4.7 billion, according to the release. Whole Foods also said it expects to have 500 stores by 2017.

Turbowitz said he doubted that the new Whole Foods store would have a negative impact on other grocery stores in the area.

Whole Foods appeals to a different customer base than Wegmans or ShopRite, he said.

Whole Foods is expanding its presence in Central Jersey. Besides already operating stores in Princeton and Madison, Whole Foods is converting a former 20,000-square foot A&P in Morristown and has plans to build a 43,000-square-foot store in Metuchen.

Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@mycentraljersey.com