The new Fresh Market in Congressional Plaza. - photo by Jacqui South

Published on: Thursday, January 26, 2012

By Daryl Buchanan

ROCKVILLE - The Fresh Market (Fresh Market) grocery store opened in Congressional Plaza Wednesday morning with the goal of providing a shopping experience with a small community atmosphere and bringing big flavors to Rockville.

Instead of a traditional ribbon-cutting, Fresh Market staff held a “Cracking of the Parmesan,” in which a 75-pound wheel of parmesan cheese was cracked to officially open the store to shoppers. The Fresh Market originated in Greensboro, North Carolina, and the new store in Rockville is the first location in Montgomery County and the fourth in Maryland. Nick Colangelo is the Manager of the 26,200-square-foot, 1649 Congressional Plaza location and he says the store is all about presentation and fresh produce.

“We are very meticulous on how we present ourselves. We want a warm and inviting feel when you enter the store. That’s why we put our floral department in the front. When shoppers come in they immediately walk into a display of roses and orchids. It’s all about being visually impactful,” said Colangelo.

The Fresh Market’s other main focus is offering a wide variety of items capable of satisfying any palette. The store has about 50 percent organic items and 50 percent conventional foods. There is a full service bakery, seafood, and meat department on site and a full service deli in the center of that store that features signature cheeses, hot entrees and side dishes.

Debbie Miller serves up applewood smoked bacon & french toast with pure maple syrup. -photo by Jacqui South

The Fresh Market even features an eclectic wine and beer section. There is also a bulk department that features a wide selection of candy, coffee, nuts, and dried fruits.

The Fresh Market will also feature items from local farmers as the seasons change. Shoppers will also find a mix of familiar brand names and new names in their grocery section. There are also sections dedicated to food for Indian, Asian, and Hispanic cooking. Attached to the deli section is a fresh sushi bar run by Sushi with Gusto.

“Our meats are prime cuts and top 10 percent of choice beef. We’ll be baking about 30 different breads and 14 different kinds of pies in the store. There are a lot of great grab and go items that people can buy if they are in a rush,” said Colangelo. “We try to let the product sell itself without overwhelming you with big displays and signs. We put a lot of thought behind our food presentation.”

County Councilmember Nancy Floreen attended the opening and said she was excited to welcome The Fresh Market to Montgomery County. “We like having good fresh food options for our residents. So we’re really glad to have you here.”

Pam Rosencrans cracks the huge round of parmesean cheese as a ‘ribbon cutting’ ceremony.- photo by Jacqui South

Shopper Micki Niakani entered the store for the grand opening and was impressed with the fresh produce on display.

“I just walked in and it all looks very nice. I’m excited they have organic foods. I did shop at Whole Foods because they have organic, but I never went to Harris Teeter because they don’t sell organic. I don’t know about the prices, but the organic foods are really important to me. It all looks great,” said Niakani.

The Fresh Market will be featuring many events and promotions as the seasons change. Nick Colangelo says he is excited to be in the community and looking forward to a long stay.

“We want people to stop in and have a good time. We want customers to know us by our first names,” said Colangelo. “We’re happy to be here in Congressional Plaza and I’m looking forward to a long and successful stay.”

The olive bar. - photo by Jacqui South