Shoppers in hurry to check out Whole Foods opening day in Morristown

ESPN analyst and former New York Jet Damien Woody and his wife Nicole on opening day of Whole Foods Market in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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A staff member hands out free bread at Whole Foods grand opening in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
A staff member hands out free bread at Whole Foods grand opening in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

By Kevin Coughlin

Denise Hall, team leader of the new Whole Foods Market  in Morristown, insisted she was not nervous prior to the store’s grand opening on Earth Day.

But then, in a prior life, she led students into the Alaskan wilderness for month-long survival expeditions.

Team Leader Denise Hall on opening day of Whole Foods Market in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Team Leader Denise Hall on opening day of Whole Foods Market in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
“It all boils down to communications, and understanding a team mentality,” Hall said, as curious shoppers streamed into the Washington Street store to see how it’s been transformed since the A&P left in December 2013.

Liz Huck of Morristown brought her son, Thaddeus, 2, for a look-see.  Huck described the layout as an improvement over the prior store, which was a fixture in town for more than four decades.

“It seems like they flipped it. It seems pretty spacious, considering how crowded it is.”  She did not mind Wednesday’s opening day throng, either.  “I’m a stay-at-home mom. For us, this is an outing,” Huck said.

The morning line was so long that Whole Foods opened its doors early– causing some community partner organizations to miss a scheduled “bread breaking” ceremony.

Morristown police also issued a traffic advisory for the area. An officer directed motorists, and when the 91-space parking lot overflowed, shoppers were sent to park on residential streets.

Whole Foods spokesman Michael Sinatra said the company will see whether it needs to hire police for traffic control on a regular basis, as its does in Greenwich, CT., and as the Kings supermarket does on South Street.

Likewise, he said, the store will study its employee parking needs. For the next couple of weeks, he said, about 40 employees are parking near the ballfield at Burnham Park.

BIG LEAGUE SHOPPER

Over all, customers sounded impressed with the new store.

“The name speaks for itself. I like that it’s organic,” said ESPN football analyst and former New York Jet Damien Woody, whose interest in healthy eating spiked last year when he shed serious pounds on The Biggest Loser.

ESPN analyst and former New York Jet Damien Woody and his wife Nicole on opening day of Whole Foods Market in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
ESPN analyst and former New York Jet Damien Woody and his wife Nicole on opening day of Whole Foods Market in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Woody traveled from Mendham with his wife Nicole, who has the major league task of shopping for a menu to please seven kids.

“I’m glad it’s here,” Nicole said of Whole Foods, as she placed a big bag of kale in her shopping cart.

The first wave of shoppers received free tote bags emblazoned with the Morristown store’s logo. Staff members also handed out croissants, bread and cheese.

Clad in 19th century garb, Lynn Laffey from the Fosterfields Living Historical Farm churned butter in the parking lot.  The farm was slated to receive 5 percent of the opening day proceeds, in keeping with the store’s community-centric ethos.

Whole Foods also will help sponsor  Sustainable Morristown’s Festival Earth, on May 17 on the Vail Mansion lawn. Additionally, Sustainable Morristown is planning a youth-oriented nonalcoholic “Green Drinks” night at the store, and a summer event dubbed “Goodwill from the Grill,” said Paul Miller, a founder of the nonprofit.

Miller lauded Whole Foods’ “Good, Better, Best” system of rating meats according to sustainable farming practices.

“That’s how big companies like this can change whole industries,” he said.

Jennifer Wehring of the Morristown Partnership, a downtown business organization, said she was happy to see companies investing in this edge of town. “Whole Foods is a great brand,” she said.

“We’ve been so excited, waiting for it to open,” said Deneise Hyatt-Murad, whose 4-year-old daughter, Edith, clutched a complimentary seedling. “We’re coming back tonight with the entire family. It’s beautiful.”

Susan Feldman of Morristown echoed those sentiments. “It’s wonderful. Everyone’s excited it’s here. We couldn’t wait for it. The food is going to be really great,” she said, as her grandson, Joel Feldman, 2 1/2, surveyed the scene with wide-eyed wonder.

'TWO LOBSTER TAILS FOR $12!' proclaims Ronny Saldana on opening day at Whole Foods in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
‘TWO LOBSTER TAILS FOR $12!’ proclaims Ronny Saldana on opening day at Whole Foods in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Just beyond the produce section, Ronny Saldana, team leader of the seafood department, was brandishing crustacean parts.

“Lobster tails!  Two for $12!” he proclaimed, like a carnival barker.  He intended to do some consuming himself.

“When lobsters are two for $12, you’ve gotta get some. They’re $10 apiece on a regular day,” Saladana said.

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Ken Chin of Morristown admired how Whole Foods opened the ceiling area with reinforced beams.

“What a transformation,” he said. “They really did a nice job.”

An employee offers free croissants at grand opening of Whole Foods, on Earth Day 2015. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
An employee offers free croissants at grand opening of Whole Foods, on Earth Day 2015. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Joan Kellett, a fan of the prepared meals at Whole Foods’ Madison location, also was pleased with the new place.  “They’re a little more expensive than Trader Joe’s,” she said, “but they have more inventory.”

Ron and Mary Phillips braved “ridiculous” traffic from Morris Plains to scope out the supermarket.

“It’s a little expensive. But they do have everything,” said Mary, as her husband fetched some roast turkey and a loaf of bread.

The “awesome” array of quality products represents a mixed blessing for Thomas Paniconi, who works in town at the Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen. Whole Foods is a treat, he said, adding ruefully: “I’m going to spend a lot of money here.”

PEP TALK

Denise Hall, who oversees 153 employees as team leader (store manager), has nine years of seasoning with the chain, most recently at the Madison store.  The Hackettstown native and mother of two studied communications at Ithaca College before migrating from outdoor adventures with bears to indoor adventures with shoppers.

Whole Foods is competing against the upscale Kings and Grassroots Natural Market, another Morristown store that caters to health-conscious consumers, as well as a mega-ShopRite in Cedar Knolls, among other supermarkets.

“I’m excited there’s competition,” Hall said. “We all make each other better.”

She gave her Whole Foods crew an opening day pep talk.

“I told them it’s our time,” Hall said. “Our customers are our family. We’re here for them. Come each day excited to be here.”

 

Cars lined up for precious parking spaces at the Whole Foods grand opening in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Cars lined up for precious parking spaces at the Whole Foods grand opening in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

2 COMMENTS

  1. “Team leader?” How funny. Sorry, I’ll just go ahead and refer to you as “manager.” That’s just as silly as Target referring to customers as “guests.”

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