Pete Schofel and Michael Schofel in front of the new Livingston store
The Fresh Market is not yet a Jersey household name, but give it time.
The upscale specialty grocery has just opened a 23,000-square-foot store at The Village at Livingston. It's the third location in New Jersey; others are in Bedminster and Montvale.
The Fresh Market, which started in North Carolina in 1982, offers locally-sourced produce, 200-plus domestic and imported cheeses, snacks, prepared foods, hand-trimmed meats, seafood, flowers, wine and more. The house soundtrack: classical music.
The company operates 155 stores in 26 states. The Livingston store is located in a former Pathmark.
Eastman Companies, which is led by co-managing partners Pete Schofel and Michael Schofel, is the manager and developer of the 93,000-square-foot neighborhood shopping center.
The three-building plaza features a mix of service and retail tenants, including Olive Garden, GameStop, Wine Legend, Hudson City Savings and Zen Japanese Cuisine.
"The Village at Livingston's location, within one of the state's most prosperous commercial and residential hubs, is perfectly aligned with The Fresh Market's customer base," Pete Schofel explained. "The Fresh Market not only expands the township's selection of food and grocery items, they are a welcome addition as a civic-minded corporate neighbor."
"We are most excited to provide local residents with a unique food shopping experience focused on the best tasting, highest quality and freshest foods available," said Brian Wittman, north zone operations vice president for The Fresh Market. "We're looking forward to being an active member of the Livingston community, and we are already establishing some local partnerships."
The Livingston store will collaborate with Livingston C.H.O.W. by providing food donations and with the Central Jersey Chapter of JDRF. John King is the store manager.
Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteGenovese or via The Munchmobile @NJ_Munchmobile.
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