By Rod Hirsch
The “Now Hiring” signs are a sure sign that the new ShopRite in downtown Somerville is getting ready to open.
In just a few weeks, workers will be inside the new store stocking shelves preparing for a planned opening of Oct. 1.
That’s almost two months ahead of schedule.“They’re moving ahead in leaps and bounds; their target is to have the store open the first week in October and that means they’ll have to have the market ready for training in a couple of weeks and to stock the shelves,” said Colin Driver, director of planning for Somerville.
Anyone interested in applying for a full time or part time position can apply in person at the on-site Hiring Center and complete an application or do so on-line at http://www.shoprite.com and click on the “Career Opportunities” link and follow the prompts.
Over 400 applications for a mix of full and part-time jobs have been submitted.
“When they first started they were looking at 175-200 new jobs, but since that time the market has increased in size a little bit and they may be looking at more,” Driver said.
Downtown merchants are anxiously awaiting the opening of the new supermarket. Market studies presented to town officials during the application process estimated the store would attract upwards of 2,000 visitors daily.
“I think that’s a conservative estimate,” Driver said. “Those numbers are based on projections when we first started talking. Since then, the A&P in Manville and the Pathmark in Hillsborough have closed.
“Everyone in town will be a beneficiary,” he added. “The store will bring people into town, they’ll see the stores and restaurants on Main Street, I think they’re going to come back to shop and to dine out.”
The 70,000 square-foot market is being built on the former site of the 56,000 square-foot Pathmark Supermarket which closed several years ago and will anchor the redevelopment of the 13-acre site of the former Somerville Shopping Center. JSM Properties, owner of the site, has plans to build a mixed use of residential and retail stores fronting on West Main Street.