Somerville ShopRite Opens Oct. 16

By Rod Hirsch
Bright yellow trucks are backed up to the loading dock, new employees are stocking shelves and the grocery carts are lined up outside awaiting the long-anticipated Grand Opening of the Somerville ShopRite on Sunday, Oct. 16.

That’s almost two months ahead of schedule.

“Everyone is really excited; when the 16th rolls around, it’s going to be a spectacle not seen in Somerville in a while. I think it’s going to draw a lot of people,” said Colin Driver, Director of Planning for Somerville.

Driver said market studies have estimated more than 2,000 shoppers will visit the store daily, with a spillover effect likely.

“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.”

Merchants in downtown Somerville are hopeful they will benefit from the increase in traffic.

“This couldn’t happen at a better time in view of the poor economy,” said Paul Sanford, president of the Somerville Business Professional Association. “We can’t wait until the store opens up. It should help to get some business flowing down here.”

“Everyone in town will be a beneficiary,” Driver 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.

Part of the redevelopment included the extension of Division Street from Veterans Memorial Parkway West to West Main Street; the store’s address is 1 Division Street.

JSM Properties, owner of the site, has plans to build a mixed use of residential and retail stores fronting on West Main Street.

A ceremonial invitation-only ribbon cutting will take place Oct. 14 for ShopRite and local officials, followed by a tour of the store.