New Seasons Market just announced that construction of its Mercer Island store will begin later this month. The store is on track to open this fall at 2755 77th Ave SE and will create 150 new jobs.
Details of the announcement included the following design features of the new store:
- A large outdoor patio lounge seating area, partially covered by the existing pergola repurposed from the site
- Rooftop solar panels expected to produce enough energy to off-set the power requirements for exterior signage
- Three high-speed electric car charging stations
- An on-site composting system
“It’s hard to contain our excitement about this store,” said President and CEO Wendy Collie in a media release. “We’ve talked with local neighbors about what they’re looking for and will be customizing the space inside and out to reflect their needs, and include more of what’s fresh, local and delicious.”
New Seasons will host a job fair this summer to help fill 150 new positions. New Seasons Market prides itself on its reputation as a progressive employer. The company offers comprehensive health benefits for all staff working a minimum of 30 hours per week (including benefits for partners and dependents), flexible and predictable work schedules, a 20 percent store-wide discount, a profit share program and access to the Acorn Fund, which allows staff to invest up to 50 percent of their profit share back into the company’s growth. The company is the world’s first-certified B Corp grocer.
“Integral to our business philosophy – embedded in our DNA since our founding – is the idea that our staff is our most important stakeholder. Our success as a company is in their hands; they are our competitive advantage, our ‘secret sauce’,” said Collie in the release. “That’s why we’re playing a leadership role in the discussion about Oregon minimum wages, working behind the scenes, convening with progressive businesses to join us in becoming part of the solution.”
The Mercer Island location of New Seasons Market will feature an inviting indoor dining area; local and organic produce selections; sustainably raised meats and seafood; an extensive deli department with abundant in-house New Seasons chef-prepared foods; bountiful fair-trade and local floral; artisan cheeses and a sandwich shop; a certified organic and Non-GMO Project Verified in-house bakery; distinctive home goods and gifts created by local artisans; and a natural wellness section. A second store is expected to open in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard by fall 2017.
Learn more about New Seasons Market at: www.newseasonsmarket.com
Images courtesy New Seasons Market
