SHREWSBURY – Customers with full carts shopped around the new Market Basket during its grand opening this morning.
“This has been a long time coming. We’re happy and the customers are happy – that’s what matters most,” said Market Basket Operations Manager David McLean.
McLean anticipated that between 5,000 to 7,000 customers would shop at the newly-opened location today.
According to McLean, on average, Market Basket stores welcome between 2,000 to 3,000 customers per day.
He said the management team has been working with their store departments to prepare for this grand opening.
“We hired 350 new associates, so they have been training over the course of the last couple months. Everything is flowing nice and smooth,” McLean said.
Customers from Millbury to Rhode Island come to opening
The new store is part of the larger Edgemere Crossing at Flint Pond development at the site of the former Edgemere Drive-In. This store has been said that it will anchor Edgemere Crossing.
Customer Olinda Pryor attended the grand opening to shop for food to make her husband a special birthday dinner.
Pryor recently moved to Paxton from Boston and said she is glad there is a Market Basket close to her new home because there is not a store located in the city.
“I am so happy. I can shop for whatever I like. Here, they got everything, so I am enjoying,” she said.
In the next aisle, customer Michele Brunell was doing her weekly shopping.
Brunell, who lives in Millbury, said now that there is a Market Basket close to home, she will become a regular shopper at the store.
“I feel very welcome,” she said.
Some customers do not live close by, but enjoy shopping at Market Basket so much they decided to attend the opening.
One such customer is Deborah Ahern, who is from Rhode Island. Ahern said she made the drive because she wanted to check out the store and see what deals were being offered.
“I love the grand opening. It’s running really smoothly,” she said.
