"This store means a great deal to not only the residents, but to the economic development of our business district," said Connie Sincaglia, executive director of Your Hometown Chagrin Falls.
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio - Village residents who have waited years for a full-service supermarket in Chagrin Falls are looking forward to seeing Heinen's Fine Foods' multimillion-dollar investment in its newest store on March 1.
Jeff and Tom Heinen will open their Chagrin Falls store at 10 a.m. Wednesday, at 20 Shopping Center Plaza, next door to CVS/Pharmacy. It will be the family's 23rd store in 88 years.
Inspired in part by the Downtown Cleveland Heinen's that opened in February 2015, Jeff Heinen says it has "a bit of an urban store feel in a suburban location."
"People are eating differently today, so we created a space that uniquely blends a traditional grocery store with a bistro," he said in a written announcement.
Connie Sincaglia, executive director of the nonprofit Your Hometown Chagrin Falls, said she is thrilled about the newest Heinen's store. "Heinen's has a well-deserved reputation for outstanding quality and service, so this store means a great deal to not only the residents, but to the economic development of our business district."
Molly Gebler, a 31-year resident and executive director of the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce, which represents 13 communities from Newbury to Woodmere, said Heinen's will be a considerable improvement over the previous stores that have been in that location.
"The supermarket before, it wasn't well-maintained, so something that you needed or wanted usually wasn't on the shelf," she said. "When you have two other grocery stores three miles away, you really need to stay on top of your game, so I think that may have been an issue."
She expects workers to eat lunch there, students to swing by for sandwiches and snacks, and villagers to do their regular shopping there. "Just to be able to pick up something on your way home from work is going to be very welcome," she said.
"I'm optimistic about the parking," Gebler added. "There is parking in Chagrin Falls: There's free parking, paid parking, and there's limited parking. I'm just not quite sure that it's going to be the kind of supermarket that you would go in and spend hours at."
Chagrin Falls Mayor and lifelong resident Bill Tomko said the village has been working with Heinen's and the owner of the shopping center to alleviate concerns about inadequate parking, including leasing spaces from two nearby churches and a local school when they're not being used.
He remembers when the building where Heinen's and CVS are now was home to Fisher Foods, Woolworth's, and A&P, and said that it has changed hands several times since then. The A&P space on the right side of the building became Mazzulo's Market, then Russo's, then Giant Eagle, before it closed in 2014.
Tomko said that when he announced on Facebook that Heinen's was opening there on March 1, he got nearly 12,000 hits in 10 days. "I think that shows an extremely high level of interest, and that everybody's just anxious for the store to open," he said.
"Chagrin Falls is one of the most walkable communities in the Greater Cleveland area, and having a first-rate grocery store in walking distance again is a real asset and quality of life enhancement," Tomko said.
Heinen's Chagrin Falls store will offer 48 wines by the glass and 12 beers on tap, as well as chef-prepared foods to enjoy in the in-store Tasting Room or as carry-out. The store will also have outdoor patio seating during warmer weather, as well as food-and-wine classes, pairing seminars, and other in-store events.
In addition to the traditional grocery offerings, the store will also other popular amenities such as in-store butchers, source-verified meats, overnight direct dock-to-store seafood, seasonal and locally grown produce, organic and all-natural products, fresh-baked bread, gourmet cheese, and fresh flowers.
"We have designed the store to deliver to what we believe are the desires of the Chagrin Falls customer," said Tom Heinen. "Our grandfather stated, 'You need to buy the best to sell the best,' and three generations later, we adhere to the same philosophy."
Gebler said she fully expects the store to tailor what it sells in coming months based on what its shoppers buy most. "They're very good at knowing their customers, and adjusting their products to what their customers want," she said.