Foodie's Market opens new 8,500 s/f store at 230 West Broadway

Foodie's Market, the gourmet and everyday market that has become a staple of the South End neighborhood, formally opened its newest store on February 23, at 230 West Broadway. Scores of shoppers, elected officials, friends, neighbors, and the Foodie's family of employees joined owners Victor Leon and Victor Leon Jr., who with mayor Thomas Menino cut a ribbon in front of the new store and then toured the aisles and chatted with customers and employees. "This new Foodie's Market in South Boston is a great example of how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is directly benefitting our neighborhoods," Menino said in a statement. "These funds help support people like the Leon family have been so committed to the City of Boston for more than a decade. "We thank the Leon family for investing in the future of this community, and congratulate everyone who worked so hard to make this West Broadway store a reality." The new 8,500 s/f Foodie's Market has been in construction for about a year, a $3.8 million renovation and reuse of a one-story brick building that once housed the American Nut & Chocolate Co. The City of Boston's Office of Business Development (OBD) made a $1.4 million investment in the project, involving funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. About 30 new full-time jobs have been created, along with 20 or so part-time jobs. Mayor Menino and the Leons were joined by Sheila Dillon, director of the Department of Neighborhood Development; State Rep. Nick Collins; and Boston City councilor Bill Linehan. Among the many new and longtime Foodie's Markets team at the opening were South Boston store manager Dave Healy and Bob McPhail, manager of the Foodie's Market in Duxbury. The general contractor for the new store in South Boston was J.L. Dunn. The architect was Touloukian and Touloukian Architects.