The Fresh Market
Opened: December 2024
Opened: December 2024
Owner: Cencosud
We don't see a lot of The Fresh Market here on The Market Report, and that's partially because there aren't a whole lot in the areas I frequent. One opened up in part of a former Bed Bath & Beyond in Framingham, MA last December, and I recently got to check it out while in Massachusetts last week. Within a few days, I heard the news that I'd all but guessed when I visited: after less than a year, this store is set to close this month.
The beautiful store measures around 25,000 square feet, and this is the newest Fresh Market I've been to. (See an example of a slightly older one here.) It's elegant, modern, and attractive, but I still think the chain struggles with its relevance. It's not a place you could do your full weekly food shopping -- in part because the selection is rather limited and in part because the prices are quite high -- but the specialty choices aren't always special enough to warrant the separate trip. It probably is a formula that works quite well when the only other competitors in town are Walmart and Kroger, but here in Framingham, you're within two miles of at least ten other supermarkets, each of which has something specific to offer. This store is particularly close to a MOM's Organic Market, which has a far more compelling product mix of all organic produce, natural health and beauty items, and natural foods. The Fresh Market's selection isn't particularly angled towards organic, or imported, or any other specific type other than generally "gourmet". Unfortunately, you're also under a mile and a half from a bustling Roche Bros in Natick that's a very effective blend of specialty and everyday with a much larger selection than this store.
When I visited this store, I believe there were three other customers for the time I was in the store. It was beautiful, but felt completely dead.
Produce is in the front-right corner of the store, with the deli and cheese island in the middle of the store. Bulk foods are in front of it, and meat, seafood, and bakery counters are behind it. The grocery aisles are on the left side of the store, with dairy and frozen lining the outside walls and a wine department in the front-left corner.
Even in the short time this store was open, it had been cut back, probably because its volume was simply too low. Notice in the prepared foods counter below, part of it is filled with a Coca-Cola meal deal -- a creative solution to downsizing a service counter, but still a sign that the store has had to be cut back.
I do love this decor, though, and it's perfect for an upscale store like The Fresh Market. It's attractive and modern but feels refined.
The butcher counter is particularly large, and I can't imagine the type of shrink a store like this must've had with no volume and a perimeter/perishables-heavy business model. That's probably exactly why it's closing.
A functional but somewhat sparse hot food bar is also in the center island, along with deli and cheese.
Continuing across the back wall, we find bakery and dairy in the back-left corner.
I assume another supermarket won't move into this space, but it's possible. It would have to be another high-end store, unless they wanted to make some very significant changes to the building.
It does feel like there's a bit of a clash between the intention and the execution here -- some difference between expectations and reality. Sure, that's a very catchy "shop local" sign, but there are almost no actual local products in the store (okay, I see some local milk in glass bottles at the bottom there, but you're going to have a hard time convincing me that Lactaid or Simply Orange is local).
Frozen foods are in a grocery aisle towards the back of the store.
In an effort to make the store feel more premium and distinguish it further from typical supermarkets, there are no aisle markers here. Instead, there are just category signs that hang above the shelves. There's only a few grocery aisles anyway, so there's not a lot to navigate.
Again, we have signs like this organic call-out on the left below, but the organic selection was no better than a mainstream store like a Stop & Shop.
The wine department, though, is truly spectacular. This is where the store really shines (though I don't know wine enough to know how the selection compares to other stores that sell wine nearby).
Bulk foods are in between the grocery aisles and the front-end.
I love the lighting and hanging wooden structure over the checkouts, but clearly the store's wonderful design wasn't enough to make it appealing to Framingham customers.
It's sad to see a store close, especially one like this that's so new. But just across the highway, a new Asian supermarket called T Market is expected to open in another recently-closed store. That's all for now, but don't forget to see the rest of this weekend's posts!
Previous Tenants: Bed Bath & Beyond
Cooperative: none
Location: 84 Worcester Rd, Framingham, MA
Photographed: October 10, 2025
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