Fresh & Green's Replaces Parkville's Superfresh

After Parkville's Superfresh closed its doors for good on July 1, a process began that had the store reopened just two days later as a Fresh & Greens.

Long-time store manager Denise Clark, who will stay on as manager of the new store, said the transition has been exceptionally smooth.

"We reopened on Sunday [July 3]," she said. "It was very quick."

There was some worry among Parkville residents that the new store might offer more expensive, organic groceries.

"We plan to have some organic, natural foods," Clark said. "But we'll still offer the same conventional groceries and brands people have enjoyed in the past."

Clark said the store is scheduled for an extensive remodeling in coming months but will remain open for business. She also said also said that all former Superfresh employees have kept their jobs even though the store  changed hands.

The Parkville store was among eight Superfresh stores purchased in May by a new company called Mrs. Green’s Management Corp. as part of a bankruptcy auction by Superfresh owner Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., or A&P.

The other locations purchased for conversion into Fresh & Green’s markets are in Arnold, Baltimore, Brunswick, Cambridge, Chestertown, and Washington, D.C.

At the same auction, two other ex-Superfresh stores, in Timonium and White Oak, were sold to a New Jersey supermarket company for conversion to ShopRite stores.

The purchase of the eight stores by Mrs. Green’s Management Corp. prompted speculation in the region, as the company was virtually unknown here.

The company is controlled by Toronto-based Natural Markets Restaurant Corp., which operates natural food stores and restaurants in Canada and the United States. It is a privately-owned corporation and does not publish annual financial statements, or other financial data.

An executive of the Toronto corporation has been quoted in other publications as saying the company intends to open “hybrid” stores that will offer some traditional groceries, natural foods and fresh prepared foods intended for home consumption. These offerings will be supplemented by an in-store restaurant focusing on natural foods, the spokesman said.