Whole Foods Market will open its 59,119-square-foot store in Towson, Maryland on January 14, 2022. The new location is in the Towson Row development near Towson University.
The store’s design pays homage to the area’s history as a transportation hub with a light and bright color palette. Its assortment emphasizes local products from Maryland, overseen by Kathleen Leverenz, local forager for Whole Foods Market’s Mid-Atlantic region, according to the company.
Aiming to serve as a community hub, the new location will feature an upstairs mezzanine with a lounge, arcade, and outdoor seating overlooking Towsontown Blvd W. A community room will be available for meetings and working groups.
Departments like the full-service coffee bar and prepared foods section with hot and cold food bars, hot meals sold by the plate, and a wide assortment of pre-packed, ready-to-eat items will create a quick and easy food destination for university students and nearby businesses. Customizable whole pizzas and pizza-by-the-slice will be offered, as will grab-and-go sushi.
A full-service seafood counter featuring jumbo lump crab cakes, made-in-house lobster rolls, and grab-and-go marinated seafood, will feature other options like fresh oysters from True Chesapeake Oyster Co., and smoked fish from Ivy City Smokehouse. The large produce and flower department will feature local, organic, and conventional items, with nearby farms like Shenandoah Growers and Lancaster Farm Fresh stocking their goods.
The cheese department will have 300 varieties, a 16-foot artisan cheese display, and a seasoned team of cheesemongers, while the butchers at the full-service meat counter will be available to cut steaks to order or debone poultry.
Many items in the bakery offerings will be supplied locally, including Triple Love Cheesecake from Hiatus Cheesecake, and Chesapeake Cheddar Bread from Crest Hill Bakery, as well as scratch-made bread and favorites like San Francisco-style sourdough.
To give back to the Towson community, Whole Foods Market will make a $15,000 donation in support of Baltimore Hunger Project, The Assistance Center of Townson Churches, and Towson University’s FoodShare, all working to alleviate food insecurity in Towson and the greater Baltimore area.
Related: Whole Foods Market to Open Store in San Francisco; Whole Foods CEO to Retire.