Deal brings Whole Foods Market to Milford

MILFORD, Jun 26, 2008 (New Haven Register - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- WFMI | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- After more than six months of wrangling, a deal has been struck to bring a Whole Foods Market to the Milford Marketplace retail development.

Real estate agent DeForest Smith said a lease has been signed for a 3.7-acre parcel at 1700 Boston Post Road. The land is occupied by the former El Torero restaurant and the Post Motor Inn, which is slated to close.

A Wild Oats store had initially been planned for the site, but the company was bought out last year by Whole Foods Market, of Austin, Texas. A 30,000-squarefoot building was built before the Wild Oats deal fell through, but the new deal gives Whole Foods Market the right to use the existing building and add 10,000 square feet.

Smith said the goal is to have Whole Foods Market open in fall 2009 and anchor Milford Marketplace. Whole Foods Market is an upscale supermarket focused on organic and natural foods. The Milford location will be the first in Greater New Haven. Other stores are located in Glastonbury, Greenwich, West Hartford and Westport.

Several other stores are already open in Milford Marketplace, including Chico's, Ann Taylor Loft and J. Jill, and the restaurant Tengda Asian Bistro at 1650 Boston Post Road. The site has been billed as an upscale retail mall.

"My wife can't wait for Whole Foods," Smith joked.

A Whole Foods Market spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

Economic and Community Development Director Robert Gregory said Whole Foods will greatly enhance Milford Marketplace.

"A lot of people are looking for Whole Foods to come," Gregory said. "It was sad to lose El Torero and the Post Motor Inn." A woman who answered the phone at the Post Motor Inn declined comment.

The Rubin family has owned the land for generations, since opening Wayside Furniture in the 1920s. The new shopping center did not affect the Ethan Allen furniture store, which has a lease guaranteeing it a spot on the property for 15 years.

Before Milford Marketplace was created, the site was home to the former Huffman Koos, and before that Wayside, furniture store, featuring a 270,000-square-foot building that was demolished.

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