Did you go by the new Harris Teeter since it opened on Wednesday? Odds are pretty good that you did.
In a small town like New Bern, folks here can be relied on to try something new. Remember when Cook Out opened?
On opening day, I saw city officials including Jeff Odham, in whose ward the new Harris Teeter is located, and City Manager Mark Stephens proudly roaming the vast floor space of the gleaming new store.
Coke Mann, a partner with Columbia Development Group, developer of the shopping center, was quoted in the Sun Journal crediting Odham and Mayor Dana Outlaw for their bringing the super-expanded HT to New Bern.
I saw lots of regular people combing through the almost 100,000-foot feet of shopping space, which is more than just a simple supermarket. (Some say the store actually has 105,000 square feet of floor space.)
We are not wedded to a particular grocery store. We shop at Publix most often, but not exclusively, and mainly due to its modern and wide selection coupled with its less crowded aisles.
With the opening of the new Harris Teeter, that may change.
The store replaces a 55,000-square-foot store on South Glenburnie Road, which closed the day before the new store opened.
It is claimed to be the largest Harris Teeter out of the chain’s 246 stores. Some media outlets have called it the largest in the world, but since its world is pretty much contained within Southern states, that’s a somewhat pretentious claim.
Still, it’s plenty big, and within it are sections that by themselves are impressively large.
There is a Starbucks inside the Harris Teeter, just as there was at the old location, but this one has a dining area that has to make this particular Starbucks one of the largest in the world, and that’s saying something.
Then there is the food court, contained within an area that could be a nice-size grocery store all by itself.
There is a bakery, fresh produce and meats, a deli, a sushi bar, a buffet, a burger bar, a specialty bar with changing themes, and a bar-bar. Yes, a bar … where you can get beer and wine by the glass.
As for the grocery aisles, they are so long they are subdivided, with a third row intersecting at the middle. Looking from one end toward the other, the aisles extend almost as far as the eye can see.
Filling all those aisles with merchandise must be a challenge by itself. I have not looked deeply into it, but the few places I did look showed a much-expanded variety of brands and varieties.
Staffing this store must be equally challenging. I counted six people working at the Starbucks counter, four at the burger bar, three at the beer and wine bar, and so on.
I am not sure if they staffed up for opening week or if they plan to maintain that staffing level.
Sarah, Mark and I went there on opening day and had dinner. We bought a couple of items from the grocery aisles before going home.
We returned on Saturday to find the same buzz one encounters when surrounded by hundreds of happy people. The store is large enough to accommodate a thousand customers without feeling overly crowded.
Sarah got several selections from the sushi train and described the quality as good as any restaurant in New Bern. I went for simple–a burger and fries. The way I figure it, if you can’t do a burger and fries right, then what can you do right?
And boy, did they do it right. It paired nicely with the glass of Mother Earth pale ale that I got at the bar.
While waiting for my order, I ran into four people I knew, and that’s the great thing about a venue like this. It’s a magnet that draws people together, and for more than one purpose.
Before, you would go to Harris Teeter for groceries. Maybe you might grab something from the salad bar or deli or the Starbucks counter, but there was really nothing that set it apart from any other modern grocery store.
This Harris Teeter is not just a retailer, it is a community amenity. You can literally spend the day there, enjoying a fresh breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a couple of glasses of beer or wine later in the day before actually doing any grocery shopping.
Note: the beer and wine bar opens at 10 a.m. daily except Sundays, when it opens at 11 a.m. But who’s judging?
The parking lot is large and full but sufficient and well laid out. Other stores in the shopping center, which is called New Bern Marketplace, round out the remaining two-thirds of retail floor space at the 34-acre, 325,000-square-food retail venue.
One thing it has over Downtown New Bern: parking is not limited to two hours.
So what can you expect at the Teeter?
Greeting you as you arrive at one of the entrances is the floral counter managed by Mary Gierie-Merrell, who Mayor Outlaw has described as New Bern’s unofficial mayor.
At that same entrance, off to the right, is the Starbucks counter with its spacious and open dining area. It is equipped with tables and booths and two big-screen TVs. The window-wall is lined with a long counter with tall chairs for computer users and enough USB ports and electric sockets for every two chairs.
Beyond is the amazing food court, and to its left, the expansive grocery aisles.
One glitch was WiFi. Though it is provided, I was unable to connect to the internet using it. Another quibble is that if you want to sit at a table and plug in your device or computer to a power source, there are just two tables within range of just one wall socket, and they are right underneath a big-screen TV. That may be by design. It is understandable why a store would not want its tables taken up by people using computers all day.
The impacts of the new Harris Teeter on New Bern will be interesting to see.
It will undoubtedly cut into business of other existing grocery stores. But being so large, it will draw shoppers from outside New Bern and maybe from outside Craven County.
When the N.C. 43 connector is extended from U.S. 70 to U.S. 17 in the next few years, it will make access to New Bern Marketplace easier to reach from Pitt and Lenoir residents. It’s already the easiest retail center to reach in New Bern from Jones and Onslow counties.
As I said, this Harris Teeter is not just a store, it is a community amenity.
Fun facts
Posted in Achievements, Activities, Aldermen, Beer, Board of Aldermen, Business, Commentary, Community, Craven County, Downtown New Bern, Economy, Economy and Employment, Entertainment, Events, Food, Mayor, New Bern, New Bern business and commerce, Opinion
A handout photo shows the Brews & Bites event in 2017.
Allies for Cherry Point’s Tomorrow (ACT) will host the 3rd Annual Brews & Bites on Friday, April 27 from 5-10:00 p.m. The event will be located at the end of Broad Street beside the Neuse River, and will feature good music, great food, craft beer and wine.
Attendees will enjoy a beautiful evening on the river’s edge sampling unique local craft brews and delicious offerings from area food trucks. As an added bonus this year, guests will experience great live music from local band Hot Buttered Grits.
Brews & Bites was created as a community event to raise awareness for ACT’s efforts to protect and grow Cherry Point Marine Air Station — this area’s largest economic engine and the largest employer in Craven and Carteret counties. All proceeds will benefit continuing efforts to cement the successful future of the base, which includes the next-generation F-35B Lightning II.
“When organizing the event, we want to make sure that we call on area businesses to highlight the importance of the base to our economy,” said Will Lewis, President of ACT and Havelock mayor. “Without the base, our local economy would suffer an annual loss of over $2 billion and that would be crippling.”
With the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, Cherry Point is poised for positive growth, but that could change at any given time. ACT will continue to advocate for MCAS Cherry Point, FRC East and its civilian enterprises, and counts on the community’s support for continued success.
Tickets for the event are $35 per person for general admission, which includes a commemorative tasting glass and drinks from our craft brew selection. VIP tickets are available for $50 per person and include early access at 4:00 p.m., one-off/limited beers not available with general admission, a commemorative tasting glass, and extra swag. To purchase tickets online, visit www.alliesforcherrypoint.com.
Allies for Cherry Point’s Tomorrow (ACT) advocates for the existence and success of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Fleet Readiness Center East and its civilian enterprises. Board members include leaders from Craven, Carteret, Pamlico, and Jones counties who work closely with Congressional and legislative delegations to push for laws and budget appropriations that will help preserve and grow MCAS Cherry Point—a base crucial to the success of the U.S. military and the economy of the region.
The historic Ghent Neighborhood in New Bern is hosting its fourth annual Mardi Gras Parade and Festival on Saturday, March 3, from noon to 5 p.m.
The parade will be led again this year by the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band and begins at 2 p.m, with festivities and parade line-up beginning at noon on the 1400 block of Spencer Avenue.
This year’s parade and festivities will feature the Craven Brass Quintet, the Antique Car Club, and Jonkonnu. Musicians include Alisa Mike, Middle Street Jazz, and Junkroad Crossing, and will be joined by vendors including Brewery 99, The Tiny Tornado food truck, and more.
After the parade, the festival will continue until 5 p.m. on Spencer Avenue on the 1500 and 1600 blocks between Third and Fifth Streets, and will feature food, live music, performers, and vendors.
All ages are welcome and encouraged to dress in costume. For more information and to register for the parade visit www.newbernmardigras.com, or call Pam at 252-637-5281.
New Bern Now
