Tall Oaks Un-Giant To Open in May

Somehow forgetting to credit our own awesome, world-exclusive scoop, the local newspapers finally figured out that Tall Oaks Shopping Center is getting a new, international-themed grocery store, complete with beef blood and pork blood and whatnot.

Because the old media, ink-on-dead-tree types tend to do things like "ask questions," though, we now know more about the awesome new grocery. First of all, "El Grande Supermercado" translates into "Fresh World." The grocery store won't have a pharmacy, but it will open in May, as a flapping sign along Wiehle Avenue now suggests.

"Fresh World will carry things that you couldn’t find anywhere else," said Dallon Cheney, principal at KLNB, the leasing agent. The store specializes in seafood and fresh fish and its aisles are arranged by international foods. Super Ee, Fresh World’s parent company, currently owns a store in Springfield and there are plans to open more in Virginia and Maryland later in the year.

And like the Easter miracle of our aforementioned, world exclusive scoop, Fresh World could transform the vast stucco wasteland of Tall Oaks into a vibrant, bustling retail destination.

KLNB principal Dallon Cheney said several merchants near Fresh World's location in Springfield have been “so impressed by Fresh World” that they have expressed interest in opening locations in Tall Oaks.

The remaining vacancies will likely fill up also now that the center has a new anchor store, said David Ross, president of Atlantic Realty.

To figure out what stores would make the best fit, a community meeting is being planned to gather input.

Awesome. We love input. Like the input provided by this commenter:

i had a feeling the store that was interested in moving into that empty Giant space would not be your typical grocery store. The MO has become for an old, decrepit store to shutter and then the foreigners move in. They open an oriental grocery and tons of people flock to them. of course, most of those ppl don't speak English and/or are rude.

Guess we just met the Welcome Wagon.