Updated: 11 hours ago
By Barbara A. Preston for The Montgomery News | August 21, 2026
The anticipation on Nevius Boulevard was palpable on Friday morning as a line of residents stretched outside the 45,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market in Montgomery Township.
For a community that had watched the 54-acre site sit undeveloped for more than 15 years, the grand opening on August 21 was not merely the arrival of a grocery store; it was the realization of a complex, long-term vision for the Montgomery Promenade development. Ulta Beauty, located next door, had a soft opening, and will celebrate at a later date.
The Whole Foods bread-breaking ceremony is a company tradition that replaces a standard ribbon-cutting to celebrate a new store opening. Store leaders, team members, and local community members physically snap a large custom loaf of bread together to symbolize community partnership, gratitude, and an official welcome before doors open
As the doors opened at 8 am, hundreds of shoppers were welcomed into a space that developers and township officials hope will serve as a new anchor for the area. The store, which features distressed white shiplap and collegiate-inspired aesthetics that nod to the nearby Princeton region, is the chain’s 24th location in New Jersey.
For Jeff Garrison, principal at SJC Ventures, the opening marks the successful conclusion of a massive collaborative undertaking. “Our team is incredibly proud of this project milestone as it was a huge collaborative undertaking working with community leaders and stakeholders for many years,” Garrison said. He noted that the Montgomery Promenade shopping center is nearly 100 percent leased—a rare milestone that he believes speaks to how underserved the market had been.
But the limelight on this day belonged to Whole Foods. The arrival of the grocery giant brings significant economic movement to the township, including the creation of 200 new jobs, with 70 held by Montgomery residents and the remainder by those in the surrounding area.
Speaking to the gathered crowd, Nicole Davia, senior vice president of operations for Whole Foods, emphasized the store's role in the local ecosystem, highlighting that more than 1,000 products on the shelves are sourced from over 250 Northeast suppliers. “It’s a promise to be a true neighbor, a gathering place, and a sourse for nourishment for families and individuals who call this community home,” Davia said.
Advertisement
The sentiment was echoed by Montgomery Mayor Neena Singh, who emphasized that the township’s support was rooted in a partnership model. “Any business that comes in to us, we are here to support them as your town council, because our job is to make sure that Whole Foods does well because then we all do well in the community,” the mayor said.
The opening event featured local flavor, including samples from Palazzone 1960 and Paper Plane Coffee Co. To mark the occasion, the first 300 customers were offered limited-edition tote bags and "Secret Saver" coupons. As part of its community commitment, Whole Foods also announced a partnership to provide surplus food to Manna on Main Street, aiming to reduce food waste while serving local needs.
A long line of Whole Food fans began lining up as early as 5:30 am on Friday for the grand opening.
Perhaps it was the competitive nature inherent in the Princeton/Montgomery area — the fierce motivation to be first? Maybe they were just curious. The Montgomery News was on the scene super early, and asked.
Claiming the first spot in line were friends Samuel Jebaraj and Jason Spicer, both members of Montgomery High School’s Class of 2025. They arrived at Whole Foods in the new Montgomery Promenade at 5:30 am so they could be first. Shortly after, about a hundred people fell into line behind them.
The two students said they are preparing to return to college and thought they would receive $100 vouchers to fill their refrigerators. They actually each got secret savings cards, “worth up to $100.” When they peeled open the flap, the card revealed their savings would be $5 each. They laughed.
Jebaraj is a PharmD student at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, and he volunteers as an EMT with Montgomery Emergency Services. He also has worked at Kumon and Princeton Show Jumping for spending money.
Spicer is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He also has a summer job as a coach at Soccer Shots Franchising, supervising and leading children ages 2-8 in soccer activities.
They both said they need to buy snacks and groceries. “I have to cook all my own food this year,” Spicer said. “So I definitely need a lot of groceries.”
Advertisement
Eventually, Montgomery Promenade will have walking paths and first-to-market restaurants, It is designed to be more than a shopping destination; it is intended as a focal point for the township. As the crowd filled the aisles on Friday, the opening represented a definitive turning point for a property that had remained dormant for over a decade, finally transforming into the bustling center of activity that local leaders had long promised.
