Whole Foods Looking To Open Quickly

The transformation of Johnnie’s Foodmaster into a Whole Foods Market is moving ahead, with a goal of opening “as quickly as possible,” according to a company spokesperson.

The former Johnnie’s building, located in Charlestown’s Bunker Hill Mall, has been closed since November as the building undergoes renovations.

Whole Foods Market spokesperson Heather McCready said she does not yet have an estimated completion date but that work continues as scheduled. Company officials said last fall that they expected the store to open by late summer or the following autumn.

“The renovations are underway, and our goal is to open as quickly as possible,” McCready said in an email. “Once we have a clearer picture of when the store will be ready, we will host a job fair, at which point anyone is welcome to come fill out applications for full- and part-time positions with us.”

McCready said that Whole Foods Market has been listed on Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for 16 consecutive years.

Patch will have details about the job fair as information becomes available.

While the store has been closed, Whole Foods has been offering a complimentary shuttle service for local residents to the company’s store in Beacon Hill.

“Our complimentary shuttle service is still up and running and will be until Whole Foods Market Charlestown is open,” McCready said. “We have been receiving great feedback from the community members who regularly use the service to visit our Charles River Plaza location.”

Stop and Shop and Shaw's are also offering free shuttle service to their locations in Medford and Somerville, respectively.

McCready encouraged residents who are looking for regular updates on the store’s progress to follow the Whole Foods Market Charlestown Facebook page.