New Supermarket Coming To Shoppers World In Framingham

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The biggest retail mystery in Framingham right now: which supermarket giant is moving into Shoppers World?

Representatives from SITE Centers, the owner of the Route 9 shopping plaza, appeared before the Planning Board last week to continue discussions about a major redevelopment at Shoppers World. The owner will tear down the Barnes & Noble and Old Navy stores to build a 38,650 square-foot grocery store plus nearly 6,000 square feet of new retail space, according to plans.

The Planning Board is in the process of holding public hearings about the development. The board did not approve anything at Thursday's meeting, instead voting to continue the public hearing until Feb. 3. Board members want SITE Centers to clarify the parking layout and add raised crosswalks into the design.

But during a discussion about the grocery store, a SITE Centers representative dropped a clue about which grocer will not be moving into the location. The new store will not have a deposit-based shopping cart system, a hallmark of Aldi stores. A new Aldi opened nearby in Natick in November 2020.

The store will, however, have an electronic fence system to prevent shopping carts from being taken offsite. Many national grocery chains use such systems, including Stop & Shop — which has a location just across Route 30 from Shoppers World — Price Chopper/Market32 (whose two easternmost locations in Massachusetts are in Marlborough and Hopkinton) and Shaw's.

Another clue from Thursday's meeting: the supermarket is setting aside room for curbside pickup parking. National chains that have invested in curbside pickup since the beginning of the pandemic include Big Y and Target (which also has a location across Route 30).

The grocery store could be under construction in about one year, which is when the Barnes & Noble lease is up. The bookstore chain has made moves to close several Massachusetts stores recently, including a 25-year-old location in Braintree.

The new grocery store isn't the only major change in store at Shoppers World. SITE Centers is also planning to replace the former TGI Fridays restaurant with space for three eateries — including two drive-thrus — and a retail space. The Planning Board approved those plans in August.