ROCHE BROS. OPENS IN BOSTON'S ICONIC BURNHAM BUILDING

Roche Bros., the locally owned and family-operated grocer, opened the doors to its flagship Downtown Crossing Boston supermarket yesterday in the newly restored Burnham Building.

Roche Bros. is the first large-scale grocery store to be built in Boston’s Downtown Crossing. The store offers the growing residential neighborhood fresh food, national grocery brands, local artisan finds, New England flavors and a wide selection of prepared foods. The new 25,000-square-foot market, located at 8 Summer Street, is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.

For second-generation owners CEO Rick Roche and his brother, COO Ed Roche, the opening marks a return to their roots, close to the family’s original Roslindale Square meat market: “We’ve been committed to personal service, product quality, and community involvement ever since we opened in 1952,” said Rick Roche. “And now we have the opportunity to introduce Downtown Boston to that signature Roche Bros. experience.”

At the street level, customers can find an array of ready-to-eat food, straight from Roche Bros. kitchen, including satisfying meals, healthy snacks and sweet treats. Highlights include Roche Bros. signature chocolate chip cookies and a coffee bar. Street-side seating and an outdoor fruit and flower stand provide added convenience along New England’s busiest pedestrian mall.

Downstairs, in what was formerly the historic Filene’s Basement, is a full-service supermarket, with a vast assortment of fresh food, prepared foods and over 700 grocery items new to Roche Bros. The market is complete with a bakery, deli, specialty cheeses, high-quality meats and fresh-off-the-boat seafood.

Convenient features include the produce department’s “Chop Shop” where home cooks can choose from more than 40 varieties of veggies cut fresh daily, chef-style and recipe-ready. The Downtown Crossing location offers full-service catering, event packages, and grocery delivery to the home or office. Online ordering is also available.

Three long-time Roche Bros. employees have been appointed to the Downtown Crossing leadership team. Larry Baxter, an associate since 1983, is store manager. Marvin Alvarez and Krystle Bredeson have been named assistant managers.

In total, the Downtown Crossing store employs approximately 70 full-time associates and 200 part-time team members, creating more than 250 new jobs.

The Roche Bros. market is located in the Millennium Tower Boston/Burnham Building, developed by Millennium Partners.

“We are excited to officially welcome Roche Bros. to the Burnham Building and congratulate the team on the store opening. This marks a crucial step forward in the evolution of Downtown Boston,” said Richard Baumert, partner at Millennium Partners. “We are very proud to partner with a locally-owned grocer, which we are confident will deliver unmatched quality to Downtown’s burgeoning community.”

About Roche Bros.

Headquartered in Wellesley, Mass., Roche Bros. is a family business, employing more than 4,800 associates in its 21 Roche Bros., Sudbury Farms and Brothers Marketplace grocery stores. www.rochebros.com