Davis Square bfresh Market Hones In On Opening

SOMERVILLE, MA – A new food market, deli and grocery store is headed to Somerville's Davis Square, and it could be here as soon as the end of the month.

During a tour of bfresh at its Elm Street space Friday, lead designer Saskia de Jongh said the store has a tentative opening date set for Feb. 24 – emphasis on the "tentative." The market, owned by Stop & Shop, opened its first location in Allston a year and a half ago and has since expanded to Brighton.

But it's the Somerville location that's the burgeoning company's loftiest undertaking yet. Bfresh plans to establish it as the central production hub from which everything will be shipped to its sister locations in Boston.

It's an exciting time for the chain, which boasts a dual grocery store-market layout with standard fare and natural and organic offerings at a low price. And if the Somerville location is a success, the sky's the limit.

Representatives from bfresh described the Davis Square market as its "quintessential bfresh location," and said if the format works, it'll be replicated as the chain expands. In addition to the grocery store, where a customer favorite is the "bulk bin" style of purchasing food, bfresh offers sandwiches, salads, sushi, smoothies and juices at its deli.

And many of these dishes are designed in-house. The company hires a third-party prep team in charge of the sushi, has partnered with Boar's Head for its meats and recently launched a juice program with fresh and healthy options such as "Orange You Healthy Juice," "Tropikale" and "Beet Fresh."

Bfresh is located at 244 Elm Street in Davis Square.

Photos by Alex Newman/Patch Staff