CHEF'STORE opens in Spartanburg, providing the culinary world endless options

CHEF'STORES hopes to become a part of the Spartanburg culinary scene and to help local restaurants to grow, store executives said.

The warehouse-style grocery store held its ribbon-cutting Friday, Sept. 23, and invited some guests to attend the event. The store is located at 300 W. Blackstock Road in Spartanburg across from WestGate Mall, and will open to customers at 6 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, with free food and gift card raffles every hour.

US Foods Holding Corp. said CHEF'STORE is meant to be a "one-stop shop." The store will offer everything restaurant operators, chefs, community groups and families could need for their kitchens. Store hours are 6 a.m. through 6 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Michael Krippinger, director of Store Sales & Marketing for CHEF’STORE, said there is no better location than Spartanburg due to the growing community in the culinary world.

"It's a great, vibrant community with a great restaurant scene," Krippinger said. "It's exciting for us because it's our fourth store in South Carolina, and it's a great opportunity for us to be a part of a great restaurant scene. We hope to be partners with them [restaurants] to help them grow."

The new 33,000-square-foot CHEF'STORE is the 83rd location in the nation. Before Friday, there were only three CHEF'S STORES in the state of South Carolina, located in Myrtle Beach, Columbia, and Charleston.

CHEF'STORES is continuing to expand in the nation, and Krippinger hopes the opportunity will present itself to further expand in the state.

Unlike other wholesale markets, CHEF'STORE does not require customers to obtain a membership in order to shop. Products are delivered daily so customers can obtain fresh ingredients.

"We have hundreds of products on the produce side, where we have regular deliveries for," Krippinger said. "We have wholesale pricing and feel that we are competitive in the market. We feel that we give a great selection for our wholesale prices."

Depending on your needs for a product, CHEF'STORE offers both bulk and individual. The store also provides tax exemption for all businesses, whether they are purchasing supplies for a restaurant, school or any organization.

"For people with a tax exemption ID or restaurant license, you can get the tax benefits for South Carolina," Krippinger said.

William Cooper, owner of River Falls Café, said the new CHEF'STORE is an opportunity for local businesses to be able to get the supplies they need.

"My restaurant has a lot of different stuff, it's very diverse," Cooper said. "I need a lot of different stuff, and as far as I can see, this place has it covered."

Cooper previously used trucking companies and traveled to Greenville to supply his restaurant

"Mostly, I would have to travel to Greenville but this [CHEF'STORE] is right next to my house," Cooper said. "It's a plus having this place in Spartanburg. Nobody has to go to Greenville or wait on a truck. The restaurant scene in Spartanburg is building, and so I think this place is going to do really well."

CHEF'STORE has nearly 5,000 products in the store, ranging from fresh meats, seafood, produce, frozen appetizers, ingredients and equipment for kitchens and cleaning products. CHEF'STORE also provides customers with weekly specials, which can include baking and cooking supplies, wholesale food and more.

"It allows customers to get fresh ingredients from us on a same-day basis," Krippinger said. "We are open to everyone, seven days a week."

CHEF'STORE has chefs on hand to work with restaurant owners in helping set menus and recipe ideas, hoping to help new restaurants get on the right path for them.

"We have chefs on staff and experts on staff in our store to help people with their menu needs or back of the house," Krippinger said. "For us being able to partner with them, it gives them the great opportunity and resources for them to be able to start their own business, grow their business, whatever the case may be."

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: CHEF'STORE opens in Spartanburg, providing culinary world endless options