Whole Foods planning second location in Nashua
Jul. 16—A new Whole Foods Market is gearing up to open in the former Toys R Us location off Daniel Webster Highway in south Nashua, the chain's second location in the Gate City.
The chain has 500 stores nationwide and sees New Hampshire "as a key growth opportunity," according to a zoning board application. The store is expected to be a destination for those in northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.
Besides Nashua, Whole Foods has locations in Bedford and Portsmouth. Another one is in the works at Tuscan Village in Salem, according to the developers, and a concept plan for the redevelopment of the Steeplegate Mall and Regal Cinema in Concord shows plans for a Whole Foods.
The space at 272 Daniel Webster Highway was initially thought to be Amazon Fresh, based on drawings provided to the city when plans for a supermarket were first presented in 2021. Amazon also owns Whole Foods.
The switch in plans was unveiled in a zoning board application seeking a variance for a 303-square-foot sign. The board will take up the matter next Tuesday night.
Unknown opening date
Rumors have been swirling for months on websites like Reddit and other social media platforms about what was going on with the property.
A facade on the building reflects the aesthetic of Amazon Fresh but will likely change, according to drawings before the zoning board.
It is unknown when the store might open. A representative from Whole Foods could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
"Whole Foods has seen a dramatic increase in traffic and is expanding into South Nashua — the North Nashua store will remain, and Nashua will benefit from the additional footprint," the application reads.
The north Nashua store on Amherst Street is about 32,000 square feet, and the new store will be about 43,000 square feet, according to the application.
Kevin Daigle, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Grocers Association, said he isn't surprised Whole Foods would open a second location in Nashua, especially considering the potential for drawing customers from Massachusetts.
"Many chains have multiple locations in some cities because their research shows the demand is there, and they make the investment to capture those additional customers," he said in an email to the Union Leader Tuesday afternoon.
Trader Joe's is located in the adjacent Webster Square plaza, which is also home to Party City, Michael's and TJ Maxx. Market Basket is across Daniel Webster Highway.
Competition is good for both the stores and customers, Daigle said.
"Each chain has their loyal customer base, with each chain trying hard to win over the shopper who is looking at sales, promotions or specials," he said.
Amazon continues to quietly open Amazon Fresh locations across the country, but none have been announced in New Hampshire.
