VIERA, Fla. – The rumors are true: Brevard is getting a Whole Foods Market.
“There is a Whole Foods Market coming to Viera, FL,” Veronica Delia with Whole Foods global public relations said in an email Thursday morning. “We do not have any further details to share at this time, but will of course let you know when we do.”
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The confirmation comes after months of will-they-or-won’t-they speculation and pleas from fans of the Austin, Texas-based specialty grocer, according to News 6 partner Florida Today.
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A corporation controlled by Atlanta-based developer SJC Ventures purchased a 20-acre property off Viera Boulevard for $8.25 million in October, property records show. The developer’s plans also include a large home improvement store with a garden center, and three or four restaurants off Viera Boulevard and Star Rush Drive, just southeast of the Interstate 95 interchange.
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The SJC Ventures website calls the project The Crossings at Viera and lists the projected opening date as 2024.
Whole Foods, a subsidiary of Amazon, frequently shows up on lists of national brands Brevardians wish would open here. The grocer, which specializes in natural and organic foods, opened in 1980 in Austin. Now it has more than 500 stores in North America and the United Kingdom.
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Stacy-Ann Zeller of Merritt Island is among those who can’t wait for the store to open. She loves Whole Foods because everything is organic.
“Going in, I’m not having to search for really fresh, good-quality meat and produce,” she said. “Everywhere I’m turning, it’s up to those high standards. I don’t have to read labels and wonder if it’s organic.”
She also likes the ease of Whole Foods’ grab-and-go selections and its other prepared foods.
“I can stop there and a lot of my prep work has been done,” she said. “I can still go home and feel like I made the meal.”
As a Realtor, Zeller said Whole Foods will be a plus for people relocating to the area from other states.
“They’re used to seeing many of those kinds of chains around,” she said. “It’s become such a staple. When it comes to groceries, that’s always the first question: ‘Where’s my closest Whole Foods?’”
Eva Rey, vice president of community management and communications with The Viera Co., declined comment Thursday morning, deferring to SJC Ventures.
“We are thrilled that Whole Foods Markets is coming to The Crossings at Viera and know that the specialty grocer will be a huge draw for residents and visitors,” Jeff Garrison, a partner with SJC Ventures, said in an email Thursday. “We look forward to working on this project and bringing in several great tenants that will add value and high-end amenities to this top destination in Florida.”
Among the restaurants joining Whole Foods at the Crossings at Viera are Miller’s Ale House and Chicken Salad Chick.