CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio – Jeff Heinen has confirmed that Heinen’s Fine Foods will most likely open in the Village of Chagrin Falls on Wednesday, March 1. The company’s 23rd Heinen’s in Ohio and Illinois, the store will eventually employ about 80 people.
Designed in part with lessons learned from the Downtown Cleveland store that opened in February 2015, “it will be night and day compared to what was there before,” Jeff Heinen said. After months of extensive renovations to modernize and redesign the former Giant Eagle and Russo’s space, “we are excited about opening a store in the Village of Chagrin Falls.”
Tom Heinen, left, and his brother, Jeff, are opening their 23rd Heinen’s store in the Village of Chagrin Falls on March 1.Peggy Turbett, Plain Dealer file
“What we’ve done is put more of an urban store into a suburban location,” he said. “We’ve learned how to operate with less space.”
By that, he means that the 26,000-square-foot store is smaller than the typical 40,000- to 50,000-square-foot Heinen’s, with higher shelves, narrower aisles, and a condensed selection of staples like canned goods.
The store also boasts an expanded beer and wine selection, and a larger-than-usual assortment of prepared foods. The dining area can accommodate about 50 people.
“It’s similar in size to the downtown store when you look at square footage, but [unlike all the circles beneath the downtown store’s rotunda] this is more the rectangles and squares that retailers like,” he said.
“We wanted people to be able to do their regular grocery shopping in the store, but we also recognize that people are eating differently today, and so we have a more expansive selection of hot foods to eat in the store or take home,” he said. “We are excited about our offering of tacos, quesadillas, pizzas and small plates.”
“For people familiar with our downtown store, we will have an expansive selection of wines by the glass with the same self-serve concept as downtown, as well as 12 beers on tap,” Heinen said.
Chagrin Falls Heinen’s store:
Address: 20 Shopping Plaza, Chagrin Falls.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 6 pm. Sunday.
Jobs: www.heinens.com/home/about/careers
Beer and wine will be available during regular store hours, 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 6 pm. Sunday. “The hours for the different food options vary a bit, but they are primarily 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 pm. on Sundays,” he said.
The small plates will be served from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. “Once we open and understand a few things better – they may be adjusted,” he said.
He said he and his brother, Tom, chose to install seating instead of more aisles, to accommodate more of what the villagers wanted.
“We think the store will serve two purposes: filling the traditional grocery store shopping needs while also having a cafe bistro feel, being the perfect spot to meet friends for a beverage and to nosh on freshly made food.”
One ongoing challenge is that Heinen’s will share a parking lot with CVS/Pharmacy, Geiger’s outdoor clothing, and other stores in the Chagrin Falls Shopping Plaza. But it’s not a new problem, and he said village officials are working on it. “We finally decided that if we waited for the parking improvements, the store might never open.”
The Heinen brothers have been talking to Chagrin Falls village officials for years about taking over the building that Giant Eagle left in 2014, but the couldn’t agree on a deal until last year. In the meantime, the Warrensville Heights-based Heinen’s opened four stores in suburban Chicago.
Heinen’s Fine Foods in Chagrin Falls opening March 1 will employ about 80 people.The Plain Dealer
Although a sign in front of the Chagrin Falls store says “Now Hiring Part-Time Associates, All Positions,” at www.heinens.com/home/about/careers, many jobs have already been filled by employees transferring in from the company’s 18 other stores in Northeast Ohio.
“We’re still looking for a few positions, but we’ve been pleased with the people we’ve been able to hire,” Jeff Heinen said. “They’ve been training at other stores” until the Chagrin Falls store opens.”
“That said, we’re always looking for good people.”
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