Developers Confirm: Whole Foods Set to Make a Big Splash at Harford Mall
A Whole Foods Market grocery store will serve as the second grocer for the Harford Mall redevelopment project , developers said Thursday.
Plans for Phase 3 of the mall’s redevelopment were introduced to town officials last month and showed concepts for converting the former Macy’s portion of the mall into a $100 million, open-air shopping center anchored by a “high-end, organic” grocery store.
Developer SJC Ventures and town officials initially said the grocer’s name was confidential, but the information was revealed Thursday night by an attorney for the Georgia-based development company and an SJC staff member during a presentation to the town’s planning commission.
“I know this is shrouded in mystery but I think that, while I am not at liberty to talk about it, anyone who wants to take out their phone and look at SJC’s website and the last 10 projects, they have had approved, you might uncover that mystery,” said Christopher Mudd, an attorney representing SJC.
Of the 26 mixed-use developments on SJC’s website, 17 had a Whole Foods storefront set as the project’s cover image.
Whole Foods Market, owned by Amazon, is an American multinational supermarket chain that sells products that are free from hydrogenated fats, artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives.
“It is remarkable for this tenant, who should not be named who we did accidentally name, to come to your town,” Mudd said. “It is a tenant that is a game changer for communities. When that tenant comes in, the best retailers follow.”
Whole Foods is expected to occupy the largest of the five buildings that will make up Phase 3. Plans show that the building will be about 35,600 square feet. The other four buildings will be retail restaurant buildings at sizes of 14,015 square feet, 16,444 square feet, 11,175 square feet and 5,606 square feet. All four buildings are expected to have outdoor dining.
Project representatives were asked by the planning commission if they could incorporate more green space into the concept through the elimination of some of the planned additional 189 parking spaces.
“It is something we can explore but Whole Foods …” said one of the project planners, who paused and then laughed. “No one heard that, but our ‘organic grocer’ which is like Whole Foods, does have a parking requirement that has to be met for the center but I think we are still above that and can include more landscape areas.”
In the first phase of the mall’s redevelopment, the former Sears was rebuilt to accommodate an Amazon Fresh grocery store. According to Bel Air’s administrator, Edward Hopkins, Amazon Fresh has been beta testing business models to ensure the new location will be successful at the Harford Mall.
He said the town expects Amazon Fresh to move into the former Sears sometime in 2026.
Phase 2 of the project will convert the mall’s parking lot that backs up to Boulton Street into a 33,200-square-foot, four-story parking garage, two four-story apartment buildings, two residential courtyards and 12,000 square feet of “amenities.”
Both Phase 1 and Phase 2 were approved by the town. Members of the planning commission asked questions about visual site features, traffic, parking and other technical aspects of the proposed plans for Phase 3.
Project planners were tasked with making minor changes to the plans like adjustments to the parking lot. Plans for Phase 3 of the project will go before the planning commission for approval in July.
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