New Seasons Opens Slabtown Location

Wednesday, August 05, 2015

Jack Rushall, GoLocalPDX Contributor

The new 'Slabtown' New Seasons.

New Seasons, Portland's very own version of Whole Foods, is opening its 17th store in the historic Slabtown district Wednesday, August 5th. Though the newest location may be the most revolutionary.

Built in a converted warehouse from the 1950s, the latest New Seasons was designed specifically for Slabtown: built out of reclaimed firs and slab-inspired finishes in order to reflect the area's history. This new location will also be the first New Seasons to be Green Globes Certified.

The Slabtown New Seasons will add 138 new jobs for locals and will kick off it's grand opening with a ceremony that includes lots of free samples. But what's really exciting about this New Seasons, in particular?

The Slabtown New Seasons will include a twelve-seat wine bar with mostly Northwest wine, and will also attempt to offer a different two-ingredient cocktail each day. Expect a wok bar in addition to a sandwich and ramen bar (and an extensive grab-and-go selection). Also, as expected, the new state-of-the-art New Seasons will feature a host of gluten-free milestones: this new location will have a new Latin American grill serving arepas (with gluten-free ingredients), as well as 40,000 unique items with non-GMO, organic, and/or natural options.

It seems that the New Seasons team themselves are just as excited as anxious customers for the launch.

“We’re so happy to join this historic neighborhood and privileged to have the opportunity to offer exciting organic and local food choices that reflect the unique needs of the community while continuing our commitment to supporting our regional food system,” said New Seasons President and CEO Wendy Collie.

“We have been looking forward to becoming a part of this community for a long time, and we hope our new neighbors feel the same. Many of our staff live in this neighborhood, hike its trails and shop the local businesses. We can't wait to welcome our neighbors to their new store. Our hope is that this store will become a gathering place where everyone feels welcome. Slabtown is a strong part of Portland’s past, and we’re proud to be part of its future."

Also, in a suspiciously French turn, this New Seasons will be one of the few that bakes its own artisan bread on site, nearly 24 hours a day. So if you want a grocery store that is the friendliest in town -- but also the most accommodating, check this place out.

New Seasons Market Slabtown is at 2170 NW Raleigh Street in Northwest Portland.