The new $5.3 million Solomon's Fresh Market, an anchor for the Old Bay Bay Town Centre development, is scheduled to open in a matter of days. And as the shopping carts are put in place and it receives those final touchups, this major investment by AML Foods seeks to not only provide a hub for the rising communities of western New Providence, but indeed change the way Bahamians go shopping.

"It has been too long for something like this," said Gavin Watchorn, the CEO of AML Foods. "You listen to customers and they tell you what they want.  This is an experience.  We feel this will be a destination - not just a store, but a lifestyle.  A lot of the retailing is a very traditional model.  We are breaking out of the box."

Guardian Business exclusively toured the new store yesterday - a 38,000 square-foot facility nearly three years in the making.  Unlike any food store in The Bahamas, and arguably in the Caribbean, Solomon's Fresh Market aims to offer a cornucopia of organic produce, seafood, meat and other products you won't find anywhere else on the island.  At the same time, it also seeks to offer the traditional products Bahamians need.

Beginning at the entrance, the shopper will be met by displays of produce and flowers. Turning to the right is perhaps the jewel of the store - the sprawling produce section.  According to a representative from Sun International, one of the key suppliers for Solomon's, there are 150 different kinds of organic produce on offer, including a grand total of 400 fresh items to choose from.
There are even 20 varieties of tomatoes, he added.

As a supplier to a variety of similar stores in the Caribbean, the representative said, in terms of scale and uniqueness, "there is nothing like it in the Caribbean". The design of Solomon's is intended to reflect the products being sold, Watchorn explained. Wood panelling is on many walls and the store features approximately 60 skylights and much larger windows high up on its walls.

"We spent a lot of time designing the store with the intent of making it bright and open," he told Guardian Business. "The lights actually dim and brighten based on the amount of natural lighting in the store, which saves on energy costs."

Reaching the end of the produce section, Guardian Business is introduced to the fresh seafood and meat counter - a true novelty in New Providence.  The idea behind the open counters, Watchorn said, is to provide a level of experience and interaction with the employees whereby patrons can make specific requests. Nearby is a stand for natural dried fruit and nuts, and along the aisles, there is an unusual mix of organic, less-known brands as well as conventional products Bahamians are used to.

For example, in terms of maple syrup, customers can chose between Madhava Agave Nectar, an organic product for $10.69, or the traditional Aunt Jemima for $6.99.  In terms of cereals, you have everything from Corn Flakes to Organic Flax Plus. Through the creation of the store, which has created 82 new jobs, the company seeks to capture a market that demands better ingredients and a healthier lifestyle, not to mention the dozens of communities on the rise in western New Providence.

The restaurant-sized kitchen, just off the prepared-foods section of Solomon's, is the epicenter of this philosophy. Wheeling in a cart filled with organic beats, garlic and shallots, the head chef holds a cooking class for more than a dozen new employees. "I think it's a benchmark for a lifestyle adjustment for Bahamians," he told Guardian Business, "starting with better ingredients.  That's the focus in my area.  We are educating the consumer.  We will be shopping in the store and cooking on the side.  Better ingredients mean better food."

In other words, the kitchen will only be using products found in the store. The prepared-foods section, taking up around a quarter of the facility, offers a long display of food for lunch and dinner.  The black and white containers are already behind glass, except instead of food there are notes saying roasted pumpkin, mussels and seafood antipasti.

Beyond that, towards the front of the store, there's a coffee and juice bar and a series of tables for in-store dining. Sitting down with Guardian Business, Watchorn said AML Foods is "quite excited" to be part of the Old Fort Bay Town Centre project by New Providence Development Company.

As the first store to open, Solomon's Fresh Market will mark the beginning of both a change in the retial landscape and the rise of a new commercial heart for the west, as thousands of residents shift their gaze away from the downtown core.
"The mission of this development was to create a community and I think they are doing it," he said.

"It's a quality of life issue and you're buying into a lifestyle.  It's not for the rich and famous.  It's for those who want health, food, less noise and more options.  Solomon's fits this concept."

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