The Hills Market will open Hills Market Downtown in the spring of 2012. The 12,000-square foot store will be a full-service grocery and is a key element in the advancement of Neighborhood Launch, which began in 2007.
The market will reside in a building currently owned in partnership between Randy Walker of Randy Walker Real Estate Services and the Edwards Companies. Randy Walker said, "We see this as an opportunity to spur redevelopment of Grant Avenue, which is an important link between the Discovery District and Neighborhood Launch, and to continue to encourage a neighborhood to emerge in downtown."
"We're thrilled to be a part of the great work that Edwards Companies and Randy Walker are doing to change the face of downtown, and we're excited to meet our new neighbors. As one of the finest grocers in the midwest, we plan on bringing our commitment to food, Ohio and our community to the residents of Neighborhood Launch and beyond," said Kyle Baker, co-owner of The Hills Market and managing partner for The Hills Market Downtown.
The Hills Market Downtown will feature local and organic produce, a wide variety of wine and beer, specialty cheeses from around Ohio and around the world, a full-service delicatessen featuring Boar's Head Brand meats and cheeses, a Chef's Case, featuring 24 feet of prepared foods, including hot ready-to-go main courses and side dishes, all made in house by the store's Professional Foodies. The store will also have a wide selection of seafood and a butcher shop emphasizing locally-produced all-natural meats and more than 426 linear feet of grocery, pantry and household items. The store's full-service bakery and coffee shop will be available to customers, and dining areas and bars are planned for both inside and outside the store. The Hills Market Downtown will also offer catering from Hills Own Catering Shoppe and grocery delivery from hillsonthego.com.
The Hills Market Downtown plans to bring their commitment to local foods downtown, continuing relationships with the same producers that service their northern Columbus store. Cooking classes, wine tastings, and special events such as their famous Salmon Roast and Ohio Hog Roasts will exist at The Hills Market Downtown, all with an urban twist.
Neighborhood Launch is a vibrant new downtown neighborhood, featuring parks, water fountains, decorative wrought iron fencing and tree-lined boulevards. Designed to be a pedestrian-friendly streetscape, the residential buildings are two or three stories in height with distinctive facades. When completed there will be nearly 300 units. Neighborhood Launch encompasses nine city blocks that include Gay, Fourth, Long and Grant streets, and is adjacent to Creative Campus that interconnects the Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus State University and the Columbus Museum of Art.