Fresh Madison Market opened Saturday, Jan. 9 in University Square as a new way for students on the UW-Madison campus to get groceries.
Jeff Maurer, owner of Fresh Madison Market said he thinks the new addition will provide students with healthier choices on campus.
""I think it will be a very positive impact because of the amount of fresh food that we have available and providing a very fresh, healthy alternative to what people in the downtown have been able to get, more conveniently or more readily.""
Maurer said because the store is independently owned, they're able to make a lot of decisions at the store level, providing customers with what they want.
""Today I had a customer that wanted a particular item and I was literally able to pull out a catalogue and show them the item and the item has now been ordered,"" Maurer said. ""I will have it in the next couple of days for that customer.""
Planning, negotiating and construction for Fresh Market Madison began in January 2009. Maurer said they chose University Square for the location because it is in the center of the UW-Madison campus.
""Based upon … sales so far, it appears as though [customers] appreciate the produce, the deli, the sushi, all those departments that are very fresh, and I'd like to think healthier than some of the alternatives,"" he said.
Maurer also said he hopes Fresh Madison Market's customer base is ""about 50 percent students and 50 percent non-students, that's our goal.""
