MARLBORO — A supermarket that specializes in the sale of gourmet eastern European foods could soon sprout along Route 9 south in Marlboro.
Representatives of Net Cost Market began presenting an application to convert an existing 33,662-square-foot building that once housed a furniture store into a supermarket at the Marlboro Planning Board’s Nov. 6 meeting.
The supermarket would provide outdoor seating, according to the applicant.
The building is in the Mart Center shopping plaza near Marlboro’s border with Manalapan.
“We support local farmers and the local produce market, but we also import from all over the world,” said Edward Schnayder, Net Cost’s CEO and co-founder. “… What we are trying to create is a small fairytale where you have a different experience, and you can come in and walk around.”
Net Cost Market’s several existing branches predominantly sell food products, including prepared meals, meats and vegetables, Schnayder said. The market offers 40 to 50 types of caviar and up to 60 types of bread from countries like France, Germany and Lithuania, he said.
Because of the store’s niche selection, Schnayder said, he does not fear competition from Wegmans in Manalapan or the impending arrival of Whole Foods in Marlboro.
“We don’t have any concerns because we are different,” he said. “What we provide to the market no one else can provide.”
A demographic study revealed that about 100,000 people with eastern European roots live near the proposed Marlboro site, which made the case for the store’s potential demand in the area, Schnayder said.
The business would be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Net Cost would employ about 70 individuals at the location, with two shifts of about 30 to 35 staff members each day, he said.
About 50 indoor seats for customers who buy prepared foods would be available inside at the front of the business. About 20 to 40 outdoor seats would be provided, but there would not be wait staff service, Schnayder said.
The market would house complementary uses such as a gift shop, which would be sub-leased to other owners, he said. He said those operations would only be open during Net Cost’s hours.
Entrances to the market would exist in the front and rear portions of the building, Schnayder said.
“The way the building was built, most of the parking is in the back, so we are trying to create another entrance to the back area where most of the people are going to park,” he added.
Low shelves and large glass windows would create an open floor plan for consumers, he said.
Engineer Rob Freud, who testified on behalf of the applicant, said most of the building would not be modified.
The applicant proposes to create a door in the rear of the structure and to raise the grade to make the entrance accessible, he said. Net Cost also hopes to place signs and banners near both entrances, which exceed the permitted coverage area, Freud said.
The board’s engineer, Laura Neumann, said the applicant would need relief to place a sign on the rear of the store, regardless of the size of that sign.
Several board members said they did not like Net Cost’s plan for signs, along with a number of other technical variances requested by the applicant.
“I think part of the problem with this particular application and design is that we are dealing with two front doors,” board Chairman Larry Josephs said.
The applicant proposes to build a covered loading dock along one side of the facility, Freud said.
Freud also proposed a one-way connection between the Net Cost Market and the rest of the shopping plaza, which are currently separated. Although the path would require relief to be granted, Freud said doing so would prevent drivers from re-entering Route 9 to find a parking spot.
While the applicant’s traffic expert did not provide testimony on Nov. 6, it was noted that the market would have 235 parking spaces when 362 parking spaces are required. That shortfall would require the approval of the board.
Prior approvals stamped the property with a number of pre-existing conditions, including insufficient setback distances, as well. The public hearing on the application is scheduled to continue at the board’s meeting tonight, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.