The Fresh Market opening Northland store

The Fresh Market is coming to the Northland in early 2016.

The Greensboro, N.C.-based specialty grocery store chain said it has signed a lease in the Shoppes at Shoal Creek, at Missouri 152 and Flintlock Road.

The Fresh Market Inc., which was founded in 1982, is a high-growth specialty retailer focusing on fresh, premium perishables and other high-quality food products. The publicly traded company currently operates 172 stores in 27 states across the country, including a location in Overland Park that opened in mid-2013.

The grocer wants its customers to have a “European market” experience so the stores have soft lighting, antiques, wood floors and wood display counters, including bookshelves stocked with snack chips. Green-and-white striped canopies hang over the meat and bakery departments in back and classical music plays overhead.

A deli counter holds center court. There’s also a floral department that will make custom gift baskets, including ones with Fresh Market’s own branded food items. The stores have a soup and salad bar, an olive bar, and a bulk candy aisle selling everything from buttered popcorn Jelly Belly candies to chocolate covered cherries.

The bakeries produce a variety of different breads daily and more than a dozen different pies, along with such items as a molten lava cake and salted caramel chocolate tarts. A full-service meat counter offers such items as freshly ground beef and kabobs ready for the grill.

This story was originally published July 8, 2015 at 6:57 PM with the headline "The Fresh Market opening Northland store."