Nino Salvaggio readies to open December 28

Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace is busy putting its final touches in place at its newest location at 6592 Telegraph Road at Maple in Bloomfield Township in preparation of opening in late December, company president Kirk Taylor announced.

Taylor, who has developed the newest store in the Nino Salvaggio portfolio along with Nino's children, Leo Salvaggio and Andrea and Frank Nicolella, said the planned December 28 opening is due to a lack of ability to properly staff the new store in order to open it before the holidays.

“We can't get it staffed to the levels where we believe we can give the right level of service,” Taylor said. He said by opening after Christmas, they will be able to pull staff from their other three stores, as well as people coming off of other seasonal jobs. The store will create 200 jobs.

Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace, based in Troy, is an independent, premier supermarket serving southeast Michigan's everyday and specialty food needs. Founded in 1979 as a modest fruit stand by the late Nino Salvaggio, the company continues to adhere to Salvaggio's mantra, which is to take pride in its pledge of value and quality and excellent customer service.

Showing off the new 43,000 square foot store in Bloomfield Township, which has garage doors that will open in nicer weather, Taylor said they have returned to the market after closing their former Strawberry Hill store in Farmington Hills at 14 Mile and Middlebelt in August 2008. “We closed with the expectation of opening another that would be our own business market,” after a rent and ownership issue. Then came the Great Recession in September 2008, “and we stuck with the three we had,” in St. Clair Shores, Troy and Clinton Township. “But this area is our kind of customer.”

The store, designed by Birmingham designers Ron & Roman and which cost upwards of $5 million to build out, opens to a flower shop and leads to a cafe that is open from morning to evening, serving coffee, smoothies, acai bowls, to a deli and carving station, pizzas, paninis, and soups as well as an extensive gourmet to go and a sushi station.

Front and center in the store is their extensive produce section, with an area that features someone who can cut fresh vegetables and fruit and juice as well, daily from 9 to 7.

There are also three food demonstration areas, where each weekend there will be food demos that customers can sample and then purchase.

An extensive fish and seafood area will focus on fresh seafood, as well as self-pick up of frozen seafood.

Other highlights are a 48-foot cheese counter, traditional deli, homemade soups daily, take-and-bake pizzas, and a dessert and bakery. “We're very, very proud of our bread program,” Taylor said, which comes in daily from the Troy store.

The store will feature a large and extension selection of Kosher foods and meats, and Taylor said they have a grinder in the fish department in order to grind fish.

Their pantry and dry goods area is extensive, as well, including a lot of private label items. Taylor said they should have “just about everything you need. If you have a recipe and we don't have it, we'll get it, because that's our business model.

“One of the things we've worked hard on, is our pricing is very competitive,” Taylor said. “We're very conscious about our pricing model.”

A fresh popcorn station offering an assortment of popcorn delicacies has become a fun signature item near the exit, as well as a large wine cellar.

Taylor said he looks forward to offering outdoor cafe seating in the summer.

Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace will be open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.