Restaurant supply company US Foods is opening its first Chef'Store in east Charlotte, a new supply store concept for restaurant operators and other food service professionals.
There's a video tour of the new store posted to the right. The store, at 3304 Eastway Drive, is holding a grand opening Thursday morning with a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting.
The store, open to chefs and other professionals, is 30,000 square feet, with 30 employees. The Chef'Store has foods such as seafood and meat, and restaurant supplies such as cookware and knives. Products will generally be available in individual or case sizes.
“There are many busy chefs and restaurant owners in Charlotte looking for an easier, more convenient way to get the products they need at competitive prices,” said Bob Stout, US Foods' southeast region president, in a statement. “Chef’Store is bright and clean with an intuitive layout and wide aisles for fast, easy maneuvering."
The store will be open seven days a week. Building permits filed earlier this year show US Foods spent more than $2.3 million renovating and refitting its space.
Privately-held US Foods has over $20 billion in annual revenue. The company also plans to open Chef'Store locations in Oklahoma City and Columbia, S.C.
View Larger Map
Can a cubicle monkey by day and wannabe chef by night shop there?
ReplyDeleteCan anyone shop there? I wouldn't mind restaurant quality utensils.
ReplyDeleteThis this open to the public?
ReplyDeleteHi guys. As a fellow cubicle-dweller who wouldn't mind being a chef in another life, I'd love to be able to say this is open to the public. But it's a restaurant/food service pro store, with membership required. Time to make friends with a professional chef?
ReplyDeleteAs I understand it, it's open to the public! No membership required!
ReplyDeleteI know of a small place over near clanton rd and barringer drive called Cyprus Restaurant Supply. They've got all kinds of kitchen stuff for the home.
ReplyDeleteChef'Store is NOT currently open for everyone! Went there today and they're turning people away at the door, even if you received a flyer in the mail from them.
ReplyDeleteMy Chef'Store flyer was not, apparently, an invitation to go spend money there. It also never said never said you have to own a restaurant and have a special purchase-order-taxID-thingamabob to shop there.
You MUST be a restaurant/hospitality owner or they won't ring up your purchases or even let you inside the store.
The gauntlet of employees at the door claim they'll be opening in 30 days for everyone, but they don't currently have the ability to ring up purchases with sales tax. (Um, don't you just need a calculator for that?) Given the craptastic marketing and special employee service, I WON'T be going back.
If you want restaurant quality equipment in Charlotte and not to be told you can't shop here go to Cyprus Restaurant Supply on Barringer Drive.
ReplyDeleteIf you want restaurant quality equipment in Charlotte and not to be told you can't shop here go to Cyprus Restaurant Supply on Barringer Drive.
ReplyDeleteHi from US Foods – we want you to know that we opened our doors yesterday as the first day of operations to provide our current customers with a great experience and ensure that we're able to provide them with what they need. As you can imagine, with such a new concept, we wanted to make sure the first day was a great one. We also understand the excitement for the general public to visit the store and today we welcomed everyone to enjoy that same experience.
ReplyDeleteThe store will eventually be open to everyone, they are currently working on some issues that prevent them from selling to the general public (all products need to have nutritional labels, the current foodservice packaging does not have that). I know someone that works there and they are very eager to sell to everyone.
ReplyDelete