By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington’s new organic grocery has scheduled its grand opening.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market will open in the former Cub Foods site, 403 N. Veterans Parkway, on May 3. Vice President of Operations Dave Bernier said he believes Fresh Thyme can succeed where its predecessor failed, even in an increasingly crowded marketplace for grocery stores.

“There’s always trepidation when you go into a box store that was shuttered at some point, but I would tell you our track record has been pretty good,” Bernier said. “We are recycling some of these buildings as we go along and open our stores.”

Fresh Thyme has close to 60 stores in 10 states, including nine in Illinois.

Cub Foods closed in 2015 shortly after Hy-Vee opened. Bloomington’s co-op grocery Green Top, also plans to open this spring.

Bernier said he envisions the store as an ‘old-school’ grocery.’

“When I think about that, I think about going shopping with my mom in a smaller store where you knew everyone in the building and people knew you be name,” Bernier said. “There weren’t 50 aisles and 20 checkouts. It was easier to shop.”

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].