The region’s best produce, meats and sustainably caught seafood, a friendly staff, delicious tastings, special grand opening deals and a celebratory “Bread Breaking” await Mercer Island residents with the New Seasons store opening at 2755 77th Ave. SE on Thursday, Nov. 10.

CEO Wendy Collie, New Seasons’ executive team and store leaders will be joined by local producers and nonprofit organizations to welcome the community to the B Corp certified company as it opens its first “ultimate neighborhood grocery store” in Puget Sound.

The Mercer Island community has been anticipating the store’s opening since July 2015, when Albertsons closed.

New Seasons’ doors open at 7 a.m. Thursday. The first 200 customers will receive a $10 New Seasons gift card toward their next purchase, and the first 1,000 shoppers will get a free New Seasons reusable shopping bag.

There will be a Bread Breaking ceremony at 9 a.m. as Collie, store Manager Jennie Lea, local producer Seven Red Tagines and a Mercer Island Youth and Family Services leader share remarks and break a loaf of fresh challah bread to share with all. At 11 a.m., apple farmer Denny Jones of Jones Farm will offer free samples of fresh Washington-grown Jazz, Envy and Pink Lady varieties, while supplies last.

All day, shoppers will be able to sample delicious products exclusive to New Seasons Market, including a variety of fresh baked organic, non-GMO breads and spreads from New Seasons’ Partner Label line. They can also reserve holiday meals, turkeys, specialty meats and tasty chef-prepared side dishes in-store and also online at www.newseasonsmarket.com/reserve.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, New Seasons Market staff nutritionists will offer healthy snacking ideas and answer questions about New Seasons free nutrition education programs, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, shoppers can taste Portland cult favorite Salt &Straw artisan ice cream at a parking lot pop-up shop scooping four flavors, including best-selling Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and a dairy-free option. $1 per scoop sold will be donated to Mercer Island Youth and Family Services. There will also be a chocolate tasting featuring more than 20 varieties of fair trade, organic and local chocolate.

“We’ve met wonderful people in the community and established strong partnerships in anticipation of opening day,” Lea said in a statement. “We’re excited to open our doors and create a place where everyone feels welcome and neighbors come together and connect over delicious food.”

In line with the core values and mission of all 20 New Seasons Market locations, the company has built local relationships with nonprofits serving the community.

Every day, Mercer Island Youth and Family Services, St. Monica’s Friends for the Needy, HopeLink or New Horizons will collect food that cannot be sold in the store but is still safe and healthy to eat and put it in the hands of area residents in need, addressing hunger and reducing food waste.

New Seasons customers will be able to donate to organizations including Mercer Island Parks and Recreation and Sound Generations through the company’s Bag It Forward reusable bag credit program, giving customers the choice to donate the savings to a local nonprofit.

Next year, store staff will kick off a weekly Meals on Wheels route, delivering meals to homebound seniors and others unable to leave their homes. New Seasons annually commits 10 percent of its after tax profits to nonprofit organizations that feed the hungry, educate youth and promote environmental conservation.

Designed with the Mercer Island community in mind, the store includes comfortable indoor seating and a covered outdoor dining area for family and friends to gather. At the “Sips” counter, customers can enjoy New Seasons chef-prepared snacks along with featured wines by the glass and rotating taps of eight draft beers. Natural materials like reclaimed Douglas fir from Seattle’s historic 1909 Union Stables add warmth and character to the fresh, renovated space.

Along with peak of season regional, organic produce, sustainably sourced meat and seafood and abundant grab-and-go deli options, Mercer Island residents can look forward to:

• 40,000 unique items with natural, non-GMO and organic options offered alongside everyday grocery classics;

• Organic and non-GMO artisan breads baked fresh daily in the store;

• Delicious discoveries like inventive sauces, pasture-raised yogurt and bakery treats from emerging local vendors supported by New Seasons’ Local Finds program;

• Regional favorites from long-time New Seasons’ partners such as Lummi Island Wild fishery and Olykraut;

• A variety of fresh kosher meats, bakery items and kitchen staples.