Residents and tourists on the island’s south shore will soon have a new shopping option when Dolphin Market owner Nael Ahmed opens a second store in Greenleaf Commons across from the Westin Resort and Villas.
Expected to be complete by the end of the year, the new Dolphin store will offer a large selection of produce and meats, according to Greenleaf Commons owners Wayne and Jamie Greenleaf.
“Dolphin is going to open a new store at Greenleaf which will kind of be like a Fresh Market,” said Wayne Greenleaf. “They will have really good produce, meats, fish, a coffee bar and a deli. They will also keep their current location open.”
The two-story 5,400-square-foot space on the three-acre Greenleaf Commons property was originally expected to be the U.S. Post Office’s new site, Wayne Greenleaf explained.
USPS Plans Fell Apart
“The original intention was for the post office to be there and we expanded the whole foot print and size of the building,” he said. “When that all fell apart though, we were left with this nice big open space which we thought would be perfect for a supermarket.”
“This has worked out great because it’s exactly what we were looking to put in there,” Wayne Greenleaf added.
Since Dolphin recently removed its deli section, opting to expand its frozen goods space, expect the new store to be a top-notch lunch spot, explained Jamie Greenleaf.
“There are going to be prepared lunches and really good meats and breads for sandwiches,” she said. “It’s going to be a bit like Gourmet Gallery on St. Thomas with fresh seafood and fresh meats and nice cheeses.”
With Greenleaf’s existing 36 apartments and the Westin’s time share expansion, there are already an influx of shoppers on the south side of St. John, with more to come.
Growing South Shore
“With all the new residential units going up out there, there are going to be a lot more kitchens,” said Jamie Greenleaf. “People won’t have to come all the way into town. They’ll be able to get anything they need, from food and dry goods to liquor, at the market.”
“And there is a ton of on-site parking,” she said.
Workers based in the area will benefit from the new market as well, Wayne Greenleaf added.
“I’ve talked to a lot of the guys who work out there and they are really excited to have a market,” he said. “They really miss Simple Feast and being able to grab lunch and coffee without coming all the way into town.”
The expansion on the other side of Jacob’s Ladder is a natural progression for the Cruz Bay area, according to Wayne Greenleaf.
Natural Expansion Out of Town
“The area out there is really becoming an expansion of town,” he said. “It’s a natural expansion. I think it’s going to become a bit of a Red Hook.”
Dolphin’s new store, which will be about the same size as its current Cruz Bay site, will occupy the first floor of the building, while a day spa and offices will take up the second floor.
“The spaces are mostly leased,” said Wayne Greenleaf. “Juli Faulkenstein’s Drift Away Day Spa will be there and we’ll have some other offices in there as well.”
The recently launched Merchant Commercial Bank, based in St. Thomas, will have a depository box at Greenleaf Commons and there is even some small space left for lease, Jamie Greenleaf added.
“There is a small spot still available,” she said. “The space can be about 800 feet or less. It would be ideal for a small office or artist’s studio.”
Anyone interested in leasing the small office space at Greenleaf Commons should call 473-9670.