FRESH by Brookshire’s Opens

TYLER — If you want to buy a fruit you’ve never heard of, watch a chef create a gourmet meal, or have an adult beverage while you shop, there’s a new store in Tyler offering just that. It’s FRESH by Brookshire’s, which opened Thursday on Tyler’s Old Jacksonville Highway. With 250 different kinds of cheese, fruits and veggies straight from the farmer’s field and dozens of varieties of water, it gives the name “FRESH” a whole new meaning.

General manager Steve DeLello says a lot of people have been traveling outside the area to get items they can’t find in East Texas, and he wants to keep more of that traffic local. Shelves are lined with everything from regular Ragu to homemade secret sauces. DeLello adds, “You’ll see that on the grocery aisle you’ll have gourmet items right next to the every-day items. If you get confused by all the gourmet names, you can find someone with lime green shoes and they’ll give you all the answers you need.”

FRESH also has a wine and beer selection. According to DeLello, “You actually can purchase a glass of wine and have it while you’re shopping, but the intent is with a meal.” DeLello promises affordability and business to local farmers. He says the store will stock “everything from tomatoes to strawberries to onions when they’re in season,” adding, “We’ll do our best to support the local vendor.”