Cooks, chefs, restaurants and consumers can access another source of foods and products — in large quantities — when Gordon Food Service opens a GFS Marketplace in South Jacksonville.
Plans show that Michigan-based Gordon Food Service, which operates more than 160 stores in 10 states, intends to open an almost 16,000-square-foot GFS Marketplace at 13423 Beach Blvd., at Brougham Avenue, west of Hodges Boulevard.
No membership fee is charged at GFS Marketplace.
Two buildings — the store and a future unidentified 4,400-square-foot, 158-seat restaurant — are shown on plans for the almost 3-acre site.
Edwards Engineering Inc. is the civil engineer and the property owner is shown as Pinnacle Realty Services of Grand Rapids, Mich., which works with Gordon Food Service to develop stores.
Gordon Food Service, based in Grand Rapids, was created in 1897 and is a family-owned and managed foodservice distributor. Its Florida distribution centers are in Miami, Ocala and Plant City.
The gfs.com site says Gordon Food Service offers GFS and nationally branded and exclusive products, including specialty items such as coffees, meats and cheeses.
Foodservice distribution customers include restaurants, health care and educational facilities, recreational and lodging centers and other operators.
Gordon Food Service distributes along the East Coast and from Northern Michigan to South Florida, as well as in Canada.
Gordon Food Service also offers analytical, benchmarking, marketing and promotional services, and its corporate chefs develop recipes and menus for customers.
Gordon Food Service says the GFS Marketplace stores began in 1979 as a cash-and-carry to service the emergency needs of GFS truck delivery customers, and also are the primary supplier to many smaller operators who prefer to pick up their products.
There are more than 160 GFS Marketplace stores throughout Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Missouri.
The stores are open to the public daily. In addition to food, they also carry foodservice supplies.
Gordon Food Service says its products are packaged in large quantities that work well for large families, retail customers, event planners and others.
It operates 19 Florida Marketplace stores, with the closest to Jacksonville in Daytona Beach.
The Naples store opened in September and its hours are 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
Gordon Food Service said in a news post that the new store carries thousands of foodservice products.
It also promotes the in-store computerized menu planner, Menu Wizard, to help customers plan a meal for a large group.
"It will determine how much food to purchase for the specified number of guests, calculate the portion cost per person and the total menu cost," says Gordon Food Service, adding that Menu Wizard also offers menus along with the ability for customers to create their own.
GFS Marketplace stores also offer fundraising ideas for schools and organizations.
Gordon Food Service representatives authorized to comment have not returned calls.
YMCA applies to renovate Boleros
The YMCA of Florida's First Coast, which recently broke ground on the redevelopment of its Riverside Avenue operation, also is preparing to build-out the former Boleros in Arlington.
The city is reviewing an application for C.C. Borden Construction Inc. to renovate 28,500 square feet of space at the former Boleros Cultural Arts Center at 10131 Atlantic Blvd.
The project cost is almost $125,000.
Plans show the Arlington Y there will include a wellness center, group exercise areas, program areas, offices, supply rooms, a cycling area, kids' zone, community room and lobby.
Some space is designated to be renovated in a second phase.
As the Daily Record reported Nov. 5, the Arlington YMCA is relocating to the Boleros location from leased space at 9119 Merrill Road.
The YMCA has agreed with the Boleros property owner, the Barco Family Foundation, to use the property.
The Arlington YMCA's family program center remains based at 8301 Fort Caroline Road, while the wellness center will relocate from Merrill Road.
Meanwhile, the city approved the permit for The Haskell Co. to build the 69,000-square-foot Riverside Y center at 221 Riverside Ave. at a project cost of $1.75 million.
It will replace the existing YMCA on the property.
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