Mart refugees join menu at Willingboro food court

The saga of the displaced Pennsauken Mart merchants has come full circle.

Yesterday, the last of the group to move to the Grand Marketplace in Willingboro officially opened there.

The mostly mom-and-pop owners found themselves storeless last year when they were ousted from the Mart, a South Jersey shopping landmark that was razed to make way for proposed redevelopment.

"I was out of work for eight months," said Jeff Ault, 47, owner of Bella Pizza. "It was tough."

Hundreds of hungry patrons were on hand to witness the opening of the International Food Court and, of course, to shop at the 250,000-square-foot complex, on Route 130 near Levitt Parkway.

About 33 former Pennsauken Mart store owners have moved into the 200-store marketplace, including about four in the food court.

It is a place where you will find bridal gowns, auto parts and fresh vegetables under one, six-acre roof. It's part Reading Terminal Market, part farmers' market, part discount store, part dollar store.

In between shopping at the jewelry and shoe stores, you can pick up DVDs in Spanish, a bed, or a new pair of glasses.

The neon-lit food court has six flat-screen televisions suspended from the ceiling, two aquarium tanks of tropical fish, and a dozen cuisines.

With the food court open, merchants hope crowds will linger a bit longer.

"If the business grows, I will quit my job and come here," said Mahal Saad, 44, the unofficial pastry chef for Mediterranean Bistro.

Saad's husband, Bassem Saad, and his partner, Adel Shehata, were busy handling last-minute details and getting falafel, grape leaves and spiced meats ready for the lunch crowd.

After a short ceremony marking the occasion, the crowd swarmed the food court and devoured the free samples in minutes.

Ann Jackson, 47, of Philadelphia eyed the stuffed grape leaves with suspicion. Having never tasted the Greek staple, she didn't know what to expect.

With slight trepidation, Jackson bit down slowly. She hesitated, then nodded approval to her friends, who stood by to see her reaction to her first encounter with the rice-and-spiced-meat appetizer.

"It's pretty good," Jackson said. "I will try it again."

Sandra de Vazquez and her husband, Marco Vazquez, were there with their infant son, William, just for the food.

"I like the tacos and pizza," Marco Vazquez, of Camden, said.

The only one wearing a suit on the 90-degree day, marketplace owner Mike Marke, was easy to pick out in the crowd. Dressed in a power yellow tie, he worked the crowd like a politician, stopping to chat with the customers and constantly checking in with the merchants.

"You have to be hands-on with everyone," Marke said. "No reason to hide behind a desk, right?"

Al Turner, 30, owner of Prince Fish & Chips, had prepared too well to be nervous about his first opening day as a restaurateur.

The location and the variety of other cuisines with no corporate franchises was a plus for Turner, who makes his own "signature crab cakes."

The modern, clean marketplace, Turner said, goes beyond the food court. "It's more of a rebirth of all markets in the area," he said.

The Grand Marketplace is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday.