The store will hire some 200 people. So far, 147 workers are on the payroll, and many live in Southbridge.
"I'm excited to have a job right now. You're lucky to have a job, so there's not too many people working consistently, so to be so close to home, that's a good thing," said employee Kenneth Smith.
ShopRite will tentatively open in a week, but it will have competition.
Fresh Grocer, a store across town, reopened a month ago under new management sensitive to its urban clientel.
"We have an expanded Latino market, we have a lot people from the islands, Jamaicans, stuff like that, so we carry as many foods as we can from those islands," said Kevin Keaveney of Fresh Grocer.
