Renovated Sendik's Food Market at The Corners of Brookfield offers experiences along with groceries

A dressing room in a grocery store?

A food market where a customer can pick out a steak from the meat department and have it immediately cooked at a grilling station?

A grocery store selling wine by the glass and craft beer on tap?

Those elements and more are part of a $5 million renovation project intended to make the Sendik's Food Market at The Corners of Brookfield into an "experiential" grocery store instead of just a place to buy food.

The project is nearly complete, and will be celebrated this weekend with a variety of programs and festivities.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the community back into our reimagined space. This weekend of grand reopening festivities is the perfect way to celebrate our renovation and introduce shoppers to what we hope will be their new favorite gathering space,” Ted Balistreri, co-owner at Sendik’s, said in a statement.

Among Sendik’s new offerings at its Town of Brookfield store is a bistro area, new grill station and an 8,150-square-foot Sendik’s home store on the main shopping center level, featuring clothing selections, an in-store dressing room and floral shop.

A mezzanine area between the home store and grocery and bistro level below will act as a gathering space for customers and community members, Sendik's said. In addition, a new walkway soon will provide direct pedestrian access between Union Street and West Blue Mound Road.

The weekend celebration will start Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. with a free workshop with do-it-yourself expert Jenni Yolo of ISpyDIY.com. Yolo will help guests create chalk cheeseboard crafts in the store’s new mezzanine lounge, Sendik's said. A variety of cheeseboards will be available for purchase in the new Sendik’s Home store. There also will be live music from local artist Marr’Lo Parada, cheese demos and prizes.

On Saturday when the store opens at 7 a.m., the first 200 shoppers will receive a Sendik’s swag bag. The celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. when The Echoes of Camp Randall marching band, Johnsonville Racing Sausages, Brookfield Central cheerleaders, Sendik’s mascot Baggie and more march around The Corners’ Market Square, followed by the band’s famous Fifth Quarter performance in front of the new Sendik’s Home store on Union Street.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., guests can enjoy grill specials, tailgate games, face painting, balloon creations, live music, food demos, giveaways and more, according to The Corners.

On Sunday, events will continue from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. with games, cupcake decorating, face painting, food demos, live music from local artist Roxie Beane and entertainment by expert pumpkin carver Marc Solomon. Guests can watch as Solomon creates fall-themed works of art from 100-pound pumpkins.

The investment in Sendik’s Food Market at The Corners is a partnership between Sendik’s and IM Properties, the developer of The Corners.

The Corners of Brookfield, a residential-retail development that opened two years ago, is anchored by a Von Maur department store and features restaurants and retail shops along with 244 luxury apartments.

Paul Gores can be reached at  paul.gores@jrn.com.  Follow him on Twitter @pgores.