Animatronics and farm fresh groceries are coming to Paramus this month, a spokeswoman for Stew Leonard’s said.

The family-owned chain will open its seventh grocery store at the Paramus Park Mall on Wednesday, Sept. 18, Meghan Bell, public relations director said Friday. It is its first grocery location in New Jersey.

Stew Leonard’s will occupy an 80,000 square foot anchor position in the 45-year-old mall that was abandoned by Sears last year. The space has been gutted and fully renovated. It will include the grocer’s signature animatronic animals that talk to and sing to shoppers -- part of what earned it the “Disneyland of Dairy Stores” nickname from the New York Times in the 1980s.

It’ll also feature a from-scratch bakery, cut-to-order butcher shop, a fresh seafood department and a kitchen where throughout the day a 50-person culinary team will prepare hot foods for catering and a buffet bar.

“I think people are really going to be wowed when they come visit us after we open,” Bell said.

The grocer expects to hire a total of 400 people before opening, she said.

And they’re still looking for workers for the bakery, butcher, culinary team and receiving department, Bell said. Those who are interested in applying can visit the Stew Leonard’s hiring center in Paramus Park Mall -- through the Panera entrance, across from T-Mobile -- or fill out an application online.

Stew Leonard’s is known for sourcing produce and dairy locally for its stores. For the Paramus store it will rely on farmers in New Jersey and throughout the tri-state area. About 80 percent of its products are brought in daily or prepared in-store, according to its website. And it is unique in that it sells only 2,200 different items, compared to an average of 45,000 items sold by other grocers.

The Norwalk, Connecticut-based family-owned chain has six grocery stores in New York and Connecticut and nine independently-owned wine stores, including stores in Clifton, Paramus and Springfield.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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