Shop Rite

[ynkeesfn82]

Last I heard The Drust Family was still in talks to open a store in the Middletown and/or Naugatuck A&P

[Bdubs]

Who owned the Shop Rite in Middletown previously?

[AmesNewington]

Middletown and Naugatuck have the advantages of being in decent shopping centers that are well kept and are in more visible areas, whereas Berlin is in a distressed plaza with only a few tenants. The location is good though. What doesn't make sense is that slowly but surely, the former A&P locations that Big Y bought, but did not open their store in, are possibly going to be purchased by ShopRite (including East Haven), and Berlin, bought by Stop and Shop for two years, is still without a supermarket. I guess Big Y never had any plans for the three stores. S&S just wants to keep Berlin empty. 

[ynkeesfn82]

Big Y already has a store in Naugatuck, so that's why they didn't do anything with the A&P there. Not sure why they didn't do anything with the one in Middletown.

[AmesNewington]

Big Y already has a store in Naugatuck, so that's why they didn't do anything with the A&P there. Not sure why they didn't do anything with the one in Middletown.

But that's my point. They had to have bought them to keep the competition from opening like S&S always does. I thought they controlled the leases on the buildings. I guess they are willing to give them up to competitors.

In Middletown, ShopRite would blow away Price Chopper, and would put a dent on Big Y in Naugatuck.

[Joeg]

I agree!!

[Bdubs]

It has to cost Big Y a pretty penny to pay the leases on these stores with absolutely no revenue coming in. 
On top of paying the lease, they are still paying to maintain them.  I see Big Y maintenance vehicles in the parking lot of Middletown's all the time.  So, unless they are using it for storage, I would have no idea why they would always be in and out of there other than to be sure the building is still in good shape.

[AmesNewington]

It has to cost Big Y a pretty penny to pay the leases on these stores with absolutely no revenue coming in. 
On top of paying the lease, they are still paying to maintain them.  I see Big Y maintenance vehicles in the parking lot of Middletown's all the time.  So, unless they are using it for storage, I would have no idea why they would always be in and out of there other than to be sure the building is still in good shape.

Yes, but the Middletown A&P is probably not in very good shape. I doubt any new tenant would use the current building as it is. But you're right about Big Y and the leases. They shouldn't have bought them if they weren't going to open a store in them.

[ynkeesfn82]

Several times in the past few weeks I've seen the Big Y White Maintenance van poking around Shoprite Plaza in Southington. Not sure why. The only connection between Shoprite in Southington and Big Y is the fact that it's owned by The Drust Family who used to own the Meriden Shoprite where Big Y is  located now. The Drusts moved their store from Meriden to Wallingford in the former Shaw's in 2010 after the take-over of Shaw's by Shoprite (and Stop & Shop).

[Jstar1994]

Hey Marc,
            Do you know if the Drust family or any family that runs a Shoprite might be considering opening one in the Webster Square Plaza in Berlin where A&P once stood?

[ynkeesfn82]

It would be a good location for a Shoprite  (IMO), but it won't be The Drusts. If some family were to open a Shoprite there they would have to fix up the rest of the plaza as well such as the big gaping hole where Woolworths once stood and repair the fire damaged empty store fronts. It's 100% pathetic that the fire(s) were 15 years ago and you can still tell that a fire occurred in the plaza. Maybe if enough people email/call Shoprite, they might consider Webster Sqaure Plaza as a possible location for a new store.

[Joeg]

Marc, you said the East Haven CT store is a go, do you know which family is going to run it? or will it be corporate store?

Also,  would not the Berlin CT old A&P be good for the Drust family, since they run stores in Southington and Wallingford?

I really surprised that no one (not even Big Y) has jumped on this location.

[AmesNewington]

Marc, you said the East Haven CT store is a go, do you know which family is going to run it? or will it be corporate store?

Also,  would not the Berlin CT old A&P be good for the Drust family, since they run stores in Southington and Wallingford?

I really surprised that no one (not even Big Y) has jumped on this location.

Generally, this location is great. It may be off the highway "in a hole", but it's off Route 9 and near the Berlin Turnpike. If SR advertised, they would do well. However, the Webster Square Plaza is a dump. The hole in the building where Woolworths was is still there, and two portions of the plaza are fire damaged (next to Woolworth where Cinemas 1 and 2 were and at the very end where the old pet store was). A&P/Foodmart probably went downhill itself because the plaza was so rundown. The new store was doomed from 1997 onward. Their old store did well. My mom worked there.

[ynkeesfn82]

Sure Berlin would fit in well with Southington and Wallingford, but as far as I know The Drusts are only looking at Middletown and/or Naugatuck. Stop & Shop bought the lease in Berlin from A&P after the store closed to keep it vacant. Don't know what family will own East Haven.

[retailisking]

Griffin Report says:

"ShopRite will hold a grand opening of a 95,000 square foot store in Brodheadsville, Pa, the largest store in the chain Sunday, Aug 5.

Wakefern officials said the store has special design features, including animatronic clucking chicken and mooing cow. Vintage cars, such as an original wood-paneled 1926 Model T, and antiques are placed throughout the store to welcome customers and model trains wind through the checkout area and memorabilia from Coca-Cola and cash registers from the early days of the grocery business lend an air of history. Unique to the ShopRite of Brodheadsville is Doris’ Cafe, where the store’s Executive Chef John Hunt will offer a wide variety of prepared foods. The store will also feature an eat-in lounge with flat screens and Wi-Fi.

The ShopRite of Brodheadsville will also offer ShopRite From Home, a service that allows customers to place online orders from their home computer or mobile device. The store will be the first in the area to feature free electric car charging stations in front of the store, which will be coming soon and will be located in specially marked parking spaces. The store will be owned and operated by the Kinsley family, which began with the ownership of a meat market in 1950."

The Pocono Record has a brief article and some photos:
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120729/NEWS/207290334

[Jstar1994]

If the Webster square gets developed, that whole area would become a mad house as long as decent stores move in. The rave cinemas does good business right now, but if that plaza were revitalized, it would be crazy with business. Newington needs to stop stealing the business and allow development in berlin. The new Kohls is a great start and theres a new plaza being built a little further.

[Joeg]

what's in the new plaza.  Imagine a Wal-Mart Neighborhood market in this area!!

[ynkeesfn82]

There won't be a Walmart Neighborhood Market on The Turnpike because they're expanded the Walmart Store on the Berlin Tunrpike and making it a Supercenter.

[AmesNewington]

We don't need anything else Walmart related in this area. We would benefit from a ShopRite or Geisslers, which is a more localized type of store. Geisslers in the old Newington Foodmart, and ShopRite in the old Berlin Foodmart would be perfect. The Stop and Shop in the old Shaws should really close. They are expensive, and don't have the business they should have, namely because we have three sorrounding S&S options that are the real thing and have been around for a while (Berlin, Wethersfield and Rocky Hill). They would be better off leasing the space to a different type of retailer (even if they have to subdivide for a few smaller stores).

[Joeg]

The only reason they are keeping it is, to make sure no competition goes there.  That's why they bought the lease on the old A&P in Berlin, and Big Y has/had the lease on the old A&P in Middletown.

Now, how does any one know that the above companies don't owned the leases anymore??

[AmesNewington]

The only reason they are keeping it is, to make sure no competition goes there.  That's why they bought the lease on the old A&P in Berlin, and Big Y has/had the lease on the old A&P in Middletown.

Now, how does any one know that the above companies don't owned the leases anymore??

It is so wrong for these stores to hold leases on empty storefronts (especially large) that are deteriorating and could be reused and help the area, like the Berlin and Middletown A&Ps. S&S on the Turnpike is never busy, which means S&S probably is throwing away a lot of money with expired food, which is a sin. Not to mention, this allows for their prices to skyrocket. Price Chopper is expensive as well. People go out of town to shop.

[Bdubs]

The ironic part is, A&P middletown held the lease across the street (former Shop Rite, now Price Chopper) for almost 15 years until it expired.  The building practically sat empty the whole time, was a halloween store every year, hallmark store on one end.  Once the lease expired, PC bought it, built a new building and a year later A&P closed.  Weird.

[AmesNewington]

The ironic part is, A&P middletown held the lease across the street (former Shop Rite, now Price Chopper) for almost 15 years until it expired.  The building practically sat empty the whole time, was a halloween store every year, hallmark store on one end.  Once the lease expired, PC bought it, built a new building and a year later A&P closed.  Weird.

Well it wasn't the Middletown A&P that failed itself, it was A&P corporate who closed all of the area stores. A&P and PC could have competed if A&P had the proper resources available to renovate and get better management. If ShopRite were to come in there, it would be interesting.

I don't think the A&P building would be able to be reused for a Halloween store or something similar. It's too rundown to be used for anything.

[JimSawhill]

Griffin Report says:

"ShopRite will hold a grand opening of a 95,000 square foot store in Brodheadsville, Pa, the largest store in the chain Sunday, Aug 5.

Wakefern officials said the store has special design features, including animatronic clucking chicken and mooing cow. Vintage cars, such as an original wood-paneled 1926 Model T, and antiques are placed throughout the store to welcome customers and model trains wind through the checkout area and memorabilia from Coca-Cola and cash registers from the early days of the grocery business lend an air of history. Unique to the ShopRite of Brodheadsville is Doris’ Cafe, where the store’s Executive Chef John Hunt will offer a wide variety of prepared foods. The store will also feature an eat-in lounge with flat screens and Wi-Fi.

The ShopRite of Brodheadsville will also offer ShopRite From Home, a service that allows customers to place online orders from their home computer or mobile device. The store will be the first in the area to feature free electric car charging stations in front of the store, which will be coming soon and will be located in specially marked parking spaces. The store will be owned and operated by the Kinsley family, which began with the ownership of a meat market in 1950."

The Pocono Record has a brief article and some photos:
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120729/NEWS/207290334

now that (the clucking Chicken) sounds like they got the idea from Stew's?

[Joeg]

The new Shop Rite in Singerlands, NY opens this Sunday 9/30.  I wonder how Price Chopper/Hannaford's is going to react??

[Scrabbleship]

The new Shop Rite in Singerlands, NY opens this Sunday 9/30.  I wonder how Price Chopper/Hannaford's is going to react??

Given how the Price Chopper at the intersection of New Scotland and 85 is one of their pet stores, they might be a bit worried but they have enough going on elsewhere to ease the sting that ShopRite may bring. They seem to be increasing their presence in Central Mass some more (just opened in Gardner today) and I think they attack within 495 within the next few years.

Hannaford may be a little more scared, their closest location is an ex-Grand Union in Delmar which is a bit cramped. I don't think either suffers that much down the road. ShopRite was only filling a hole that persisted for a decade which Stop & Shop or Big Y couldn't be bothered to fill.

I wonder if they'll expand more in the DC area. The ex-Superfresh in the White Oak area of Silver Spring is still doing good but they could flesh out that area and Baltimore some.

[RoleModel]

The Selden, NY store opens 10/14.

[JimSawhill]

The new Shop Rite in Singerlands, NY opens this Sunday 9/30.  I wonder how Price Chopper/Hannaford's is going to react??

I would love to see Shop-rite in Manchester move to the old K-Mart...(who owns the store in Manchester, CT)

[Joeg]

A Wal-Mart Supercenter is set to open next year in the old K-Mart location on Spencer St in Manchester, CT

[retailisking]

It's fair to say that ShopRite wouldn't be where it is today without pioneers like Joseph Saker

http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/shoprite-pioneer-saker-dies-age-83
http://www.app.com/article/20120926/NJBIZ/309260091/ShopRite-owner-has-died