Mega supermarkets seem to be today’s norm. The Super Stop and Shop on Rt 119 near the borders of Elmsford and Tarrytown is the latest testimony of this. While it is certainly huge and offers a tremendous selection, there are days when you just need a few basics or just a bit “more”. The Apple Farm, also on Rt 119 nearer White Plains, is focused primarily on produce, fish and deli items, and always seems to be busy. H-Mart offers a more specified focus to the Asian community and it too is usually busy.
Sustaining what could be termed “regular” supermarkets in our area has proven to be a challenge at the very least for the A&P. Fraught with issues of sustainability and viability for years, the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company again filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for its Westchester (and then some) based stores. The A&P franchise included the brand names A&P, Food Emporium, Pathmark, Waldbaums and others. However, the stores at the crux of this bankruptcy were popular in our area and impacted many people when they were closed.
Smaller food retailers seem to thrive when focusing on a specific market. Turco’s in Hartsdale did well for years. After they decided to close and focus on the northern demographic, Morton Williams took over the space. Owned by ShopRite, with several stores of the same name in NYC, they never seemed to catch on as Turco’s had. Having a limited run, they soon closed as well. Finally, Mrs Green’s, a natural and health food store closed their smaller Scarsdale location and opened in this location. Alas, their fate was predetermined as the health food market was not a viable one at this new location.
After a quick makeover of the store, the new owner of the space, Best Market, stocked shelves, cleaned and put their touch onto the facade. They have not only moved into the same space as the previous food retailers, but they’ve made a great first impression! Visiting the store has seen lines at the cash registers as their new employees master the checkout systems. Assisted with senior personnel, the lines kept moving. Walking through the store found a good mix of reasonable prices as well as somewhat higher, although not prohibitive prices for certain items.
Everyone in the store seemed to enjoy that the staff was friendly and seemed interested in helping those looking for assistance. ABG staffers visited the deli department and were asked by a younger employee how we liked the store? Whether this was instructed to the staff or he was genuinely interested didn’t really matter. He came across as sincere and sparked a bit of a longer conversation. Regardless of why the conversation took place, he represented the store and his employer well!
Judging on the crowds, the positive chatter throughout the store and a varied selection with good pricing that should engage the neighborhood, we are hopeful for a long and prosperous run for Best Markets. It’s helping to make A Better Greenburgh.
Showing posts with label Turco's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turco's. Show all posts
Monday, November 23, 2015
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Greenburgh Supermarket To Close In Hartsdale
There is no good news in Greenburgh when it comes to supermarkets. Predictably, we await Mr Feiner's daily GBList email stating there’s "Good News!" to deflect away from the declining supermarket population from the Town. We’ve written previously about businesses that find it difficult to operate in Greenburgh and of the mounting anti-business environment fostered by Mr Feiner and his Town Board. All of the various taxes, imposed under the guise of fees, registrations, permits, applications, etc., along with ordinances, regulations, and more during the 24 years of Mr Feiner's failed financial incompetence, it’s no wonder businesses cannot survive here. It’s paralleled by the residents’ exodus as well.
ABG has also written extensively about the disappearance of food stores throughout the Town. While some loss may certainly be attributed to internet sales as Mr Feiner will have you believe, most of the loss cannot. When ABG spoke to a Greenburgh A&P store manager under the promise of anonymity, he said that the increased and growing competition has forced smaller margins, the high cost of union labor in Westchester in general and the cost of doing business in Greenburgh with its regulations, fees, fines and intrusions, was forcing not only his store, but others in the same strip malls to close.
Based in Irvington, NY, the Mrs Green's chain of natural and health food supermarkets found a difficult time of it after closing their Central park Avenue store and moving into the former Turco's store. When Turco's closed, it created an area void in the Town for a slightly more upscale supermarket with attractive prices, high quality foods, pleasant employees and a seemingly genuine goal of providing excellent customer service. Primarily featuring Italian foods, they too closed based on a shifting demographic as well as increased costs.
After Turco’s closed, Pathmark on Central Park Avenue and Waldbaums in the Crossroads Shopping Center on Rt 119 followed suit. The A&P had only two stores left in the area: the one on Dobbs Ferry Road and the one on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. The Dobbs Ferry Road A&P has been purchased and reopened within two days as an Acme Supermarket. Soon, the Scarsdale A&P will be shuttered. Never known to miss an opportunity for publicity, Mr Feiner insisted he and his 24 years of increased fees and costs of doing business in Greenburgh had nothing to do with these stores’ demise. Once it was learned back then that Mrs Green would be taking over the former Turco’s, his media blitz began.
The final day of operation for Mrs Green's is November 12, 2015. Right from the beginning they have seemed to have a rough time of making the store successful. As a niche store, with what could only be seen as a limited offering and generally higher prices, they were competing with other area stores for the sales of some similar products at lower prices. While we're not trying to be critical of their business model, apparently their slight shift from the Scarsdale area to the current location, and the direct competition of H-Mart right next door, was too much to endure. Sadly, while the store’s management says it will try to find positions for its workers in their other locations, we're sure it’ll be a difficult time for many and wish them all well.
It has also been reported that Mrs Green’s was in arrears for approximately $900k with numerous outstanding advertising invoices as reported by the Journal News in 2014. In fact, the Journal News had a substantial amount of money owed to them for advertising. Perhaps if advertising in the Journal News was cost-effective, Mrs Green's might be staying.
We hope there will be another food-related store to move into the soon to be vacated space. The area needs supermarkets and other retail business along Central Avenue in particular and the Town in general. It’s funny in a sad way. Mr Feiner continually green lights plans for his developer friends for carbon copy developments throughout the Town. Yet, these plans never include ideas that would help the Town’s residents, such as supermarkets. This has to change. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
ABG has also written extensively about the disappearance of food stores throughout the Town. While some loss may certainly be attributed to internet sales as Mr Feiner will have you believe, most of the loss cannot. When ABG spoke to a Greenburgh A&P store manager under the promise of anonymity, he said that the increased and growing competition has forced smaller margins, the high cost of union labor in Westchester in general and the cost of doing business in Greenburgh with its regulations, fees, fines and intrusions, was forcing not only his store, but others in the same strip malls to close.
Based in Irvington, NY, the Mrs Green's chain of natural and health food supermarkets found a difficult time of it after closing their Central park Avenue store and moving into the former Turco's store. When Turco's closed, it created an area void in the Town for a slightly more upscale supermarket with attractive prices, high quality foods, pleasant employees and a seemingly genuine goal of providing excellent customer service. Primarily featuring Italian foods, they too closed based on a shifting demographic as well as increased costs.
After Turco’s closed, Pathmark on Central Park Avenue and Waldbaums in the Crossroads Shopping Center on Rt 119 followed suit. The A&P had only two stores left in the area: the one on Dobbs Ferry Road and the one on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. The Dobbs Ferry Road A&P has been purchased and reopened within two days as an Acme Supermarket. Soon, the Scarsdale A&P will be shuttered. Never known to miss an opportunity for publicity, Mr Feiner insisted he and his 24 years of increased fees and costs of doing business in Greenburgh had nothing to do with these stores’ demise. Once it was learned back then that Mrs Green would be taking over the former Turco’s, his media blitz began.
The final day of operation for Mrs Green's is November 12, 2015. Right from the beginning they have seemed to have a rough time of making the store successful. As a niche store, with what could only be seen as a limited offering and generally higher prices, they were competing with other area stores for the sales of some similar products at lower prices. While we're not trying to be critical of their business model, apparently their slight shift from the Scarsdale area to the current location, and the direct competition of H-Mart right next door, was too much to endure. Sadly, while the store’s management says it will try to find positions for its workers in their other locations, we're sure it’ll be a difficult time for many and wish them all well.
It has also been reported that Mrs Green’s was in arrears for approximately $900k with numerous outstanding advertising invoices as reported by the Journal News in 2014. In fact, the Journal News had a substantial amount of money owed to them for advertising. Perhaps if advertising in the Journal News was cost-effective, Mrs Green's might be staying.
We hope there will be another food-related store to move into the soon to be vacated space. The area needs supermarkets and other retail business along Central Avenue in particular and the Town in general. It’s funny in a sad way. Mr Feiner continually green lights plans for his developer friends for carbon copy developments throughout the Town. Yet, these plans never include ideas that would help the Town’s residents, such as supermarkets. This has to change. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
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