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A Few Clouds SuperFresh finally opens its doors to North Baldwin
SuperFresh finally opens its doors to North Baldwin
Key Food Stores Co-Operative Inc., a chain of primarily independently owned and corporate grocery stores, held a grand opening for its newest SuperFresh location at 1764 Grand Ave. in Baldwin July 16. Baldwinites had been vocal about a much-needed supermarket in North Baldwin after Pathmark closed in 2015.
“We’re so excited to celebrate the hard work my team has put into making this store a possibility,” said storeowner Charles In Park. “Our top priority is to serve the community and create a grocery shopping experience that our customers will love.”
North Baldwin resident Wilene Lee can attest to the convenience of having a supermarket so close to home when she said, “It’s fresh, clean . . . It’s a great location.”
Pick Quick Baldwin LLC, a Key Foods developer, acquired 50,000 square feet of the former 64,000 Pathmark location in December 2016 for $20 million — the remaining 14,000 square feet of Pathmark space was occupied by the Feel Beauty supply store. Immediately after the purchase, however, work was delayed because the site was used as a filming location for “The Irishman” by Martin Scorsese.
In August 2018, the developer filed an application to renovate the interior with the Town of Hempstead, which was approved. A building permit was issued a month later. The developer fulfilled all requirements to open the Key Foods.
Around this time, the German supermarket chain Lidl announced its purchase of Best Markets, and Stop & Shop's acquisition of King Kullen had just failed.
At that time, residents and town officials were in talks about proposed revitalization of Grand Avenue and other areas of Baldwin. The Town Board was planning to rezone to allow for new buildings without the need for variances from the town’s Board of Appeals. In January 2021, the town voted to implement overlay zones in tandem with the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, for which Baldwin received a $10 million state grant
Fast-forward to the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by elected officials and local leaders, including State Sen. John Brooks, County Legislator Debra Mulé, Hempstead Town Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, Councilman Christopher Carini, Town Clerk Kate Murray, Baldwin Civic Association President Darien Ward, as well as by Key Food executives, including Chief Executive Officer Dean Janeway, Chief Operating Officer George Knobloch, Chief Financial Officer Sharon Konzelman, Chief Information Officer Tammy Teague and Vice President John Durante
Mulé presented a county citation to the owners and thanked them for pursuing their vision to make the site a supermarket once again after Pathmark. “Throughout Nassau County, supermarkets serve as indispensable community hubs that connect us with our neighbors, nourish our families and drive our local economy,” she said.
SuperFresh offers a full-service meat department, with an on-site butcher, seafood department supplied and run by a local captain, a variety of international items, including a selection of Caribbean and Central American products, a full-service deli with catering services, as well as grab-and-go sandwiches and rotisserie chicken. And on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., the supermarket also gives older adults and firefighters a 10 percent discount.
