The exterior signs went up this week announcing the arrival of the ShopRite brand in Riverhead.
The cavernous 60,000-square-foot interior has been emptied and prepped. Freezer and refrigerator cases are being installed. Construction is underway of the walls and display areas to create the various in-store “village” shops: the bakery, butcher, greengrocer, organic foods, and prepared foods including sushi, sandwiches, hot food and pizza made on premises in a brick oven.
The Thompson family’s third ShopRite supermarket is taking shape in the Riverhead Centre plaza on Route 58, with a grand opening date now anticipated for mid-October.
For company president Kenneth Thompson Sr., the Riverhead ShopRite is a bit like coming full circle. The Manorville resident and veteran supermarket industry executive — who has more than 50 years in the business — became president of Waldbaum’s shortly after the A&P-owned banner located at Riverhead Centre. His son Kenneth Jr., company vice president, is a former Waldbaum’s manager who once worked at the Riverhead Waldbaum’s in its first location (where Staples is now located) and rose to become director of operations. Thompson Jr. has more than 30 years experience in the supermarket industry.
“We’re very excited that we’re opening our third ShopRite in Riverhead,” Thompson Jr. said yesterday outside the store. “It’s a strong commercial district and we know that there’s a demand here that we can fill.”
ShopRite will join an already-crowded field of grocery retailers — including big national and international chains like WalMart, Target, Costco, BJ’s, Stop and Shop and Aldi’s, as well as smaller grocers like Best Market and Gala Fresh. But the Thompsons have confidence in their brand, their philosophy and their ability to compete, even dominate, in the local market.
“ShopRite is known for great value,” Thompson Jr. said in an interview yesterday. “It not only has quality store brands but also offers steep discounts on national brands,” he said. But it’s more than just discounts, he said.
A key ingredient to the family’s success is customer service, Thompson said. “That’s our focus.”
The service-centric philosophy means every register will be open on weekends, he said. (There will be four self-checkout stations as well, for those who prefer the do-it-yourself experience.) It means butchers who are accessible to customers, cutting meats on premises. And bakers on premises who bake from scratch — breads, muffins, rolls, cakes and cookies. There will be a full-service delicatessen featuring Boar’s Head brand cold cuts. The store will also offer online shopping and home delivery – or customer pickup for online orders. (“You pull up and we load the bags into your vehicle,” Thompson said.)
ShopRite is a cooperative of family owned supermarkets, Thompson notes. There are currently 50 members, he said. Co-op members operating under the ShopRite banner enjoy the purchasing power of the co-op, but each co-op member independently owns and operates their own business.
Various members of the Thompson family work in the business, which owns and operates stores in Uniondale and Deer Park. They include Ken Thompson Jr.’s sister, Danielle Johnston, who is the company’s director of human resources and his son, Kenneth III, who will be the co-manager of the Riverhead store — sharing management duties with George Laezza of Manorville, who happens to have been a past manager of the Riverhead Waldbaum’s.
Each member of the cooperative has its own approach, Thompson said.
“We have a village theme in our stores,” he said, so it’s like there are stores within the store. There will also be a dine-in cafe, with tables and chairs, USB charging stations and free wifi.
“And we are here every day,” said Thompson, who is overseeing the multimillion renovation and store-opening project in Riverhead with his father. Their hands-on approach ensures that the store’s operations meet their standards for quality, value and customer service, he said.
“It’s a small business operating in a big business world,” Thompson said.
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