Key Food ready to welcome shoppers
The new Key Food at 163-30 Cross Bay Blvd. in Howard Beach is slated to open this Friday.
Posted: Thursday, September 4, 2014 10:30 am
Attention, Howard Beach shoppers!
The long-awaited Key Food on Cross Bay Boulevard opens this week.
A little more than a year after a banner was unveiled over the former Duane Reade building at 163-30 Cross Bay Blvd., the store is finally ready to welcome customers.
Frank Almonte, owner of the new supermarket, said he has been extremely busy getting set up in the final weeks before the opening.
“We have been working really hard to get ready,” he said. “It’s been really crazy.”
The store’s official ribbon cutting is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. Almonte said Borough President Melinda Katz and other elected officials have been invited. There will be customer giveaways, a DJ with live music and live animals.
The new Key Food is one of over half a dozen supermarkets Almonte owns and operates in Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau County. Among his other operations is the Food Dynasty at 63-76 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park.
Almonte, the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, is no stranger to the market business — his family owned a bodega in Brooklyn — and he said the store will cater to the population in the community.
For example, he is partnering with a well-known name in local cuisine for the new Key Food’s deli department.
Frank Russo, owner of Russo’s On The Bay and Vetro catering halls in Howard Beach, will be offering packaged lunches in the supermarket’s deli.
“[Russo] has really been a great help and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with him,” Almonte said.
For many residents, Key Food’s opening represents another significant step in the neighborhood’s recovery from Hurricane Sandy. The building that will house the supermarket has been vacant since the storm in October 2012. The Duane Reade that occupied the site never returned after the storm. Before the pharmacy, the site was the location of the Waterview Diner, which was demolished to make way for the current building.
The community has also been vocal about more shopping options in the neighborhood. The only other supermarkets in Howard Beach are the two Waldbaum’s — one on Cross Bay Boulevard and 156th Avenue and the other in the Lindenwood Shopping Center. Many residents travel to the Pathmark in Ozone Park, Scaturro’s in Woodhaven or Glendale’s Stop & Shop to do their shopping.
Key Food’s hours are seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
They opened! It was jam-packed with happy, smiling people, and lively music playing. It seemed like a cross between old home week with people kissing 'hello' to one another, clubbing with a really good DJ, and rush hour at the Lincoln tunnel with everyone shoulder to shoulder in the aisles -- but all very polite and pleasant. The store was beautiful: the fruit was carefully stacked, the shelves well stocked, everything looked wonderfully fresh, clean and shiny! And we were excited for all the inevitable grand opening deals.... there were none. As a matter of fact, the price for item after item in this new Keyfood were Manhattan-sky-high. We headed back to Waldbaum's, which was so empty it looked like it was closing, but we can better afford their prices.
ReplyDeletenoooooo, I was so looking forward to this new competitive store opening. To hear the prices are Manhattan high is so disappointing. Bad move on the new owners part, Ill stick to Waldbaums ( Rockaway one is great ) and Brothers.... Ugh
ReplyDeleteKathy Muldoon Guiseppone 12th rd ....BC