OXFORD, CT, 2016-Sep-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Golub Corporation cut the ribbon on its first “ground up” Market 32 in the State of Connecticut today in Oxford, giving local residents the opportunity to experience the chain’s contemporary new supermarket concept. Located at 300 Oxford Rd., the new Market 32 is the anchor of the long anticipated Quarry Walk.
Golub Corporation Executive Chairman Neil Golub, Vice Chairman Jerry Golub, President & CEO Scott Grimmett, Store Manager Guido Martini and other company officials were joined by State Representative David Labriola, State Senator Rob Kane, Town Economic Development Commission Director Andrew McGeever, Economic Development Chair Ed Carver, Planning & Zoning Commission Chair Arnie Jensen, First Selectman George Temple and other elected officials and civic leaders along with Tom Haynes and the team from Haynes Development and hundreds of local residents for an official ribbon cutting ceremony. The flag was raised by members of the American Legion Post #174.
A catered ‘preview party’ held the night before drew several hundred people to the store and raised thousands of dollars for the Oxford High School Booster Club, Oxford Pop Warner Football and Cheer, and the Seymour Oxford Food Bank Inc. All proceeds collected at the door were matched by Market 32 and Haynes Development.
“Market 32 is a contemporary food-focused concept store that wholly reflects what our customers have told us they want in a modern and convenient shopping experience,” said Scott Grimmett, Price Chopper President & CEO.
This is the 10th Market 32 to open since the company announced its plans to develop the new brand across the majority of its 135 stores over the next decade. To date, eight of the company’s Price Chopper stores have been converted to Market 32 (including the Torrington, CT. store), while two have been built from the ground-up – in Sutton, MA (opened in October 2015) and Oxford, CT. Several conversions are currently underway across the chain’s six state footprint, while another new store, is being built from the ground up in Ft. Edward, NY, and is expected to open before the end of the year.
The look and feel of Market 32 is distinctively more modern than Price Chopper, though many of the differences are subtle. Marked by open space, a décor filled with soft earth tones and product focused displays, murals and lighting, the brand emphasizes convenient, ready-to-eat foods, fresh, handcrafted, and locally grown, produced and manufactured products, and intuitive product/department adjacencies (e.g. greeting cards next to the floral department).
“Our Oxford Market 32 is a grocery store for this and future generations. While maintaining our focus on quality and value, we’ve added a host of wonderful signature items throughout the store, plus modern conveniences like customized prepared foods, a patisserie/café equipped with wi-fi, a drive-thru pharmacy, , a Chef’s Table offering food demonstrations and sampling, and a new higher standard of service,” said Grimmett.
The more than 54,000 square foot store employs 200 full and part-time teammates. Some of the features of the new Oxford Market 32 include:
• A Full Service Pharmacy, with a separate entrance as well as a convenient drive-through, is a complete health and wellness destination for the community. Pharmacists can answer health and medication related questions in private patient consultation rooms and administer flu and other preventative shots. Most insurance plans are accepted and Market 32 makes it easy to transfer prescriptions. Market 32’s award-winning Diabetes AdvantEdge program offers p. 3 customers free diabetes medications and supplies while the RxAdvantEdge Plan offers discounts on medications. And an onsite blood pressure kiosk is available to customers, as are personal SmartCards, to help those who are interested in tracking their results and sharing them with a Health Care Provider.
• A Center Store (Grocery and General Merchandise) department featuring: the rollout of PICS – Market 32’s exclusive line of high quality, value-priced products; a customizable ‘pick 24’ on single serve Price Chopper brand coffee pods; an expanded Craft Beer section with a large variety of local CT favorites; expanded variety in popular categories like pasta, sauce, spices, oils and grains; locally sourced products (both dry packaged and dairy); natural and organic offerings integrated into their relative categories; an expansive gluten-free section; a kitchen shop, containing upscale Cuisinart appliances, Rachel Ray cooking accessories, Core bamboo gadgets and T-Fal cookware and accessories.
• A full service, Fresh Meat Department offers an extensive variety of high quality Certified Angus Beef steaks and roasts, including specialty restaurant cuts such as the Tomahawk Rib Steak and Bone-In Filet. Case ready variety includes an exclusive on Chiappetti 100% Grass Fed/Grass Finished Antibiotic Free beef and all natural and hormone free lamb and veal. Convenient, value added meats include panko-encrusted cutlets, stuffed chops with all natural no water/no salt added, and the free seasoning and/or marinating of USDA Grade A Chicken and Pork products by our in-store expert butchers.
• A wide ranging, colorful and Fresh Produce Department with mountains of heirloom tomatoes, fresh bunches of herbs and a wide variety of mushrooms and peppers. Market 32 is dedicated to finding local providers for produce (as possible, given growing seasons) and is committed to an expanded assortment of organic produce. Additionally, customers will find an assortment of prepared, ready-to-cook and grab-n-go fruit and vegetables.
• The Fresh and Healthy Seafood Department offers the most extensive assortment of salmon variety available in a retail supermarket, including wild caught, farm raised, delectable Scottish, cedar planked, marinated portions, stuffed pinwheels, and even a pulled BBQ offering – all in all, more than three dozen varieties of salmon from which to choose. The extensive fin fish selection includes sea bass, halibut portions, tilapia, haddock, and numerous varieties of shellfish including lobster, clams, shrimp and crab. Fresh seafood selections fried or steamed to order, with classic sides such as cole slaw and French fries, top a menu of full prepared meals, while selections dredged in free seasoning rubs, or those which have been breaded or stuffed offer simple, ready to cook solutions.
• A Fresh Deli Department featuring quality sliced meats and cheeses that help to create healthy meal solutions, such as those from McKenzie Natural Artisan Deli, whose turkeys and hams are sourced from local family farms, contain no antibiotics, no growth hormones and no nitrates.
• An expanded Specialty Cheese Department featuring Market 32’s signature Cheese Shop with more than 300 varieties of unique cheeses including several savory and sweet Brie Tortes made fresh, in-store. Our knowledgeable cheese mongers are there to help you sample and select the right cheese every time, whether for entertaining or snacking.
• Convenient, Delicious and Healthy Prepared Foods throughout the store so shoppers can bring home full meals or supplement meals without sacrificing freshness or value. Offerings include a full-service Starbucks; a made to order salad station where shoppers can customize their salad; p. 4 classic NYC-style deli sandwiches; fresh-baked Corner to Corner and Tavoletta pizzas; a variety of hot and cold soups; an in-store smoker that slow cooks ribs, brisket, chicken and pulled pork with Market 32’s signature rub; sushi and Aburi (toasted sushi) made fresh in-store; Grab & Go and heat & eat meals; and, a unique Chef’s Case which offers entrees and sides, giving shoppers the opportunity to customize their meal combinations.
• A colorful and aromatic Floral Department to brighten any room or occasion greets Market 32 shoppers as they enter the store. As the largest florist in the Northeast, Market 32 has a wide array of assorted fresh flowers and plants. With custom design services, Market 32 floral experts can help customers design the perfect flowers for all of life’s occasions.
• A warm and inviting Bakery Department provides delicious store-made breads and desserts, including three varieties of freshly baked focaccia breads, signature Vienna Breads and decadent individual deserts such as fruit tarts and cupcakes as well as dessert and special occasion cakes.
Throughout Market 32, customers will notice a commitment to supporting local manufacturers and growers, sourcing authentic imports and expanding varieties of gluten-free, organic, and natural products. Unique destination displays explode with a wide variety of popular categories such as pasta & sauce, rice & grains, oils & vinegars and spices, adding ideas and excitement to the shopping experience.
“This Market 32 reflects the newest and best ideas that we’ve gotten from our customers. We’re very proud of this store and pleased to be a part of this community,” said Grimmett.
About The Golub Corporation:
Based in Schenectady, NY, the Golub Corporation owns and operates 135 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The American owned, family-managed company prides itself on longstanding traditions of innovative food merchandising, leadership in community service, and cooperative employee relations. Golub’s 20,000 teammates collectively own more than 47% of the company’s privately held stock, making it one of the nation’s largest privately held corporations that is predominantly employee owned. For additional information, visit www.market32.com
Contact:
Jonathan M. Pierce,APR
Pierce Communications
518-221-1186 (cell)
jon@albanypr.com
Mona Golub
The Golub Corporation/Market 32
518-379-1480
Source: MARKET-32