Fairway Market, the specialty food market, opened Nov. 16 in Douglaston, Queens, offering area shoppers a combination of specialty, organic and traditional foodstuffs at everyday value prices.
The store, which is the ninth for the company and the first in New York City’s largest borough, is located at 242-02 61st Ave. in the Douglaston Plaza Shopping Center on the lower level. The 56,000-s.f. store brings over 400 new jobs to Queens County.
“The opening of this store brings the finest selection of foods for every appetite and budget,” said Charles Santoro, chairman of Fairway and co-founder and managing partner of Sterling Investment Partners, which has a controlling interest in Fairway. “We are also very pleased to have created more than 400 new jobs in a difficult economy. With the opening of our ninth store and over the past three years we have added more than 2,500 new jobs in the tri-state region.”
In January 2007, Sterling Investment Partners, a Westport, Conn.-based middle market private equity firm, acquired a majority stake in Fairway Market and committed to substantially expanding the company. Since that time, Fairway has grown rapidly, opening six more Fairway locations and two Wine & Spirits stores. Fairway expects to continue to open several stores per year for the foreseeable future.
Fairway was founded nearly 80 years ago by Nathan Glickberg, who opened a fruit and vegetable stand where the flagship Broadway store in Manhattan is still located. Howie Glickberg, CEO of Fairway and grandson of the founder, remains an active leader in the company.
“We’re excited to add a whole new food dimension to Douglaston and we’re confident shoppers will be impressed by what we have to offer, from the large array of food and groceries to the expertise we bring to all areas of the fresh product,” said Howie Glickberg. “Our people are the best; from our butchers and bakers to our cheesemongers, produce and seafood experts, they all share a passion for what they do.”
Upon entering the Douglaston Fairway shoppers see floor-to-ceiling displays of fruits and vegetables, which include a wide array of organic produce, as well as fresh produce from across the U.S. (many of which are locally sourced) and exotic items. The store has a full bakery, which is also kosher, selling artisanal breads and NYC-style bagels that are made daily on premises.
The seafood department features a full selection of fillets of fish and shellfish stacked high. In the meat department, beef trimmed can be trimmed to the shopper’s specifications, and there’s a large selection of pre-cut, OU-certified red meat as well as fresh kosher poultry.
The store also roasts coffee beans from around the world. The deli provides a selection of pickled and cured foods, including more than 70 kinds of freshly bathed and marinated olives, as well as a number of smoked salmon options, including Fairway’s traditionally made house-smoked salmon. The store also features Fairway’s renowned assortment of more than 600 fine cheeses, as well as a special station where mozzarella is made and hand pulled in the store.
Fairway Douglaston has alcoves for organic and specialty items set apart from the more than 45,000 items in the roomy aisles. Shoppers will also find a full line of gluten-free products, more than 100 varieties of olive oils, and an ever-expanding number of organic and natural health and beauty aids.
The new Fairway features one of the company’s “famous” cafes offering sandwiches, sushi, salads, yogurt with toppings, and dozens of hot foods prepared fresh in Fairway’s kitchen.
Herb Reutsch, president of Fairway, is among those responsible for making each store a marriage of the best management and leadership practices, an exceptional food expertise, and a commitment to corporate responsibility. This dynamic combination has made Fairway one of the highest grossing supermarkets per square foot in the country.
“We’re proud to offer a shopping experience that is unparalleled,” said Reutsch. “This is credit in large measure to each and every one of the thousands of Fairway staff members who are passionate about the vast array of artisanal and traditional food and groceries we offer and are dedicated to the highest quality customer service.” He adds: “We are equally proud that we impact the communities in which we are located. When we say we are ‘Like No Other Market,’ it is also because we are committed to being good neighbors and good citizens.”
Fairway is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. For more information, visit www.fairwaymarket.com.
