Allegiance Holds Grand Opening of ‘State-of-the-Art’ NYC Foodtown
Allegiance Retail Services (ARS) has presided over the opening of its newest Foodtown banner store, at 54 Noll Street in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, N.Y. Owned by Shady Widdi, “the 15,000-square-foot state-of-the-art supermarket is positioned as a key player in the community’s ongoing renaissance,” according to the retailer cooperative.
ARS COO and President Joseph Fantozzi recounted that developers approached the co-op to aid in the revitalization of the area, which had been a food desert for decades. In recognition of Widdi’s ability to create distinctive supermarket experiences, Fantozzi enlisted him to build, own and operate the store.
Foodtown of Noll Street features soaring ceilings, produce aisles accented with lighted trees, and decorative tile walls, all with the aim of evoking an immersive shopping experience. “In all the stores I have built, I have always wanted to go beyond what everyone else does,” noted Widdi, who has signed a 50-year lease for the site. “Foodtown of Noll Street is the actualization of a dream for me.”
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The new store additionally offers an extensive selection of high-quality fresh produce; premium meats, including Rancher’s Legend Beef; natural and organic product lines; daily fresh seafood and baked goods; and beers and other beverages. On entering the store, customers are greeted by a fresh flower display, flanked by fresh produce islands to the center and right, with a fresh juice bar, sushi station, and deli counter ahead. Shoppers then pass a large charcuterie counter with cheeses from around the world, grab-and-go meals, a salad and soup bar, and more. Next are the fresh seafood and beef counters. Across from the large beer aisle, shoppers can dispense their own nuts, grains, candies, and ground coffee. Other store highlights include a well-stocked aisle dedicated to pet food and products, and a barista coffee counter.
Many local officials attended the Jan. 12 grand-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, including New York Attorney General Latisha James, who has known the Widdi family for more than 20 years, before she was an elected official, and shopped at their grocery store on Vanderbilt Avenue in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The family owns a total of three Foodtown supermarkets.
Foodtown of Noll Street is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Iselin, N.J.-based ARS supports more than 125 member-owned independent supermarkets, including Foodtown, Freshtown, D’Agostino, Gristedes, Morton Williams, Pathmark, LaBella Marketplace, Brooklyn Harvest, Market Fresh, Big Deal Food Market, Green Way Markets, Brigidos Fresh Market, Olive Tree Marketplace, Bloomingdale Supermarket by Foodtown, and Shop n Bag, by providing them with marketing, advertising, technological and merchandising support.
