The Independent Edition

Food Farm Supermarket Owner:  Ronnie Shiekh Opened:  2017-2019 Cooperative:  Associated Supermarket Group Location:  241-11 Linden Blvd, Elmont, NY Photographed:  December 2018 I'm warning you, as we get into these next few Snapshots, get ready for some bad  pictures. They were taken out of a car window by a bad cell phone camera at night. Anyway, this is our second Food Farm, the first being in Valley Stream . This Compare Foods-turned-Associated was sold in 2017 to Food Farm, which reopened it but closed less than two years later. And, my friends, that is all. We have a full tour tomorrow on The Market Report , so definitely go check that out!

Food Farm Supermarket Owner:  Ronnie Shiekh Opened:  2015-2019 Cooperative:  Associated Supermarket Group Location:  351 N Central Ave, Valley Stream, NY Photographed:  December 2018 This store, opened in 2015, replaced a Desi Food Market in the same location. The Desi Food Market at 109-19 Liberty Ave in Woodhaven, Queens, also became a Food Farm, as did Associated stores at 241-11 Linden Blvd, Elmont, NY (in 2017), and 89-61 Francis Lewis Blvd, Queens Village (in 2015). This store was in somewhat poor repair, with some shelves sparse and a general feeling of dinginess around the building. The chain went under entirely in 2019, but a year prior they found themselves in hot water for an employee who threw frozen meat on a loading dock to separate it. The grocery selection is heavily Middle Eastern and South Asian. As yet, nothing has replaced this now-vacant 11,000 square foot space. There is another supermarket just half a mile n...

Food World Supermarket Owner:  Harold Lee Opened:  2014 Cooperative:  Key Food Stores Location:  500 W Merrick Rd, Valley Stream, NY Photographed:  December 2018 Another former Waldbaum's makes up today's store tour! This one became a Super Associated (unsure of who the owner was) in 2014, and was converted to Food World shortly thereafter. Food World, based in Jamaica, Queens, also has locations in Brooklyn, Jamaica, and New Jersey (under the SuperFresh banner). Buried under this facade is actually a centennial A&P. The storefront faces Merrick Road (to the left), with the side of the store being along the parking lot. Produce is in the first aisle, with meat and then seafood running along the back wall. Dairy and frozen are at the far end of the store, with deli/bakery in the front corner. Heading in, we see a simpler version of the decor in the New Jersey locations (see Bloomfield here and here ). While the location packs in a ...

Valley Grocery Mart Owner:  Nat Patel Opened:  1986-2019 Cooperative:  none Location:  206 Rockaway Ave, Valley Stream, NY Photographed:  December 2018 On the same block as T&F Pork Store and CTown , we find another small store that has also closed, according to Google Maps. I am not in the habit of photographing convenience stores, but this one is immediately next to the CTown and I liked the sign. That is all. Up next we have a tour of a Key Food affiliate outside of downtown in Valley Stream!

T&F Pork Store Owner:  Joey Carlino Opened:  1976-2019 Cooperative:  none Location:  230 Rockaway Ave, Valley Stream, NY Photographed:  December 2018 Quick look today at a small Italian deli (which is, by the way, immediately next door to a CTown that we're going to see next). After 42 years, owner Joey Carlino sold the business; it's now operating as Two Amigos Deli. That's about all, and come back to The Market Report tomorrow to check out the CTown!

Fruit Tree Farm Owner:  Chang Gyu Choi Opened:  2001 as Met Foodmarkets, ca. 2016 as Fruit Tree Farm Cooperative:  Retail Grocers Group (this location only) Location:  1197 Grand Ave, Baldwin, NY Photographed:  December 2018 It seems there's been a lot of changes over time in quite a few of these independent supermarkets, as we saw an Associated-turned-Key Food , an Associated-turned-Foodtown , a Key Food-turned-CTown , and here, a Met Foods-turned-Associated-turned-Fruit Tree Farm. (It's important to note that Key Food and Krasdale are almost always the winners, and Associated and affiliates almost always the losers.) While this Fruit Tree Farm is affiliated with Retail Grocers Group and sells Parade products, the other location in Copiague is affiliated with Associated Supermarket Group and sells Avenue A products. While I don't know what this store was originally, it was definitely a supermarket. I love the tower! Alright, that's one way ...