FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 27, 2020 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 39
Douglaston Fairway transforms into Food Bazaar Supermarket
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Aft er acquiring Douglaston’s Fairway
supermarket last month, Food Bazaar
began transitioning the store to look
more like its locations throughout the
tri-state area.
Bogopa Enterprises, which owns Food
Bazaar, made a deal with Fairway on
July 15 to purchase the bankrupt grocer’s
locations in Douglaston and Red
Hook, Brooklyn, aft er failing to sell at
a bankruptcy auction earlier this year,
according to Edward Suh, executive
vice president of Bogopa/Food Bazaar
Supermarkets.
“Th is opportunity came along for us
to grow as a company, and Fairway is
an iconic brand and we felt that the
Douglaston location made sense for us as
far as the communities that our existing
stores serve. We feel that we can do right
by the neighborhood and off er them
what they need,” Suh said.
On Aug. 13, the former Fairway, located
at 242-02 61st Ave., offi cially became
part of the Food Bazaar supermarket
chain, which includes about two dozen
locations in the tri-state area. Under
the sale agreement, the company was
required to retain Fairway’s unionized
employees, according to reports.
Food Bazaar was established in 1988
opening its fi rst store in Lefrak City
at 97-27 57th Ave., according to Suh,
expanding to other neighborhoods such
as Jackson Heights, Long Island City and
Ridgewood.
“Our growth early on happened in the
boroughs, and today we have approximately
3,300 employees and in regard to
who we are historically, we cater to that
neighborhood — no store is the same as
far as what we off er, from the types of fl avors
and spices,” Suh said.
Referencing the company’s mission
statement “Feeding Your Way of Life”
Suh said they’re proud to embrace and
celebrate all cultures, providing a diverse
international selection of ethnic food
items.
Shoppers can expect to see Fairway signatures,
such as the store’s vast selection
of in-house roasted organic coff ee from
countries like Indonesia, Jamaica, and
other places known to produce quality
coff ee beans, according to Suh.
“Th at’s an area that we historically have
not ventured into and thought it would be
a good learning experience for us,” Suh
said. “Th e aroma is fantastic and customers
love it. If we have the space, we’ll be
implementing the coff ee roasters at our
other locations,” Suh said.
Th e company is hoping to alter their
strengths in off ering the best fresh meat,
seafood and produce delivered from
Hunts Point in the Bronx at an aff ordable
low price.
“We’ll steam a lobster for our customers.
We will cut an oxtail exactly how you
want it, whether it’s half inch or a quarter
inch, a rack of ribs we’ll do the same, and
scale and steam a fi sh — all complimentary,”
Suh said.
Food Bazaar is hoping to combine that
with Fairway’s strengths and uniqueness
such as their gourmet cheeses, kosher and
organic breads and pastries, speciality and
natural products, adding a high service
quality perishable component.
Additionally, Food Bazaar plans on
off ering other hot foods, as well as international
and ethnic products refl ective of
the Queens community.
“Th ere are so many diff erent languages
spoken and so many people from all
over the world, especially in Queens, it’s
a true melting pot,” Suh said. “We try
to serve our customers the best and it’s
indicative of our workforce and the items
we carry, and we hope to continue that in
Douglaston.”
While businesses are continuing to
adapt to the new normal in the age of
COVID-19, Food Bazaar has implemented
strict protocols to ensure the safety and
health of its employees and shoppers.
All shoppers must wear a face mask
while in the store and all employees are
equipped with face masks or face shields,
gloves and hand sanitizers. Stickers are
placed on the fl oor to promote social distancing
followed by announcements, and
plexiglass has been installed at each cash
register to prevent cross contamination.
Additionally, the carts, baskets, cases,
door handles and other equipment and
machinery are disinfected regularly by
service clerks.
“For our service counters, which we
shut down for a while, we also put plexiglass
barriers in the open area above the
service counter case,” Suh said. “We’ve
relaxed some of those measures going
back to some degree of normalcy, but
we are prepared to respond quickly for
the safety and well being of our employeesand
customers.”
For shoppers who prefer to order their
groceries online, Food Bazaar is live on
Insta-Cart or they can visit the company’s
website, FoodBazaar.com.
Looking forward, the company is planning
on renovating the store in phases
during the next three to six months
to off er an improved fi rst-class shopping
experience for the Douglaston community
and surrounding towns.
Th e Douglaston Food Bazaar renovations
will mirror the decor of the
Food Bazaar supermarket in the Bronx
Terminal. (Photo courtesy of Food
Bazaar)
Th e upgraded interior of the Food
Bazaar store at the Bronx Terminal
Market that shoppers can expect to see
upon completion of the Douglaston
store.
Th e upgrades include fi xing the parking
lot, polished concrete fl oors, new
decor and cases, prepared food vendors,
and becoming more energy effi -
cient along with keeping the fresh produce
and fruit tasting better and longer.
Suh said they’re hoping the community
is patient in regard to certain disruptions
that may occur. Most of the renovations
will take place overnight, but some sections
in departments may be closed off
until the work is complete.
“We are keeping the core staples of
what made Fairway, but at the same
time improving every other facet of the
store,” Suh said. “It’s exciting for us, and
we want to do right by the community
for more bank in their buck and a better
shopping experience.”
buzz
Photo courtesy of Food Bazaar
The Douglaston Food Bazaar renovations will mirror the decor of the Food Bazaar supermarket in the Bronx Terminal.
/FoodBazaar.com
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