Gourmet Garage Expands Footprint in NYC
More New Yorkers can "shop like a chef!" with the opening of a new Gourmet Garage food market in the West Village neighborhood of New York City. Family-owned and -operated by Village Super Market Inc., a member of the retailer-owned cooperative Wakefern Food Corp., Gourmet Garage offers the essentials "to make every day a Gourmet day," with a large selection of fine foods to go.
Founded in 1981 as the importer and distributor Flying Foods International, Gourmet Garage supplied restaurants and chefs in New York and other major cities with their most essential ingredients. Years later, the first Gourmet Garage retail location opened in SoHo, bringing restaurant-quality ingredients to all New Yorkers.
The Sumas family, founders of Springfield, N.J.-based Village Super Market, cut the ribbon on the West Village store on April 29, marking the fourth location for the Gourmet Garage banner.
In planning for the new market, staff reached out to the community for input on what local residents wanted in a neighborhood market. Residents told planners that fresh foods and accessible price points were important. The new store, located at 585 Hudson Street, reflects those needs.
Visitors to the new market will discover a varied selection across two grocery floors – a new bi-level store model for Gourmet Garage. Fresh prepared and affordably priced fine foods can be found on the first floor Market Level, along with organic produce, cut fruit, salads, charcuterie, hot food and bakery options. More than 40 varieties of sushi are rolled fresh daily by in-house sushi chefs, and gourmet sandwiches like the "house roasted porchetta," "perfectly prosciutto," "signature flank" and "chicken pesto" are also on the menu. Artisan cheeses and a Mediterranean olive bar accompany a soup bar featuring 10 hand-crafted recipes, from lobster bisque to vegetarian chili. More than 30 varieties of freshly prepared meats and to-go seafood in oven-ready tins, baked breads and desserts are also available as part of this specialty grab-and-go market experience.
Additionally, a gourmet self-serve Fairway Market Coffee Bar gives shoppers easy access to Fairway’s bulk blends and 20 self-serve beverages, from hot Americanos, cappuccinos, espressos, hot chocolates, cold brews, nitro iced coffee, seasonal iced tea and kombucha.
On the lower floor, the Chef’s Basement is packed with a wide assortment of pantry staples and groceries, including leading national brands, premium meats, frozen foods, dairy, specialty beers, and health and beauty items.
The new store allows customers to shop online, with options for home delivery within two hours.
In celebration of the West Village grand opening, Gourmet Garage made donations to four local organizations that were recommended by local residents: City Harvest; The Center (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center); Friends of Bleecker Street Playground; and the New York Public Library. Gourmet Garage is also partnering with City Harvest to donate fresh food from the new West Village store to the food rescue organization.
The largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative in the United States. Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern comprises nearly 50 members that independently own and operate 361 supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Together with its member companies, Wakefern employs nearly 80,000 people. The company is No. 23 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 listing of North America’s top food and consumables retailers in North America.
