Almost exactly one month after the owners of the struggling in Malverne to close the Hempstead Avenue grocery store, they have changed their minds again.
The supermarket, the only one located in the village of Malverne, shut down Wednesday, but it might only be temporary. There were still items on the shelves, but the doors were locked and workers inside were waving customers away.
Among them were Ruth Santilla, an Oceanside resident who works in Malverne and regularly shops at the store. She was on her way to buy some milk and juices.
"I come in almost everyday," she told Patch. "I [also] buy bread, a lot of vegetables and meats. It's convenient, [the staff is] very courteous, prices were fair and everything is clean."
Santilla said she could have found some items cheaper at another store, but she'd have to drive further away.
Vivian Huber, a 30-plus-year Malverne resident, also valued the convenience of the store, which was five minutes from her home.
"I would run in a couple of times per week for bread, milk, and to see what's on sale," she said. "Their prices were a little high, but I understood why, you have to pay your rent."
In mid-July, Carlos Pichardo, one of the store's managers told Patch that the store was planning to close, but reversed the decision one day later after some residents pleaded with them to stay.
Pichardo had told Patch: "You have your loyal customers and people who stop in every now and then to pick up a couple of items, but you can't survive on that ... We probably held on to the store [longer] than we should have, but you can't just keep putting money into something."
But after meeting with customers and the management team, Pichardo said, "We're not going anywhere ... we sat down and decided, 'Let's try to push on and see what happens.'"
Pichardo could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but one of the men working inside the store, who chose not to disclose his name or title, told Patch the closure is only temporary. He said that Associated is working on finding a new owner to take over the supermarket and remodel it.
If they are successful, this would be while keeping the Associated name. He did not indicate how long the store would be closed. The last time this occurred the supermarket was shut down from December 2010 to March 2011, when it wasith a new look and new management. Before Associated took over the property, the grocery store was operated by C-Town for several years, and then IGA.
"We've been through four stores," Huber said. "Everytime you get another one you hope."
My two favorite places to shop for food are Trader Joes,and the new Stop and shop on Atlantic in Oceanside .
They are either dying or moving out in expedient fashion. This is why the property values are dropping annually as they just want out! Our young too are not sticking around either staying in the towns they graduate from or moving to the new yuppie NYC areas. You can also be sure the village leaders will jump ship and leave the spoils for the next bunch of cronies whose only concern is for the padding of their own pockets as no accountability rears its ugly head in politics over and over and over unchecked. My wife and I too are fed up recently buying property in Delaware,waterfront property w/ taxes only $700 annually as all school taxes are removed at age 65. Even w/ the taxes are $1200 annually.no sales tax no ss tax and no pension tax. Roads smooth as silk and not a speck of litter?? Beaches sparkling? The same goes w/ NC SC Fla and many other areas. This my friends is where the future is!
Bankrupcy is an option., however, a constitutional amendment is more likely. Obama particularly is pushing for this which even as an Obama hater I applaud him here.
what is going to happen when the costs associated (pardon the awful pun) with an incorporated village are no longer affordable? what do you give up first? the cops,or the dpw,etc etc? we in all our local communities-not just malverne but rvc.lynbrook,etc are going to have to make some very difficult decisions in the not too distant future. they wont be easy to say the least.
The merchants assoc should begin the charge as they are the first to suffer! It's not as far fetched as one may imagine?????
We have to encourage voters to get out there in November as well as Mays school vote! Out with incumbents! All the slugs MUST GO! We need new sensible blood.