Family-owned and operated Stew Leonard's has opened in Farmingdale in Kimco Realty Corp.'s Airport Plaza shopping center.
This grand opening marks the first Stew Leonard's farm fresh food store on Long Island and debuted with a ribbon cutting ceremony today with the Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce and the Leonard family. Opening week at the store will feature special in-store demonstrations and appearances, including a book signing by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse on Saturday, January 23, 2016.
Recognized as "The World's Largest Dairy Store" by Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Stew Leonard's is best known for its farm fresh food, dedication to customer service and a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. "My family and I have been looking forward to coming to Long Island for over ten years. The day is finally here and I can't wait to open our doors," says President & CEO Stew Leonard Jr. of the 60,000 square foot space that has been transformed into more than just your average grocery store. Leonard Jr. continues with a chuckle, "The new store in Farmingdale is going to have so many food demos that we're going to weigh our customers on their way into the store and on their way out of the store, and charge them the difference!"
Stew Leonard's Farmingdale store will offer award-winning dairy, a full service butcher, an in-store bakery, 250 varieties of just picked fresh fruits and vegetables, more than 30 varieties of fresh caught seafood, an in-house gourmet kitchen, a cheese shoppe and deli, along with many other local products highlighting the agricultural bounty Long Island has to offer. Farmingdale's open concept kitchen will feature a sushi bar, Mongolian grill, hearth pizza oven, wok, BBQ station, and hot/cold buffet bar.
Customers can expect to see some new surprises while shopping at Farmingdale, such as the designated #selfiespots located throughout the store to capture the location's energy and excitement, as well as old faithful staples including The Customer Service Rock of Commitment, animatronic shows, a one way aisle, the Stew Leonard's Wishing Well, and of course, a free ice cream with every $100 spent.
In-store activities at the new Farmingdale location not to be missed include:
Saturday, January 23: Chef Emeril Lagasse will sign copies of his newest cookbook from Noon - 2 p.m.
Saturday, January 23: Celebrated cheese carver Sarah Kaufmann will WOW customers with her intricate carvings on 500lb and 300lb blocks of cheddar cheese displayed in the store's deli department from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday, January 23, and Sunday, January 24: The Sabrett Hot Dog Cart will be serving up complimentary hot dogs to customers visiting the store from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Throughout the week: Shoppers should be on the lookout for complimentary demos (including Stew Leonard's NAKED Salmon, New Zealand Lamb, and a selection of cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Yancey's, and Wisconsin Cheddar), as well as in-store raffles featuring prizes that range from dinner for two at the famed Rao's in NYC to a ski weekend in Vermont, courtesy of Cabot Cheese.
