FIRST REPORT: The much-talked about closure of the ShopRite in Lakewood is happening next week, sources confirm to TLS.
The chain store came into Lakewood approximately 40 years ago, and is owned and operated by Saker ShopRites – a family owned business.
Beginning with a small “mom and pop” store opened in 1916 in Freehold, New Jersey, the Saker family (pictured) has operated grocery stores for almost 100 years, according to their website. They opened their first supermarket in 1956.
Saker ShopRites owns and operates 29 supermarkets in central New Jersey, including Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, Somerset and Mercer counties.
The Lakewood ShopRite also contained a Kosher Experience, and attracted thousands of Frum shoppers. As the Lakewood community faces this significant change, some might seek alternative ways to enjoy their local shopping experience or explore new interests, such as browsing “utländska casino” options.
The Lakewood store will shut its doors on April 21, 2015, and a new ShopRite in Howell – in the former Kmart location – will be opening its doors on April 22, 2015.
The Howell location however, will contain only a fraction of the Kosher products and services currently offered in Lakewood, sources tell TLS. For those interested in other types of activities, including “betting utan svensk licens“, there are various options available that might cater to different interests and preferences.
The Frum employees at ShopRite in Lakewood will reportedly be relocated to the other Kosher Experience markets.
Gourmet Glatt, a large Jewish supermarket with locations in Brooklyn and Cedarhurst, New York, will be moving into the Lakewood ShopRite location, sources say, though no opening date is available.
[TLS]
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What a pity Shoprite is moving away they had the best deals. I don’t believe the new store will even come close to Shoprite’s low prices!! Also what about “KRM Kollel store” weren’t they gonna open a store in Lkwd?
I suppose it’s great for Shop Rite. However, the people that have transportation issues will now have an added expense along with also paying a higher tax rate rather than the urban tax rate in Lakewood.
I will miss it very much. How are the prices in Gourmet Glatt? I don’t know if this was a good move for Shoprite. They’ll lose a lot of customers
I am sorry to see them move. They always had good pricing and great sales. Their schedule and hours were also very convenient. Oh well..
Will they rename the plaza?
I dont think its right at all that a New York based business should come here in town and take away parnassa from the owners of NPGS, K.F.S and Kosher West, Kosher Village and the likes. I think the tzedakah, chesed and askonos that these store owners do – each in their own way is second to none….and it should be taken into consideration before we go running to line the pockets of some outside person or persons. however well meaning and nice as they might be.
I may get flack for this, but it was nice having and shopping at a grocery store where all kinds of people shop.
It helps to remember that the world we live in is a shared one.
Some thing is weird with this decision. Where else is there the amount of people per sq ft and the continued growth as in this community. Nobody did well in the Kmart Shopping Center – not Rickles, not Pathmark, not Kmart….Somebody is misinformed. Yes we need kosher products and large family conveniences and prices but the bottom of line of retail, is that the NEED is there and doesn’t have to be created just catered to. I would say the store managers were not educated as to the community needs and that caused the failure if there was one. I will surely miss Shop Rite -did all my shopping there, and will now probably try to fit it into a scheduled trip rather than the go to place for everything.
You have a right to your opinion, however we all have a right to a store that offers the lowest possible price.
the local stores will def suffer. Glatt Gourmet has great prices and everything. i think every lakewood individual should take a move of not supporting outsiders. We owe it to NPGS, KFS etc….. they are always here for us and they are one of ours. Please keep that in mind and maybe if there is some talk before Glatt Gourmet starts investing their money they will reconsider not opening.
Its nice that these New York based stores bring their better shopping experience to Lakewood where there is much growth. Nothing against the stores we have already, just the 3 new supermarkets opening have a good shopping reputation and cant wait to try them out. I’m sure their pricing will be cheaper and with a better Meat take out department etc
I will miss the cheap prices on fresh salmon and meat, especially chopped meat. they were almost half the price of most other establishments.
Now here’s our chance to patronize Acheinu Bnei Yisroel. I’ll still be headed for my delicious fresh baked Challah at NP Jackson every week. Now you can join me!!
I think it’s about time kosher food prices in Lakewood come down .
If this is what it takes so be it !
If a store can offer better prices and better experience we welcome them to the community!! Not to make ridicule of some stores that have a monopoly in Lakewood with a bad shopping experience I’m happy to shop in the new stores opening
If you think GG is coming to Lakewood with their reduced prices, you are delusional. They are coming here to increase their bottom line by price matching the inflated prices we in Lakewood are paying. Do a product for product comparison and work out the % increase. It’s astounding.
Dear help! help!
Sorry but as much as I love to support my local heimishe businesses, the inflated prices don’t make it an appealing option. Shoprite’s price of fish and meat were ridiculously cheaper that most of the supermarkets. We can only hope that Howell will at least have a fresh meat and fish counter.
T
Hashem provides everyone’s parnoso, so they aren’t taking away anyone’s paarnoso. However I have to look out for my best interests, so I will continue to shop wherever I get the best deals, whether it’s Shop Rite, Glatt Gourmet, NPGS or any where else.
shoprite is moving for various reasons among them:
1)lack of parking space
2)too many jewish stores took over the plaza. (are you in Lakewood enough to remember odd job, staples, & many other non jewish stores that used to be there?)
Many other reasons…
I personally don’t think its honest when local groceries think they have a monopoly of prices & own lakewoods food. anyone is welcome to open a more affordable store & take over to help the yidden in this town make their ends meet with their food expenses. Perhaps then the local stores will lower their prices
I wish shoprite Hatzlacha & welcome Gourmet Glatt to Lakewood & look forward to shopping there
Whoever said their prices will be less then the prices of the stores in town. It would be hard for me to believe that they can beat NPGS on pricing.
It so sad to see so many on this site posting (and rating posts) don’t have the sense of responsibility of helping your very own community and your own town. It’s #1 in my book ….I guess its either you have it …or you don’t. Sadly many don’t.
Another piece of history falls to the “upscaling” of Frum life. It makes no sense this was the biggest and busiest Shoprite in the whole chain. Now there will be another overpriced Boro Park import catering to the ever increasing emphasis on drooling Ta’avas Ho’Achila totally not befitting the simple Ben Torah lifestyle that was hallmark of Lakewood’s past. Chaval…
shoprite is moving because the rent was raised a significant percent.They were outbid by the new supermarket. They understand the market better then you however they are a chain with prices the same in all their stores.They felt it was not financially feasible to pay the new much higher rent and still offer their low prices.
To cool masmid:
The biggest chesed you can do in lakewood is lower the prices. The organisations onlyt help the poor. There are many people in the middle class who are not eligible for tzedakah but have a hard time making ends meet. This is the relief they badly need. This is something the Rabbonim and Askonim should have done years ago it is done in every city that has Bnei Torah!!!!!! If the store owners have an issue with it let them lower the prices enough ripping off the tzibur. Do we owe the store keepers anything that we must continue to pay these high prices???? And by the way what Gourmet Glatt is doing is one thousand percent ok Halachickly.
I shopped for yom tov at KRM saved 30% and out in under and hour!!
what’s going to be in the old shoprite?? another school?? like Lakewood needs more of them!!
Dear hope better,
I am a weekly shopper at Shoprite. I have never ever (note the emphasis) had a problem finding parking. You argument that there is no parking is laughable. Your second comment that there are too many Jewish stores is also a joke. More foot traffic means more customers to the shopping mall.
Odd-Jobs and Staples were (are) hardly a draw.
As for the reasoning behind the move, I’m sure in Shoprite’s assessment on rental costs, their need for increased space (they’re opening a superstore), and the need of the mall owners to improve their bottom line, it made sense to both parties.
But thanks for your ‘man-in-the-street’ report.
I am happy there are more stores opening. More competition. I hate when storeowners charge overinflated prices and then get their name out as big Baalei Tzedaka. Lower the prices for everyone and then maybe so much tzedaka won’t be needed! It’s lovely to be honored as a distributor of charity but it’s more honorable to help people not need it. I personally shop in NY when I can because their prices are a fraction of Lakewood prices. Many distributors have warehouses in New Jersey so transportation expenses are the same either way. Very grateful for competition. Keeping an eye out for the best sales. I have a family to feed and no gov’t assistance.
Hakol bee-dai Shamaym cheetz m’yiraas …..
Beeee-toochin!
Bottom line is Lakewoods grocery prices are significantly higher than Brooklyn and Monsey! There’s no excuse. We have the most volume.
perhaps the margin on kosher food makes it not worth selling.
Finaly!!!!
We have been waiting for this for years!!!
Enough is enough we overpay on almost all groceries in this town!!
Maybe they will have shopping carts that work?
Maybe they won’t sell expired food?shorter lines…………
I won’t have to do my big shopping in bklyn anymore!!
I can’t wait to check out the new store!
How about not knowing how much you are paying because prices are not displayed?
It is so sad …………………………………..like by like they will moving out of Lakewood. I don’t know how this is possible. All new houses and so.
I don’t know enough about the super-market business to pass judgment. I assume, like any other successful 100 year old business, they have people that know what they’re doing. In a fair market country like ours, the customer has the free choice to buy where he/she wants for whatever the reason. Will this move be less convenient for many Lakewooders? I suppose so, but life goes on. I, for one, will miss the Kosher Experience and it’s great food, staff and management. Good luck and all the best!
It’s possible Shoprite moved because the rent at it’s current location was much higher than what was available at the Kmart location.
Also, my husband was told the “kosher” shoppers really buy in bulk especially the sale items, so that Shoprite was loosing money because of their very good sales. A more neutral location will give them some balance. I guess we’ll see.
Will gourmet glatt also pledge to protect our community by putting those black ‘shmiras einayim covers’ over the national inquirer and people magazine stands?
The market that best serves the community will get the most business. The community will vote with their shopping dollars. Individual shoppers will determine the mix of quality and value they desire, and the market that offers it and can still generate a profit will survive. I wouldn’t judge GG until they get here though. Maybe they’ll be better than ShopRite.
to all those worried about the 5 business owners in Lakewood that will be losing money what about the thousands of families in Lakewood that will now have a cheaper shopping experience and will save more money
To several people commenting above about not allowing NY stores into Lakewood:
If the Lakewood stores would even remotely compete with the pricing found in NY supermarkets, I may have had to agree with you. However, with the highway robbery on many many STAPLES in our local supermarkets, I welcome them with open arms. So does the rest of Lakewood- that is, the people that pay for their own food. The pricing we must put up with in Lakewood is shameful at best. They should revamp their pricing and fulfill their “tzedaka” by relieving the burden on “middle class” Lakewood families.
I am constantly frustrated when local stores offer only a limited variety of products,either because they are trying to get rid of inventory (example:kosher lipesach kishka), hechsherim, etc. or otherwise. Please offer us us variety and let us choose.
We should start a petition asking shoprite to bring back kosher experience!!!!
I Still don’t understand why the’re moving?
It seemed to me, the store was always busy with Jews and non Jews alike.
Will they really do better in Howell?
sad to see it go it’s will be such a loss to lakewood it’s not even lakewood anymore my heart is broken to see shop rite that once was on Kennedy then on route 9 to close it doors forever my heart is broken and tears are falling good bye you will be missed Saker family. You were a vital part of us. Blessings to you and your family.
To:
My Take says:
April 13, 2015 at 12:10 pm
Hashem provides everyone’s parnoso, so continue to shop wherever you get the best deals, without any other considerations, and you’ll end up with the same amount of money at the end of the day.
Whatever was on sale in a certain store in lakewood for pesach, was way cheaper in Brooklyn. For example lakewood farms Orange juice, was 2.19 in the cheapest store in lakewood and advertised for $1.79 in moishas. I dont think Gourmet Glatt is so cheap
How about printing what I wrote?????? what are you afraid of???????
I love all these people who scream cheap prices cheap prices. Does anyone realize that it cost MONEY to operate and stay in business? Have you seen what has happened to all the different businesses in this town that offer everything for “cheap”? Cheaper food. Cheaper catering. Cheaper fruit. Cheaper clothing. Those businesses and stores are gone after a little while. Because you need MONEY to operate a business and after a while you plotz if you don’t have it. And guess what? You take all your investors and vendors you owe MONEY to, down with you. So enough of this just yelling cheap cheap cheap. The idea is to be fair and honest.
i am really excited to have glatt gourmet coming to town they are a great supermarket and I’m sure they”ll have much better meat products ect…who cares about the prices good food is the icker
baruch hashem
We can use as many groceries we can get. More competition means
better pricing and better selection so guess who wins?
We do. Only bad part is that Shoprite was a great spot.
Why on earth would they move if they were raking it in????
For years the Lakewood community has been growing.. Why? Because every relative has been relocating here from NY / Brroklyn and surrounding area. Now that a NY based company of your own want in… Your trying to shut them out. Shame on the Lakewood community. There is less n less of open land in and around Lakewood while more n more housing is being developed for our own ppl. If so many of us feel Gourmet Glatt doesn’t belong here, maybe we should all move out and give the town back
to Teacher
any store that does not display their prices clearly is not keeping the torah. it is a straight halacha that a business (of any type) must have their prices displayed clearly
Hatzlacha rabba & a gutten zimmer to everyone
With the new Howell store only 4 miles away, I guess it makes sense for them to not have 2 stores so close together.
Thank you Saker family and all the Shoprite employees for your years of service..you will be missed. best of success in the new location
to those who dont know business. Lakewood may be more expensive due to shipping with gas and tolls to NJ for a truck and crew adds to the costs of all products. the warehouses are in Brooklyn….
It is a shame Shoprite is leaving Lakewood. It was the “place to go” after services on Sunday or whenever you had services..Everyone was there. You got to know the people and they got to know you. It tends to follow the trends, the population is growing and many of the old timers have moved along to other places. I don’t think that store will suffer at all. Many people are loyal to their stores. They will travel the extra couple miles to get to the store or they will go to other stores in other towns. Its not like Shoprite is closing..Just relocating..and there are stores all around us in Manchester, Toms River & Brick.
See you soon
The new store is less than 2 miles from the old one…. it’s not like it’s moving 1000 miles away. Chill people and be excited for the newer store
Who ever gives best quality, service, cleanliness and consistent low prices gets my business. Same with restaurants and other businesses.
Some will win and some will go under. Hopefully some will not just take customers for granted as some do. This should help raise the bar and set a better buying atmosphere for consumers. Don’t forget other businesses opened here also that had locations first in Miami & NY, and other cities and everyone seems pretty happy about it. B’h were growing!
If u like Shop Rite so much, you can still go there. They only moved 6 minutes up the 9. And, btw, except for the sales, their prices were not noticeably cheaper than the other grocery stores. But I have friends who do their large Yom Tov shopping in BP and save hundreds of dollars.
I live in NY, near one of the GG stores. I do my shopping at Kosher West, in Lakewood, as it is almost half the price. Granted, you can only get certain brands (for ex: they don’t sell non CY) but even with the few things that I DO go to GG for, my shopping comes out less when done in lakewood.
I need to laugh when I see people think that the NY stores coming here will be cheaper. Really now? Based on what exactly? Who do you think is paying for all the gaudy decoration and advertising? I might have a couple of doorbusters but don’t think for one second that it will be cheaper. And btw this while N.Y. Is cheaper thing is way overdone. Compare your whole order. Not just the silly Orange Juice that gets you into the store.
I heard from an employee in Shoprite that the store was actualy LOSING money due to th fact that most people were shopping only the sale items
I wish krm or moishe”s discount would open here. They are significantly cheaper then the prices the local supermarkets currently charge.
its a real shame that we are losing shoprite as a local store. noone can beat its deals on soda, cereals, pasta… we welcome with open arms another kosher supermarket! the more the merrier! its about time there is more competition and the so called cheap stores… will be proven just how expensive they really are compared to ny prices!
cant wait bring it in
bring down all ridiculous meat prices in town
I heard from Inner Circles that Shoprite was offered millions of dollars from Gormet Glatt to relocate
Happy to hear that GG will be opening. They will raise the bar in customer service and some basic shopping experience which some big local groceries lack. For those knocking that this is a NY based business are wrong. This will increase jobs for frum yidden in Lakewood.
54
Nice try but where do you think all those high prices items currently sold at the established stores are coming from??
They won’t be successful in Howell. There is another Shoprite down the 9. They will miss us more than we will miss them. Hopefully, kosher food, especially fish will be affordable at GG. Shoprite will surely be missed for their flower shop.
It baffles me beyond belief that ShopRite would drop the Kosher Experience in the new store. Even if they didn’t have the deli, I am highly surprised that they are doing a major scale down of the kosher products found in the last two aisles.
From talking to people, I am surprised, all things being equal, that people dont want to drive the 2.4 miles north to the new store. I think they are BANANAS!
Just like I go up the 9 to Target or Walmart, I’ll probably still go to Shop Rite, but, I will shop where I get the best prices, so, just as I buy things on sale at Shop Rite, I will buy things on sale at Glatt Gourmet and any other store that I care to go to.
#1 Shoprite is moving not because they want, only because Glat gourmet was willing to pay more to lease the store.
#2 whoever missis shoprite is welcome to drive another 5 minutes to thier new location.
#3 Those having issues that its NY owners, should go see a doctor asap.
#4 book another session with the same doctor if you know of all the chesed these lakewood overpriced – under staffed – grocers do.
#5 Glat gourment will be cheaper because they have a system like every other ny store to price items, unlike lakewood stores were you price as much as you could or makes sense or as much as the competition charges.
#6 the meat – fruits – fish – takeout & bakery will be much much better in quality & freshness because thats just how they do it in their other stores.
#7 i will probably make a shehecheyanu the first time i go there & see how service, cleanness , normal checkout looks.
Looking fwd
Funny to hear many complain about ‘outsiders’ from New York coming into the community and how we should carer to our own. Aren’t most of us ‘outsiders’ coming from New York and Israel???
For all those who were not clear. ITS Gourmet Glatt NOT Glatt Gourmet. Thank you.
Not against Jewish people or kosher products, but lakewood is not only a home to Jews but also to other ethnicities. Shop rite provided service for all types of cultures. Why are they catering to only one now ?
Will the new store employ workers that speak English? Will the shelves have prices on them?
It will be a first for non-national store in Lakewood.
To: J’Johnson Vlade
Please do!
GG does NOT have cheaper prices they have a nice store….. but who cares if my credit card statement will look ugly! Not all NY stores are cheap we need KRM or Moshias!
and Pathmark on 60th street in boro park
is selling out to The Kollel Grocery (Moshes)