Listen to this articleThe basics:
- Sunrise ShopRite to close Passaic Avenue store Oct. 18
- New 90,000-sf supermarket opens Oct. 21 at 900 Bloomfield Ave.
- Grand opening weekend features parade, food trucks & family fun
- Fourth-generation family business continues legacy in West Caldwell
Sunrise ShopRite is preparing to unveil a brand-new supermarket in North Jersey.
Located at 900 Bloomfield Ave. in West Caldwell, the state-of-the-art, nearly 90,000 square-foot store is set to begin welcoming customers Oct. 21.
According to the family-owned grocery business, the soon-to-open site was “designed to deliver a top-notch, modern shopping experience.” The new store includes a wide selection of groceries and fresh produce, bakery, seafood and meat departments. It will also offer chef-prepared meals, made-from-scratch pizza, sushi, Asian cuisine and a hot buffet.
Additionally, the new ShopRite will have:
- Three aisles of curated selections of wine, beer and spirits
- A community room for cooking classes, wellness programs and private events
- Wider aisles and an expanded parking lot
- ShopRite’s online shopping service, Order.Pickup.Deliver
Family affair
According to Sunrise ShopRite, the new supermarket is twice the size of the existing store at 540 Passaic Ave. that it will replace. The old location is scheduled to permanently close Oct. 18 at 6 p.m., the grocer said.
ShopRite of West Caldwell originally opened in 1967 – 27 years after Nathan Gladstein began the family’s grocery business at a small food market in Caldwell. Irving Gladstein, Nathan’s son, took over the business after his father’s passing in 1948. Three years later, he joined Keasbey-based retailer-owned co-op Wakefern Food Corp. and transitioned the family’s Sunrise Market into ShopRite.
The soon-to-shutter store is known for having a distinctive red pagoda roofline that was inspired by Irving Gladstein’s interest in Japanese architecture and culture. Gladstein was a World War II veteran who served in the Pacific theater and made several trips to Japan during his lifetime.
According to Sunrise ShopRite, archival photos showcasing the family’s history will be on display at the new location. It will also have beloved elements and items from the current location on Passaic Avenue, like the Asian-inspired phone booths.
Party time
Now a fourth generation owned company led by the founder’s great-granddaughter, Dara Sblendorio, Sunrise ShopRite has two stores: Parsippany and West Caldwell.
Sblendorio said, “It was important to us to include everyone in this grand opening, and we are so excited to celebrate with our friends, neighbors and the entire community as we prepare to open.”
She went on to say, “The new store reflects and recognizes the commitment of our family, our retail teams and the loyal customers who continue to shop with us — many across multiple generations. With this beautiful new store and our same strong pledge to service and quality, we will continue to grow with West Caldwell for years to come.”
The new store reflects and recognizes the commitment of our family, our retail teams and the loyal customers who continue to shop with us — many across multiple generations.
– Dara Sblendorio, Sunrise ShopRite
To celebrate the launch, Sunrise ShopRite plans to hold an Oct. 19 parking lot party from 1–5 p.m. at the new store. The afternoon will feature live music, food trucks, games, giveaways and family-friendly activities such as a balloon artist, inflatable corn maze, airbrush tattoos, face painting and a Touch-a-Truck experience.
The party continues Oct. 21 with a 9:15 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new store. Prior to that, there will be a “community parade” that steps off at 8:30 a.m. at the former ShopRite location and ends about a half mile away at the new store. All are welcome to join in, Sunrise ShopRite said.
Following the grand opening, ShopRite will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
