Dec. 19, 2016 By Christian Murray
A discount store on 31st Street is closing as development looks imminent.
ABC Super Stores, which occupies a one-story building at 21-27 31st Street, will close once its existing inventory is sold. A large sign drapes over the front of store that reads: “Closing this store. Everything must go.”
The owner of the business has lost his lease and there are no plans to relocate to another part of Astoria. “It’s too expensive around here,” said the manager of the Astoria location. “We are looking to open another store in Brooklyn.”
The Astoria operation is part of the ABC Super Stores chain, which consists of 11 locations. In Queens, there are stores in Sunnyside, Ridgewood and Corona. Those stores will continue to operate as usual.
The Astoria property where ABC is currently located was bought for $8.5 million on Dec. 1, according to public records.
The purchaser is listed as 20 RFC ASTORIA LLC, which is linked to John Petras, who is the managing partner of the Douglaston-based real estate management and development company Rockfarmer Properties.
Petras could not be reached for comment.
Development plans have yet to be filed with the Department of Buildings.
