Now officially sold from its bankrupt parent company, the Ozone Park PathMark supermarket will be closed and reopened next week as Queens’ newest Stop & Shop store.
On Thursday, the Stop & Shop Supermarket Company sealed the deal it brokered in July with the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P) to purchase 25 PathMark, Waldbaum’s and A&P supermarkets across the tri-state area. The deal came after A&P filed for federal bankruptcy protection, claiming that it suffered $300 million in losses in the last year.
Located at 92-10 Atlantic Ave., the Ozone Park PathMark is the first of six Pathmark and Waldbaum’s locations included in the deal that will be converted into Stop & Shop supermarkets. The market will close for a one-week period for renovations and is expected to reopen on Friday, Oct. 16.
Stop & Shop will complete the conversion process in groups of five newly acquired supermarkets. All 25 locations are expected to be completely converted by Nov. 13.
Once renovations are complete, the new Stop & Shop locations will have a modern decor, updated refrigeration systems, improved lighting, technological upgrades and other amenities. The markets will also feature brands affiliated with Stop & Shop, such as the Nature’s Promise product line, as well as locally grown produce and various organic products.
Pharmacies and/or banks located in the former PathMarks and Waldbaum’s will remain open during the conversion process.
“We are very excited to begin the store conversion process, and we will strive to minimize the inconvenience to customers,” Stop & Shop New York Metro Division President Don Sussman said. “Stop & Shop is committed to improving the overall shopping experience in these 25 stores to meet the quality, selection and savings that customers have come to expect from us.”
The other five new Stop & Shops are two other PathMark locations on Farrington Street in Flushing and Springfield Boulevard in Springfield Gardens and three Waldbaum’s on 26th Avenue in Bayside, Beach Channel Drive in Belle Harbor and Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach.
Upon filing for bankruptcy in July, A&P put 120 of its 296 supermarkets nationwide up for sale. Other supermarket chains such as Key Food and Acme reportedly made bids to purchase various Pathmark and Waldbaum’s locations. Twenty-five other stores were completely closed.
