Special Report: Food World Supermarket (future) - East Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY

Food World Supermarket

Opening: TBA

Owner: Hi Jong (Howard) Lee

Previous Tenants: Key Food > Pioneer Supermarkets > CTown Supermarkets

Cooperative: Key Food Stores

Location: 4209 Ave D, East Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY

Photographed: November 20, 2024

Today we're checking out two Key Food stores in progress in Flatbush! A mile west, a Food Universe has been doubled in size and switched to SuperFresh. And here in a quiet residential neighborhood along Avenue D, the area's only supermarket is about to be reopened after being closed for several years.

The space on the right here has been a supermarket for a long time. It's 9500 square feet, and in 1999, opened as a Key Food (not sure what was there before Key Food). The store closed in 2015 and reopened as a Pioneer the same year, then closed in early 2017. Later in 2017, it actually reopened, again under the Pioneer banner, only to switch to CTown in early 2019. CTown closed in late 2022. In May 2023, Hi Jong Lee -- who owns Food World and SuperFresh stores -- acquired this building and the small storefront next to it. It's now being prepared to reopen as a Food World, once again under Key Food.

When Pioneer first opened here, they constructed a new panel over the original facade. The outline of the old Key Food sign is still very visible once that panel is taken off, though. (I assume Food World will install their own new facade or awning.) The Super Savings Center sign is also still very visible...

The new supermarket will take up almost the entire block (but it'll still be small, only about 15,000 square feet). It doesn't appear that the new Food World will include the gray storefront on the far left.

One door on the far left side of the supermarket storefront was open as work was ongoing when I visited. This gives us a tiny glimpse of what the supermarket interior will look like!

This is the only indication of the store's future name -- a now hiring banner on the front with the Food World logo. There's an identical banner they use for SuperFresh, except the logo used in the O is the S-circle logo. I really don't like this Food World logo (flying palm trees, anyone?) but I understand they probably prefer the brand because it's a New York brand. The New Jersey stores are branded SuperFresh. There's also the fact that there's another SuperFresh just west.

Now if we peek inside the rolling door, we can actually get a great look inside the store! It looks like it's a simple version of the same decor I linked in Highland Park. Obviously, there are a few differences -- flooring and ceiling, most notably. This store will have a white drop ceiling as opposed to the black exposed ceiling of Highland Park, and gray laminate tile instead of polished concrete. I assume those decisions have to do with the building.

Notice the seafood department sign is almost exactly the same as Highland Park.

It doesn't look like much (if anything) is left over from the CTown that previously occupied this space.

I'll be back to check out the store once it opens. But in the meantime, here's a look at a new SuperFresh nearby and a new Stop & Shop coming soon in Massachusetts, and come back on Monday for more central Massachusetts coverage!