The Market Report

Just up the street from yesterday's King Kullen, we find a 30,000 square foot former Waldbaum's that was replaced in 2012 by a Pick Quick Foods-owned Key Food. While the outside still has a Waldbaum's feel to it, we'll see that the inside has been beautifully remodeled. The storefront faces Sunrise Highway (to the right), while the aisles run along the left side of the store (facing the parking lot, to the left). The produce department lines the left of the store, with meats along the back wall. Frozen is in the second-to-last aisle with dairy in the last aisle, and deli-bakery-prepared foods are in the front corner. Clearly quite a change from the Waldbaum's days! The 2012 decor is still looking beautiful today. The store is also immaculate, so that always helps. I'm assuming this produce department is larger than Waldbaum's would have been, and Pick Quick probably took out a grocery aisle to expand it. This wall faces the parking lot. The...

Next stop here in Sunset Park: another store tour, and another Key Food affiliate. This one is, shall we say, on a different speed from yesterday's Food Universe . Food Universe is a brand-new, tiny store. This Key Food is a longtime neighborhood standby that's actually as spacious as any suburban supermarket. The store, owned by Pick Quick Foods, was recently redone outside. Here's a look, courtesy of Google Maps, of the pre-renovation exterior, in 2011. Notice the details above the entrance in the trim. Obviously the building is quite old, and if I had to bet I'd put money on a former theater, as supermarkets have been known to move into old theaters. The high ceiling in the center would also suggest a theater. Notice that the building has been repainted and fixed up with a new awning on the front. Pick Quick is now making more obvious use of the existing trim features on the building than they did in the past. It's worth mentioning that this Key F...