2023 Northeast EIA Recipients

Introducing a salute to ‘backbone of our industry’

On the following pages, Shelby Publishing is proud to present its inaugural Exceptional Independents Awards. Nominations were open to independent retailers, wholesalers, technology and other service providers.

“Independents are the backbone of our industry, and this new awards program is an opportunity to recognize them for their contributions,” said Stephanie Reid, Shelby president.

“Independents are a vital part of their communities and lead the way in caring for their customers. Our Exceptional Independents Awards shine a light on these businesses that continue to help feed our communities.”

Coverage of the award winners will appear by region in the March 2023 editions of The Shelby Report of the Midwest, The Shelby Report of the Southeast, The Shelby Report of the Southwest, The Shelby Report of the West and The Griffin Report of the Northeast. Awards winners also will be featured on theshelbyreport.com.

Bradford General Store – P&L Country Market

Andrew and Amanda Costello are the proud owners and operators of Bradford General Store and P&L Country Market in Bradford and Dexter, Maine, respectively.

What makes these independents stand out so much is their commitment to consistently delivering an exceptional consumer experience to their patrons regardless if they’re first-time customers or frequenting locals. Their gold standard of service wouldn’t be possible, however, without their pride for the communities they serve and their dedication to social responsibility.

Bradford General Store has been in business for more than 100 years, making it a deep-rooted pillar within Bradford. The Costellos have taken great care to honor their long-standing history while also maintaining a competitive edge.

The store was entirely rebuilt in 2014, along with P&L Country Market’s recently completed remodel, which allowed these stores to boast their solar panel arrays, the

Brookdale ShopRite

Brookdale ShopRite in Bloomfield, New Jersey, describes itself as a “Supermarket with a Heart” and Neil Greenstein, owner-operator, and his dedicated team of associates definitely put their hearts into all they do in their Bloomfield and Newark stores and the communities those stores serve.

Greenstein and his team recently completed an extensive remodel of Brookdale ShopRite. It is a family-owned business that has served Essex County for more than 50 years. The work included storewide external and internal enhancements and upgrades, new departments and fresh food offerings, along with a new breakroom for associates and the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting and refrigerated cases.

The Brookdale store also recently unveiled an EVgo electric vehicle fast-charging station in the parking lot that can charge four cars simultaneously. Greenstein, who was joined at the unveiling ceremony by local leaders, including Rep. Mikie Sherrill, told the group that the electric vehicle charging station and renovation at Brookdale ShopRite brings the store into the future in a way that best serves customers, associates and the community.

As a third-generation grocer whose grocery business was founded by his grandparents, Greenstein shares the past and the future with the community. He grew up in

largest full-service butcher cases in Maine and a renewed focus on heat reclamation.

In addition to a focus on modernization and sustainability, both Bradford General Store and P&L Country Market invest in their people, within and outside of the stores. They take care of their associates by providing a rich benefits package and an air of appreciation that’s engrained in the culture. Customers have commented on the positive atmosphere and how it’s beneficially impacted their shopping experience.

Bradford General Store and P&L Country Market are also known for their community involvement, providing a successful customer loyalty program, supporting their respective towns’ Girl Scout troops, local humane societies and offering their aisles as much needed assembly areas for Kiwanis holiday food boxes.

Public opinion speaks for itself on why Bradford General Store and P&L Country Market are exceptional independents,

with a combined 4.85/5-star rating on Facebook and reviews highlighting fantastic customer service, small town friendliness and affordable and diverse product mix.

As one customer put it, “[Andrew] is one of the best, as is his wife. They do all they can for the people of Bradford, which makes them the success that they are.” And another customer shared: “I just got my weekly groceries at P&L. Shop here! What a great team! Thank you for making my weekly chore so enjoyable.”

the business and worked alongside his grandmother and parents.

In 2015, he opened the family’s second store, the 70,000-square-foot ShopRite of Newark, with community leaders praising him as a community partner helping to transform Newark and a “prime example of how businesses should operate in communities.”

Greenstein focused his hiring and training efforts on Newark residents and he’s worked closely over the years with groups such as the Greater Newark Conservancy and the Boys and Girls Club of Newark.

He supports many local and educational-based organizations, including the Foley Field Foundation, Bloomfield Educational Foundation and LifeTown, an immersive educational, therapeutic and recreational center for young people. He’s also a supporter of ShopRite Partners In Caring, ShopRite and Wakefern Food Corp.’s signature hungerfighting initiative that helps organizations on the front lines fighting food insecurity. Greenstein is a member of the retailer-owned cooperative Wakefern Food Corp. and serves on its board of directors.

Brookdale ShopRite completed its renovation last year and store highlights include:

• Fresh To Table experience offering high-quality,

Concord Market

The Concord Market has raised funding and made donations to a variety of worthy charities and local town departments in Concord, Massachusetts. This year, it raised money for Sunflower of Peace to help people of Ukraine by selling Ukrainian food and donating the proceeds.

In addition, Concord Market donated to the Concord Community Chest, Concord’s schools and police, fire and recreational departments. It also donated food to the Musicians of the Concord Chamber Orchestra and the Emerson Umbrella and Arts Organization.

grab-and-go meals and ingredients

• Freshly roasted nuts and spices from the Nuts Factory

• New Broad Street Grill with grilled-to-order specialties

• International cheese department with a cheese monger on site

• Expanded organic produce selection

• Sandwich bar

• Fresh seafood offerings, including meals to order and steamed lobsters

• Expanded bakery

• Custom cut meats to order from the butcher

• Expanded beer and craft beer selection

• Renovated and expanded parking lot with additional spaces and electric car charging

Elizabeth Akehurst-Moore, owner, is chair of the zoning board of appeals, board of directors of the Concord Business Partnership and received an Unbossed Business Leadership Award from local representative Tami Gouveia this past year.

Akehurst-Moore volunteered to speak to girls at the National Charity League event about Women in Business and also spoke to the Young Entrepreneurs Club at Concord Academy.

In summary, The Concord Market is a pillar of the community for its generous contributions to the local community.

Crosby’s Markets Inc.

Currently boasting seven locations and one central kitchen across the North Shore of Massachusetts, Crosby’s attributes much of the stores’ success to differentiation. Whether it be through the customer experience, the site’s facilities or the product mix, it’s important for a store to stand out in order to remain viable in a market where all competitors are strong.

A major turning point for Crosby’s Markets was the purchase of Henry’s Markets in 2015. This allowed them entry into the foodservice space. Leveraging the kitchen’s 75-year history and local reputation, Crosby’s was able to introduce chef-inspired, made-from-scratch creations to all of its stores.

The family-run business is operated by its second generation with Chris Crosby, president, at the helm. He has had the values and attitudes instilled in him by his father, Jim. As the founder once said, “We’re constantly trying to keep the stores modern and clean and fun for customers as they come in…you try to create that ‘wow’ feeling when somebody comes in the store and impress your customers with

Hayes Market

your physical facilities, as well as your service level.”

In line with this sentiment, philanthropy is a top priority to Crosby’s. The company received the Massachusetts Food Association Community Service Award in 2013. Every year, Crosby’s employees participate in the Care Dimensions Walk for Hospice in honor of former company president, David Crosby, who died in 2015.

The employees support the Greater Boston Food Bank, multiple homeless shelters and local soup kitchens with their generous donations. This is part of Crosby’s effort to minimize food waste and provide good meals for those in

Geissler’s

need. Crosby’s has participated in Register Tapes for Education, a program where customer’s receipts are turned into points that local schools can redeem for free equipment and materials.

Crosby’s is a strong supporter of children’s organizations and initiatives such as the Boys & Girls Club, local Girl and Boy Scouts troops and the Arc of Massachusetts, a program that helps developmentally delayed people find work and have fulfilling careers. Crosby’s has been associated with this program since 2016 and has proudly employed more than 30 people with down syndrome or other conditions.

Crosby’s Markets is a grocery chain for the people, having made a name for itself alongside big-box brands through innovation while never losing sight of the “why.” The term “exceptional independent” is synonymous with the Crosby’s brand and it’s something it consistently strives for in day-today operations and strategic vision.

Geissler’s is continuously reinvesting in its stores to provide superior customer service in all areas. All seven of the local stores are the cornerstones of their respective communities.

Geissler’s continuously promotes local and regional producers and farmers. This helps to ensure the success of those in the communities. By doing this, the company is able to help keep many of the dollars spent in its stores closer to home.

The Geissler’s team also is committed to giving back to the local communities. Team members have supported many educational initiatives over the years.

Lastly, Geissler’s is not afraid to take on new initiatives or technology if it believes they will assist in creating a better shopping experience for customers. This team really sets the bar for a true exceptional independent in the grocery industry today.

It all began straight out of high school, where I found myself working at a locally owned Zazzera’s Supermarket in Forest City, Pennsylvania. There, I would continue doing what I loved to do, but I would meet my wife, Heather, who was a cashier, before heading off to college.

Like many, I would out-grow Zazzera’s and feel it was time to move on in 2007. I had my mind set on having my own location someday and needed more experience to make it happen. That led to my next stop at Quinn’s Markets in Archbald, Pennsylvania, for 12 years.

In 2012, I would kick off an annual event that would become a huge part of the community each year. As animal lover and as an avid cyclist, I would cycle for a local nonprofit animal shelter in Lackawanna County.

I had some stops for experience between 2015-19, such

as with Associated Grocers of New England and Bozzuto’s. My roles were new business development/store counselor. But regardless of who I was employed by, the efforts I put forth locally would not change.

On Dec. 1, 2019, I opened a supermarket in Waymart, Pennsylvania. My dream of owning a supermarket had happened for me at age 39. However, what I wasn’t expecting to happen came four months later with the COVID-19 pandemic that would change the world as we know it. The timing to open the store couldn’t have been better, but the challenges would only increase in our industry.

I say it all the time, but I have set myself apart from the competition and I’ve done that with being committed to the community through Pedaling 4 Paws. I’m a huge animal lover. Having three French bulldogs, I’ve made them the

Healthy Living Market and Café

In 1986, with no knowledge of business, Katy Lesser started a tiny market in South Burlington, Vermont. One of Lesser’s motivations was finding good, clean food for her family. In the 1980s, more and more processed foods were being introduced and finding healthy choices became difficult.

Lesser had fond memories of food markets when she was growing up and remembered them as community meeting places, where neighbors ran into each other and shopping was a happy, social experience. So, she thought, why not own a market that was dedicated to the kind of things she was seeking.

Fast forward and Lesser was joined by her children, Eli and Nina, soon after they finished college. Healthy Living’s second store opened in 2013 in Saratoga Springs, New

York, and then they opened a store in Williston, Vermont, in 2021.

For more than 30 years, Healthy Living has been on a mission to offer the community the best regional and national brands – with an unparalleled focus on working with local farms and local producers.

Healthy Living has been an integral part of the communities it serves for many years, dedicated to the health and welfare of all. Healthy Living pioneered natural food stores in Vermont and has expanded to serve fresh, chef-driven

in-store

café foods. Healthy Living now employs 320 team members across its three locations and remains a family business.

Committed to holding the strictest ingredient standards in the retail industry, Healthy Living is proud to sell the finest and cleanest food at the fairest prices possible.

Healthy Living staff members are extremely knowledgeable, bringing a wealth of skills to the stores. Healthy Living takes great pride in knowing that it provides an environment where people truly enjoy their work.

In creating a fun, supportive and flexible workplace, it enables people to learn, grow and change. Healthy Living seeks to hire only the best, encourages excellence and strives to maintain a diverse community.

Healthy Living is a true family business. It loves taking care of people and delivering exceptional hospitality.

mascots of Hayes Market. One way I heavily market my company is by using social media and having a weekly segment on local TV with the pups. I look forward to the future of where I can take Hayes and adding more miles to Pedaling 4 Paws.

Janssen’s Market

Janssen's Market has been a Greenville, Delaware, landmark for more than 70 years, thanks to the dedication of three generations of Janssen family members. Janssen's provides a relaxing, friendly environment where customers pick up the necessities, talk to the butcher about the best cut of meat for an upcoming dinner party or work with the florist to develop the perfect bouquet. At Janssen's, they are part of the family.

Founded by Joseph Janssen Sr. in fall 1952, Janssen’s Market has become a community institution. It offers the finest foods and superb customer service, with the highest attention to detail.

When customers step inside, they’ll find a complete range of gourmet products, as well as everyday items. There’s no need to shop anywhere else. And, if Janssen’s Market doesn’t have an item, just ask and it will get it.

Stop in for lunch or dinner at J’s Cafe. Visit the butcher to peruse a mélange of fresh meats and seafood. Shoppers are more than satisfied with the selection of produce, including greens and herbs straight from local organic farms.

Janssen’s Market’s catering service impresses with superior hors d’oeuvres, entrées, salads and trays created with produce, meats and cheeses found exclusively in-store.

Leg Up Farmers Market

Leg Up Farmers Market is a full-service natural foods grocery store located in York, Pennsylvania.

ECRS nominated this deserving retailer for its philanthropic mission. Part of the Leg Up Farm Family of Companies, Leg Up Farmers Market supports the work of Leg

Marty’s 1st Stop

Up Farm, a nonprofit therapy center in York County for children with special needs, and Able-Services, a nonprofit day program service for adults with special needs. These organizations provide life-changing therapy for those with special needs. They serve more than 700 families a year.

Janssen’s Market has a longstanding reputation for honesty and respect for its employees. In a retail industry known for high turnover, Janssen’s Market has many employees with more than 10 years of service. Several managers have worked at Janssen’s for 30 years or longer. The company provides excellent benefits, including profit sharing, 401K match and employer-sponsored health and dental benefits, as well as disability and life insurance.

Janssen’s Market is always investing in its physical space to keep a beautiful and inviting shopping experience for customers. The produce department was recently updated with a new layout and fixtures. The company also has invested in new register systems and kiosk ordering for the café. It constantly strives to surprise and delight customers.

Janssen’s Market is also a strong supporter of the local community. It participates in charity events and donates to local charities. It holds an annual art event that brings painters from all over the country to paint “plein air” and benefits Children’s Beach House, a local organization. Janssen’s also delivers weekly to the local Ronald McDonald House to make sure parents and families are able to eat well while their children are receiving medical care.

Market Basket

Market Basket is an exceptional independent retailer that focuses on improving its brand and shopping experience for its customers, including spending an ample amount of time addressing the needs of the surrounding community.

In addition to its physical store locations, Market Basket has been investing in growing the business by expanding into e-commerce stores for 25 locations - offering shoppers a convenient alternative to traditional grocery shopping.

Among the e-commerce stores, four of the locations offer marine service delivery. By serving the region since 1961, Market Basket makes the food shopping experience fast and friendly for all offshore, industrial and marine services industries.

Market Basket’s support of the community is outstanding. During a busy holiday season, the retailer led several initiatives to give back to the community. These included a $1,000 giveaway to a lucky Market Basket shopper, social media contests and fundraisers to support local school and sports teams.

In addition, Market Basket values its employees and provides a safe and valued environment to work in.

In a small town like Danville, Vermont, local markets often serve as community staples. Marty’s 1st Stop is no exception. One customer even described it as “more than a convenience store – it's the life blood of any trip to the Northeast Kingdom.”

Marty’s 1st Stop is true to its name. Shoppers enjoy the diverse product mix and freshly prepared to-go meals that are made in the on-site kitchen, which is great for the out-of-town traveler and the outdoor-adventurers who frequent the vast bike and snowmobile trails. To cater even further to the audience at hand, Marty’s includes a bank, a pet and feed section and gas pumps.

What really makes Marty’s 1st Stop so iconic though, is owner Marty Beattie. He recognizes that his store is so much more than just a place for folks to get their groceries. It can be an integral part of someone’s life.

Beattie said he is most proud of the relationships he’s established over the last 34 years, particularly when he’s been able to be a mentor. With a passion for encouraging the workforce’s newest generation, it is imperative to Beattie to host a healthy, safe and nurturing work environment where his associates often seek out his life advice. Through these exhibitions of genuine care, Beattie has made lasting impressions on his staff that then set the foundation for the store’s incredibly strong culture.

Marty’s 1st Stop also prioritizes safety in other public institutions and broadened the scope of its reach by donating $2,000 to assist in a local school’s security upgrades.

In kind with its concern for people, Marty’s 1st Stop is also ecologically conscious. The store has participated in the Vermont Alliance of Independent Country Stores as a panelist to discuss the state’s recycling laws and their impact on the retail industry, as well as installed electric car charging stations.

Marty’s 1st Stop recently completed major renovations that included brand-new hot cases and 36 dairy and freezer doors. Not only will these upgrades improve the overall shopping experience, but they will improve energy efficiencies and reduce the store’s carbon emissions.

Marty’s 1st Stop is a large supporter of the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, helping to raise awareness about trail maintenance and promote the recreational sport that brings much needed tourism to the state’s economy.

Marty’s 1st Stop is an exceptional independent because it is known for its unparalleled customer service, classic New England charm, ingenuity and compassion towards others. It embodies all that a Northeastern retailer should aspire to be.

Paradis Shop ‘n Save

Paradis Family Shop ‘n Save has been there for its customers since 1947 – more than 75 years.

It is a third-generation business with the fourth generation working in the stores with us.

According to the company, “We have always been thankful of our customers, so we have always budgeted donating back to our communities. We were in six different towns and are now only three stores.

“Investing in technology has brought us success, along with great associates with a very low turnover. We have

McCaffrey’s Food Markets

McCaffrey’s Food Markets has always approached the CATAPULT system with an intense thirst for maximization, which is reflected in its desire to provide the best possible customer experience.

The company has an infectious energy about learning the system, promoting its benefits and being the best power user in the CATAPULT Community. By the end of this year, McCaffrey’s will have implemented nearly all available modules of the CATAPULT system, including ECRS Supplier Gateway, e-commerce, autoscale, loyalty, reporting, self-checkout, electronic shelf labels, cash office and general ledger. It also is expanding in 2023 and opening a new store.

Outside of the system mastery, McCaffrey’s was honored in its local community as Newtown’s Business of the Year and has a mission to support local organizations through food donations, financial support and nonprofit memberships.

associates that have worked with us as much as 55 years to retirement. Some are still here at 47 years.

“We have invested into betterments and improvements in our locations, along with running a clean and safe work environment...we now have available to us new training options for our associates through our new [human resources] payroll company.

“We would not be in business today without the support of our suppliers, associates, family and – most of all – the great customers we serve.”

PSK Supermarkets

Noah Katz is president of PSK Supermarkets, which operates 13 Foodtown and Pathmark locations in the metro New York area.

Katz has been a trail blazer with retail technology and loyalty marketing. His retail technology accomplishments include being the first in the cooperative to provide customers a full-service online grocery service, and championing the expansion of e-commerce throughout the entire cooperative.

Katz was also the first cooperative member to develop a comprehensive shopper loyalty program that includes store-specific segmentations and marketing targets that include direct mail, in-lane, email and mobile offers.

Katz has also implemented technology that alerts management throughout the store, every time a top shopper checks in at a register. He also offers his management team true consumerfocused incentives, which include incentives based on top shopper retention by store. He and the Katz family also recently transitioned the business to an employee-owned company, demonstrating their commitment to associates and solidifying their place as a best-in-class place to work.

Richmond Shops IGA

The Independent Grocers Alliance has announced John Hallinan, owner of The Richmond Shops IGA located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as an IGA USA Retailer of the Year.

The awards are the highest honors IGA bestows upon its retailer members. They are presented annually to grocers who have best provided leadership and excellence in their communities.

The Richmond Shops IGA is a founding member of The Retail Marketing Group, which provides a complete self-funded ad program, including circulars for home delivery and in-store. RMG supports independent retail members with the advertising, promotion and merchandising guidance they need to compete.

This full-service supermarket has outstanding perishable departments, in-store bakery, Best in Philly (Philadelphia Magazine) Bottle Shop, Fresh Sushi & Boba Island, a full-service bank, Pennsylvania Lottery, public transit passes and a bill pay solution for customers.

Moreover, it carries a complete line of organic, vegan, natural foods and local products.

The Richmond Shops is committed to local

vendors, with Lancaster Fresh milk and eggs, Philly-brined pickles, locally-sourced raw honey, handmade pierogis, a neighborhood Urban Winery and locally produced breads, cheeses and meats.

Roberts Food Center and Brookside Market

In his nomination, Bob Fusco Jr., company president, shared the following:

“My son, Zach Fusco, is by far the most dedicated individual in the supermarket industry I have encountered. From the age of 3, he began coming to work with me, developing a love and passion for the business.

“Temporarily leaving independents during college, he worked as a management intern for Fairway Markets in Stamford, Connecticut. After graduation from the University of Hartford with a bachelors in business, he worked in store management at Star Markets in Boston.

“Returning to the business to grow it, he remodeled our 25,000-square-foot Madison store, led a wholesaler change to C&S and ran the store with exacting standards, love for customers and employees through hurricanes, chain strikes and COVID-19.

Solomon’s Store

Since its humble beginnings in 1923, Solomon’s Store has proudly served New Hampshire’s Coos County for 100 years as the northernmost full-service grocery store in the state.

In the North Country, it is not uncommon for people to have to drive more than an hour to shop at a large box retailer. The nearest Walmart is an hour away in Vermont, so this fourth-generation family-owned business is crucial to locals and tourists alike.

This rang particularly true when the world was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic, making the isolation of Coos County that much more insurmountable. Seeing his community in trouble, next generation store owner Kyle Daley collaborated with the nearby Chevy dealership to offer a local grocery delivery program.

Together they decided that anyone who was 65 or older, had health concerns and/or was geographically isolated, could e-mail or call in their grocery orders to Solomon’s to be delivered free by a dealership employee.

Given the proportion of elderly residents in Coos County, this program was incredibly well received and utilized, fulfilling 20 orders within the first four days from inception.

“During COVID, he spearheaded the opening of a second smaller location while managing to deliver great results out of our origi nal location. He is a pillar of the communities he works in.

“This year, he led our front-end transformations to Rorc and revamp of our store loyalty programs with AppCard. He has a wife, Kim, and two boys – Wesley, 3, and Sonny, 2, who he hopes to get into the business.

“He truly embodies the heart of the independent grocer with love and care for community, tremendous ingenuity and the devotion to put in the 16-hour days, nights and weekends all while being a great husband and father to his family. I am more than proud to call him my son.”

This demonstration of community support exemplified a sentiment expressed by co-owner Bruce Daley, in that Solomon’s customers ‘’never forgot that they had food, even in hard times.”

Solomon’s has been a loyal sponsor of the North Country Moose Festival, an annual late summer festival celebrating the people, animals and nature of the North Country. It also supports local Girl and Boy Scouts troops and are active members of the North Country Chamber of Commerce.

Solomon’s Store has been a community staple for a century, adapting its business over the years, yet never straying from its family roots. It can be challenging to successfully operate in a rural location, especially so amid a global pandemic. Through creativity, empathy and grit, Solomon’s Store is looking ahead to the next 100 years.