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| Possible new location in Colonie (collage of two Wiki-snaps) |
After a months time of agonising over the future of five shuttered ShopRites in the Capital Region, we learnt that their competitor Price Chopper/Market 32 have acquired them. There has been mixed reaction. While it's great that the properties won't be empty for long, others slated the sale for the Rotterdam-based company for having a monopoly by keeping out other chains (namely union ones, which ShopRite are). The Niskayuna and North Greenbush stores will be the first to become Market 32 stores in 2024 since they're not overlapping existing stores too closely. The Slingerlands store off NY 85 will sublease since there's a 32 a stones throw away (I've gone to both, but only the latter under the old name). The two on NY 5/Central Ave in Colonie and Albany proper will be the biggest challenge yet. Northeast have to sort it out with the owners of the ShopRite parcels. It's likely that Price Chopper could move out of Colonie and Westgate Plazas respectively and down the road. That opens of the possibility of rival retailers replacing real estate easily. It'd be nice if Grand Union came back to the immediate area after two decades away (more on putting them in other counties nearby in previous posts) so there'd be a UFCW employer again after a year of labor upheaval around the globe. The gas stations will be sold. Unless one is nearby each, a Sunoco franchise would make sense because of the longtime FuelAdvantedge scheme at Price Chopper/Market 32 (there was Mini Chopper at the Pine Hills store decades ago). While in the rural communities after buying remaining Grand Unions in 2013, Tops are unlikely to be brought in to either the old or new sites since Northeast may not want both chains at close quarters again like in Central New York and the Mid-Hudson Valley.
Now when I visit again, there'll only be a couple places I don't have near home yet (Hannaford have their own fish to fry in Fayetteville). At least it won't be like other vacancies that sit untouched for years or even generations. To think Rachael Ray has known Price Chopper forever and recently appeared at an event downstate sponsored by ShopRite!
