The supermarket war is on!
Key Food on Avenue U and East 67th Street in Mill Basin is spending more than $1 million to revamp its store in an attempt to lure customers away from a Waldbaum’s on Ralph Avenue between Avenues K and L about six blocks away.
“We’re trying to do that,” said Key Food manager Lenny Troy. “We want to increase business.”
Troy hopes to attract customers with a new line of organic food, bigger display cases and a new exterior resembling an old-fashioned country home.
But Waldbaum’s isn’t ready to let customers go. The Ralph Avenue location is the only Waldbaum’s supermarket in Brooklyn with a selection of produce and deli meats that could rival any upscale market, according to Brian Epstein, the store’s manager.
“This is the kind of Waldbaum’s you might think you only see in Long Island,” Epstein said. “It’s something special.”
Some neighborhood residents say they’ll stick with Waldbaum’s, though at least one gave a wishy-washy reason.
“I live closer to Waldbaum’s, so that’s where I’ll do most of my shopping,” said Mike Sacks.
Meanwhile, others are jumping ship to the new and improved Key Food.
“From the deli counter to the fruit to the meat, it’s very appealing,” said Mill Basin resident Laura Mastri. “I also like shopping at Key Food more than Waldbaum’s because the shopping center is smaller so parking is easier.”
Mastri will be glad to know that Key Food’s extreme makeover is “95 percent done,” according to Troy. All that remains is some additional work on the facade, such as the installation of a vestibule and columns to complement what Troy called a “Cape Cod–like” exterior.
The interior of the 15,000-square-foot Key Food was remodeled over an 18-month period, during which portions of the store were closed.
“We opened up the ceilings, we installed bigger refrigerator cases, and we expanded our produce and meat selections,” Troy said. “We now have a full line of organic stuff, Italian products and Jewish products.”
Customers are responding well to the new Key Food, as sales have improved “a little bit,” Troy said.