133-40 79th St, Howard Beach, NY

Original Tenant: Foodtown

Address: 133-40 79th St, Howard Beach, Queens, NY

Opened: 2016

Closed: 2017

Later Tenants: Shop Fair Supermarkets (same owners) - closed 2018 > Knickerbocker Furniture

Photographed: December 2018

The Shehadeh brothers owned several supermarkets across the boroughs of New York City, most of which ended up under the Shop Fair banner. We've toured their Bay Ridge location. Most of their stores have been closed or sold, though I believe there are two Shop Fair stores they still own in Flatbush. This store lasted only two years in the most generous of approximations, approximately one year as a Foodtown and approximately one year as a Shop Fair. This commercial (oddly in Spanish for an area with a relatively low Hispanic population, and with a very sketchy version of "Uptown Funk") provides a look inside the store when it was still briefly in business. Today, it's occupied by Knickerbocker Furniture, which appears to have closed for the night at the time of my visit. A corporate entity called Bogopa Linden Inc. was formed for operation at this address about two years ago but nothing ever came of that (Bogopa being the operating company of Food Bazaar Supermarkets). And before we move on, may I take a minute to recommend the Ozone Diner, at the other end of this new-build mall directly across from the previous supermarket. The burgers are outstanding!