Food Bazaar Supermarket
Time for another update at two of the Food Bazaar stores acquired from Stop & Shop this past fall! The Carlstadt store's renovation is moving right along, while Pisctataway's hasn't really started yet. As we have previously seen, Carlstadt's exterior has been painted, but the interior work is progressing too. (See here for my most recent post on Carlstadt and Piscataway, about a month ago.)
Inside, Carlstadt is starting to look much more like a Food Bazaar than a Stop & Shop, though the majority of the fixtures and layout remain.
But the flooring has been switched to polished concrete throughout, and the ceiling and walls have gotten a fresh paint job. While I do generally like the dark ceiling, here it results in the cool arch over the grand aisle -- a remnant from Grand Union -- disappearing in the darkness.
Department signage still hasn't gone in, and temporary signage remains over each department. But the walls have a fresh coat of beige paint. You'd barely notice the difference from Stop & Shop's beige.
It helps that this store's concrete subfloor is in really good shape, so it lends itself to a polished concrete conversion well. A lot of supermarkets are switching to polished concrete (with varying cosmetic results) for durability and maintenance reasons.
Interesting that Food Bazaar has decided to keep the metal trim bar that runs around the store, left over from Stop & Shop.
The in-store bakeries here and in Piscataway are up and running, which they weren't when the stores first opened.
The other thing you'll notice in these pictures is more customers. I was here on a Sunday evening, but it felt like there were more people in the store than there had been on my previous visits. Still, this store is downright empty compared to most Food Bazaars.
Seafood and meat don't appear to be getting any (much-needed) layout changes. There's still no service meat counter, although signage posted here informed customers they could get custom cuts through this window. And in seafood, a row of whole fish on ice is still awkwardly sitting in front of the service counter (so you have to go behind the whole fish to get to the rest of the service counter).
It looks like Food Bazaar is keeping the natural foods aisle here, which is looking quite good. They did not keep the separate natural foods aisle in Piscataway.
Notice that some grocery shelving has had new black top racks added.
Old refrigeration remains throughout the store. It's not in bad shape and it's not that old, but it could use a little freshening up.
Former HABA department now fully stocked with Latin American foods.
As we can see, the store has been kept completely spotless. If it's a low volume store, though, that could be a reason it's so pristine too.
Still nothing in the former pharmacy. The shelving and desks are all still there, making me wonder if they hope to eventually lease it to an outside pharmacy.
But the front-end is looking a lot more like a Food Bazaar...
And we can see some new shelving like the flower display here.
...but there is a new, real sign on the outside! Previously there was just a white Food Bazaar banner.
But not much has changed inside since our last visit. One other thing inside looks a bit out of place...
Opened: October 4, 2024
Owner: Spencer An
Previous Tenants: Grand Union (closed 2001) > Stop & Shop (2001-2024)
Cooperative: none
Location: 675 Paterson Ave, Carlstadt, NJ
Photographed: December 15, 2024
The renovations at Carlstadt are looking good. Piscataway looks an awful lot like a Stop & Shop still, though...
Food Bazaar Supermarket
Opened: October 18, 2024
Owner: Spencer An
Previous Tenants: Mayfair Foodtown (ca. 1995-1996) > Edwards (1996-2000) > Stop & Shop (2000-2024)
Cooperative: none
Location: 581 Stelton Rd, Piscataway, NJ
Photographed: December 1, 2024
These stray Nature's Promise spring mixes -- a Stop & Shop store brand -- are probably just a wrong shipment, but it's possible Food Bazaar has stuck with some of the Stop & Shop suppliers which are accidentally sending them those products. (Since it's been nearly two months since Stop & Shop left here, it's a safe bet that they're not simply left over from Stop & Shop.) Also this weekend, we're checking out the new Grocery Square in Secaucus!
That PRODUCE sign in Piscataway is 100% left over from when the store was an Edwards.
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