Monday, April 20, 2015
Lakewood residents upset over loss of Kosher ShopRite
When the ShopRite of Lakewood closes Tuesday and moves 2.5 miles to Howell, the Kosher Experience will not be joining it.
"I'm devastated," said Esther Ottensoser of Lakewood, a loyal ShopRite customer who enjoyed the selection of kosher food. "I'm not happy about this."
The Kosher Experience is the store's name for their deli and butcher section. Kosher refers to certain types of foods that meet the standards of Jewish dietary laws, known as kashrut. In order for meat to be kosher, it must be slaughtered by a shochet, who received special training for butchering and inspecting meat.
The new ShopRite of Howell contains an extended kosher department featuring a larger offering of products, according to Santina Stankevich, a spokesperson for ShopRite. The store also accommodates customers with a separate kosher frozen case. However, the new 90,000-square-foot store will not have a kosher deli or butcher department, she said.
The new ShopRite opted not to offer the Kosher Experience because it was "just a business decision," Stankevich said.
"The nearby ShopRite of Neptune, which features a full Kosher Experience department, will offer ShopRite from Home to Lakewood area customers," Stankevich said. "Between the two locations, the needs of Lakewood customers can still be met."
Shoprite from Home allows customers to order their groceries online with the option to receive delivery.
Neptune of ShopRite is approximately 15 miles away from the ShopRite of Lakewood location. The ShopRite of Marlboro, approximately 17 miles away, contains a Kosher Experience, but lacks the ShopRite from Home option. The Jewish population in Lakewood is estimated to be 60,000 of the 100,000 residents. Marlboro has about 40,000 people, with an unknown number of Jewish residents.
Mayer Bender, a loyal shopper in Lakewood, noted that while a lot of people from the community purchase products from ShopRite, he believes that they are not bringing in enough business when it comes to kosher food.
"I guess the community is not big enough," Bender said. "Truth is, there are lot of grocery stores, maybe ShopRite feels it is not worth it for them. Maybe they feel they can't compete with the competition in the Kosher Experience."
Many Lakewood residents visited their ShopRite one final time during the last week before it closes.
"Pretty sad that ShopRite is moving," said Lakewood shopper Baruch Abitan. "It was a very good store. It helped us out a lot."
The grand opening for ShopRite of Howell, located in the Friendship Plaza at 4594 Route 9 South, is slated for Wednesday.
Kosher supermarket Gourmet Glatt is expected to move into the vacant spot created by the Lakewood of ShopRite. No opening date has been set.
Shoppers in Howell will also face a higher sales tax on taxable items. Lakewood, which is an Urban Enterprise Zone, had a sales tax of 3.5 percent, half of the state sales tax. The normal sales tax of 7 percent will be charged at the new Howell ShopRite.
http://www.app.com/story/news/local/jackson-lakewood/lakewood/2015/04/20/lakewood-shoprite-moves-howell-loses-kosher-deli/26096461/
"I'm devastated," said Esther Ottensoser of Lakewood, a loyal ShopRite customer who enjoyed the selection of kosher food. "I'm not happy about this."
The Kosher Experience is the store's name for their deli and butcher section. Kosher refers to certain types of foods that meet the standards of Jewish dietary laws, known as kashrut. In order for meat to be kosher, it must be slaughtered by a shochet, who received special training for butchering and inspecting meat.
The new ShopRite of Howell contains an extended kosher department featuring a larger offering of products, according to Santina Stankevich, a spokesperson for ShopRite. The store also accommodates customers with a separate kosher frozen case. However, the new 90,000-square-foot store will not have a kosher deli or butcher department, she said.
The new ShopRite opted not to offer the Kosher Experience because it was "just a business decision," Stankevich said.
"The nearby ShopRite of Neptune, which features a full Kosher Experience department, will offer ShopRite from Home to Lakewood area customers," Stankevich said. "Between the two locations, the needs of Lakewood customers can still be met."
Shoprite from Home allows customers to order their groceries online with the option to receive delivery.
Neptune of ShopRite is approximately 15 miles away from the ShopRite of Lakewood location. The ShopRite of Marlboro, approximately 17 miles away, contains a Kosher Experience, but lacks the ShopRite from Home option. The Jewish population in Lakewood is estimated to be 60,000 of the 100,000 residents. Marlboro has about 40,000 people, with an unknown number of Jewish residents.
Mayer Bender, a loyal shopper in Lakewood, noted that while a lot of people from the community purchase products from ShopRite, he believes that they are not bringing in enough business when it comes to kosher food.
"I guess the community is not big enough," Bender said. "Truth is, there are lot of grocery stores, maybe ShopRite feels it is not worth it for them. Maybe they feel they can't compete with the competition in the Kosher Experience."
Many Lakewood residents visited their ShopRite one final time during the last week before it closes.
"Pretty sad that ShopRite is moving," said Lakewood shopper Baruch Abitan. "It was a very good store. It helped us out a lot."
The grand opening for ShopRite of Howell, located in the Friendship Plaza at 4594 Route 9 South, is slated for Wednesday.
Kosher supermarket Gourmet Glatt is expected to move into the vacant spot created by the Lakewood of ShopRite. No opening date has been set.
Shoppers in Howell will also face a higher sales tax on taxable items. Lakewood, which is an Urban Enterprise Zone, had a sales tax of 3.5 percent, half of the state sales tax. The normal sales tax of 7 percent will be charged at the new Howell ShopRite.
http://www.app.com/story/news/local/jackson-lakewood/lakewood/2015/04/20/lakewood-shoprite-moves-howell-loses-kosher-deli/26096461/
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