Newark’s central ward gets first new full-service grocery store in 22 years

Newark Mayor Cory Booker today officially unveiled a long-awaited $8 million Food Depot supermarket, the first new full-service grocery in the city’s central ward, the heart of the city’s African-American community and the former home of several major department store chains.

The 31,000-square-foot store, located at 75 1st Street and Sussex Avenue, was developed under an initiative by the Brick City Development Corp., the city’s economic development agency, to help expand the availability of fresh, affordable produce to the city, which has for years struggled to retain major supermarket and retail chains.

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The grocery store, which will bring more than 100 jobs to the city of Newark, was financed with the help of a $2 million loan through the BCDC Urban Enterprise Loan Fund, as well as Elizabeth, N.J.-based Crown Bank.

The owners of the grocery, Orfilio Chaviano and Nick Gonzalez III, said they have a location in Kearny, N.J.., are currently in talks to open a Food Depot on Clinton Avenue in Newark and are looking to open an additional store in Elizabeth.