Shop-Rite Opens in Hudson Heritage Site
Local Poughkeepsie shoppers have another option to choose from as the Shop-Rite on Route 9 across from Marist College opened this past Sunday. The location is the first business to open on the newly developed Hudson Heritage site, which occupies the old grounds of the Hudson River State Hospital.
“We are proud to bring our new Poughkeepsie store to Hudson Heritage, an innovative retail and residential development that is taking shape along the Hudson River,” said Steve Savas, the president of Shop-Rite in a company press release. “We look forward to expanding in the Hudson Valley and providing Shop-Rite value, variety, and quality — along with exciting new store features and amenities.”
A small ceremony featuring a ribbon-cutting opened the store at 9 a.m. on October 3. From there, customers were welcomed by several Shop-Rite officials into their latest state-of-the-art location. Although they’re the first business to open within the Hudson Heritage complex, Shop-Rite store manager Mackinley Moise isn’t concerned about drawing customers.
“The location is great,” said Moise. “We think the business will keep growing because based on our research the people in this neighborhood were looking for a Shop-Rite store.”
From the looks of it, Moise was not wrong. People flocked to check out the new store filling up the lot and the aisles to see what they had to offer. For shoppers like Grace Palmer, convenience and selection were the biggest draws.
“The location is definitely the biggest attraction for me,” said Palmer. “Being able to get to the store in less than five minutes is super convenient and now that I’ve seen their selection I’ll definitely be coming back.”
The new store provides more than a great location too. Holding all the features of other Shop-Rites, such as their “Fresh to Table” and “Tasty and Trending” sections. These allow customers to grab and go at their leisure if busy or experiment with seasonal items for whatever occasion they may need. That’s not all though, Moise emphasized an “18-foot plant-based section in their first aisle” that’s unique to their newest location which should appeal to customers with specific dietary needs.
“I was really impressed with the selection they had available,” said shopper Katina Simpson. “I had no problem finding everything I needed and often when I’m at other stores around Poughkeepsie I can struggle to find certain items.”
Despite a global supply chain shortage and the difficulties of COVID with opening a business, Moise said they were able to adapt in order to be ready to fulfill customer needs.
“We did have some trouble receiving a few items because of Covid,” said Moise. “However we were able to improvise and keep the shelves looking full.”
Customer satisfaction was clearly a pressing matter for the staff. Due to the high volume of shoppers and excitement that came with the opening, extra workers were available to keep things running smoothly. Specifically, Shop-Rite officials giving out aisle catalogs and providing tips when walking in.
“The staff was so helpful right from when I stepped in the door,” said Palmer. “Since it was a new store to me I needed a lay of the land and they did a great job at pointing me to where I could find what I was looking for.”
Although the new location has new equipment, new facilities, and new offerings unique to their location, Moise believes it’s his employees that’ll be the difference-maker in their success.
“Our staff is what makes us different,” said Moise. “They’re what will keep people coming through the door to keep shopping with us.”
For now, the store is open from 6 a.m.-12 a.m. every day except for a 10 p.m. closure on Sundays for locals to check out.
