Gristedes Spends $10 Million To Clean Up Its Stores

Tony Najjar squeezed down the narrow aisle at a Gristedes supermarket in Battery Park City to investigate the blue-and-white floor tiles scuffed and stained by years of traffic and spills.

"Mmmm," said Mr. Najjar, whose job as assistant to the chairman is to breathe life back into aging Gristedes stores. "Ugly, isn’t it?"

Mr. Najjar has one of the toughest jobs in New York retailing: persuading shoppers to take another look at Gristedes, the supermarket chain owned by billionaire and former mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis. To lure back New Yorkers who swore off the stores years ago for the more appealing confines of Fairway or Whole Foods, Mr. Najjar is spending $10 million of Mr. Catsimatidis’ $3 billion fortune to renovate Gristedes’ 30 stores.

"John said he wants the stores to have some blossom," said Mr. Najjar.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Crain's New York Business