Date: Fri 23-Jan-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

business=Big-Y-Dunkin'-Donuts

Full Text:

Clearing The Way For Big Y's Opening

(with cut)

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Workmen are putting some finishing touches on the new Big Y supermarket at

Newtown Shopping Center. Big Y, a 55,000-square-foot building, is almost six

times the size of the former A&P supermarket that it replaces at the Queen

Street facility.

Claire D'Amour, vice president for corporate relations for Big Y Foods, Inc,

said this week the store's opening could come in February.

Big Y is cooperating with The Kasper Group, the shopping center's owner, in

preparing the facility for occupancy, Ms D'Amour said.

Before the supermarket can open, the former Dunkin' Donuts, which sits in

front of the Big Y, has to be torn down, Ms D'Amour said Tuesday.

Workmen using an excavator demolished the red brick structure Thursday

morning. The building, which has been a doughnut shop since the early 90s,

formerly was a convenience store and a bank. After the bricks are hauled away,

the site will be paved for use as a parking area.

"It's in the landlord's hands now," Ms D'Amour said of the site preparation

needed before Big Y can open for business.

A tour of Big Y Wednesday presented an expansive store with a muted pastel

color scheme, subdued lighting, and row upon row of aisles where products will

be displayed. Non-perishable merchandise will be stocked on store shelves.

Big Y is accepting employment applications at the northern entrance of the

store.

Dunkin' Donuts Moves

Rich Barillari, one of the owners of Dunkin' Donuts, was a happy man Tuesday.

He watched as workmen affixed the doughnut shop's sign above its front door at

its newly built store on the north end of the plaza.

The sign had been removed from the old doughnut shop about 100 yards away.

The new doughnut shop, which is now open, contains a long service counter

facing seven round tables, each with four chairs.

New products to be offered at the new store include Baskin-Robbins ice cream,

cappucino, baked goods and summertime drinks.

Although the new store has less frontage than the old store, it is deeper.

Mr Barillari said he is happy finally to have moved to new quarters.

On Wednesday, Mr Barillari said it had been a hectic night in getting the new

store ready for occupancy. The business opened at 5 am Wednesday.

"It's going to be nice being here. ... [It's] a pretty decent location," he

said. "Thank God we're here," he added.

As he spoke, customers lined up at the store's counter to order baked items

and hot drinks.

As part of his plans to redevelop the shopping center, Joseph Kasper, head of

The Kasper Group, relocated center tenants to new locations in the plaza.

A new store on the southern side of the plaza is Red Rooster Tobacconists.