Several of the smaller retailers at Washington Square Shopping Center say business is down considerably since Fresh & Greens closed on Dec. 29. They say the loss of the anchor store has made the traditionally slow January and February even slower.
“It’s especially slow with Fresh & Greens gone, and you really feel it on the weekends,” said a retailer who asked to remain anonymous.
Some retailers have become more anxious after learning that ACME, located at the rival Kent Plaza Shopping Center, announced it will expand its floor space by 40 percent. Heightening their concerns was an announcement that the landlord at Kent Plaza, Cordish Companies, had committed $1 million to modernize the 50-year-old complex.
“We’re going to get killed by this, their parking lot is always full with [grocery] shoppers who buy from the smaller stores as well,” the retailer said. “We’ve got to get a grocery store back.”
But is there pressure on Washington Square’s landlord, Dennis Silicato, to get a new grocer? Fresh & Greens will continue to pay rent until 2016 under the terms of the lease and retailers are asking what is Silicato’s incentive to fill the space anytime soon.
Chestertown Mayor Chris Cerino said he has spoken with Silicato, who assured him that a real effort was underway to find a new grocer.
“He understands it’s in his best interest to fill that space as soon as he can,” Cerino said.
Silicato did not answer a request for comment by the deadline of this story.
Margery Elsberg says
Editor,
This is an important and well-reported story, and the photos prove that a picture (or two) is worth a thousand words. Thanks to Dan Menefee for recognizing the importance to the Washington Square merchants of having a strong supermarket anchor. Here’s hoping that Dennis Silicato reads The Chestertown Spy.
Mary Wood says
Editor,
What’s wrong with Chestertown? Centreville has 2 supermarkets. The Acme is disorganized,overcrowded. Why can’t we have a store like Whole Foods, a smaller store with fresh food, there are plenty of empty buildings around? Why must we be held hostage by Mr. Silicato? Does he live here?
Kevin Shertz says
Editor,
There are no Whole Foods stores on the Eastern Shore. Does anyone expect that they’d come to Chestertown before opening a store in Easton or Salisbury? Doubtful.
Bill Anderson says
Editor,
Mr. Silacato lives at Milford, DE. However, he is interested in making money — more is always better. Somebody such as the mayor should make it their business to contact Redner Markets — an employee-owned grocery chain, which I believe may be headquartered in PA. Redners has opened at least three Dover area stores in the last couple of years, although Safeway, Acme and Food lions abound in Dover, these folks have the courage to challenge them, including a Dover A&P which changed its name to Super Fresh (I think), then went out of business and, after many months of expanding and renovating the space is the newest Redner store in Dover. Somebody really should contact them.
gerald maynes says
Editor,
The Redner Family which owns and controls Redners are aware of Chestertown Their employees are minority owners with no voice or voting rights. That said, they are good employers and pay a decent wage plus benefits to their help. They run warehouse stores which are clean and have great overhead lights and high gloss floors. They have a good meat department, a so so Deli, and a decent produce department. They are located in Bucks County and can be reached via their web.
Joe Lill says
Editor,
This link explains the target market of Whole Foods. They want 200,000 people within a 20 minute commute of their store, among other things. The demographics of our county will not support the purchase of $2.00 apples, $12.00 a pound smoked fish, or a piece of cheese that costs more than most of the employees of Kent County make in a day. A grocery store like Redner’s ( there are 3 of them in the Dover area ) would make much more sense.
https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company-info/real-estate
gerald maynes says
Editor,
Mr Silicato lives in Delaware. As for the empty Super Fresh/Greens. There are a glut of empty supermarkets on the market and few independents to take them over. DE got lucky, Redners wanted to expand in the state, as did Food lion and Sav A Lot. So allot of these stores were used. But in the case of the former Superfresh in Milford, Mr Silicato, rented this building out to Tractor Supply, the empty Thriftway in Middletown was repurposed as a Farmers Market( 50 percent of that center is empty).
With the limited population of Chestertown and the low average wage is going to limit folks like ShopRite and whole Foods from opening in town. Maybe Redners or SavA Lot or Shop RItes limited assortment store known as Price Rite or a Super Valu independent could be interested.
As far as the Acme being small and disorganized with 20 thousand extra feet that should be solved, with totally new departments, cases and shelving. Many towns that had three Markets now have one or none. The industry is consolidating Why? Walmart, Dollar Stores, Drug Stores, and Target all sell groceries today twenty years ago none of them did.
Stephan Sonn says
Editor,
What is needed in place of fresh grocery models is a gourmet themed market with something for the little folks too. An omnibus of enterprises.
A little bit of everything. Modest baked goods,a real coffee venue, craft boutiques, medical clinic outreach, maybe even a complete relocation of the Farmers Market. and with the right partitioning and egress a place for discounted food for WIC and Independence Card users for marked down food items.
And the right rental agreement that doesn’t price out existing or potential occupancy. Other tenants could connect in a themed environment. lots of tax breaks and development funding opportunities are inherent in a community mode here.
Richard Norton says
Editor,
I respect all letters as valid for the needs of Chestertown. Desires and needs are important to everyone.
Can a renter develop a profitable cash flow for that commercial space in the Shopping Center? How about the entire complex? What are the lease $$ and timing for all the businesses? What are the property tax receipts for Chestertown regardless of whether a store is failing or growing. Do the readers really recognize that Chestertown Property Tax is paid by the land owner, not the tenant.
It wasn’t long ago that Chestertown rejected Wallmart for the grass strip airport land. Now look at Middletowns’ integrated business growth. Important strategic decisions take time to mature. As imprudent as it seems at first glance, we are all money managers of our incomes and our investments. WE must start long term, sequential improvements, without spending much money. Utilize what we already have to work with!
A. It is time to start implementing immediate steps, one foot at a time!
B. It is time to seriously and to aggressively implement a capital stimulation program in Chestertown infrastructure using
existing facilities modified for best usage..
C. It is time for Chestertown residents contribute knowledge to flow tax plans and how to implement growth and prosperity.
D. Are there town owned properties that could be IMMEDIATELY CONVERTED to economic stimulation usage?. Parking? farmers market?
Small, self contained artists studios? Many other immediate beneficial uses.
E. Chestertown manages tax exempt subsidized housing, so it is a small step to manage tax exempt commercialization aids. .
F. Maryland has laws that allow a town to create TAX EXEMPT art properties on a local basis; completely implementable by local town vote.
G. What is the dollar value of Taxable Properties that are and have been removed from Taxable Assets rolls by non-exempt institutions?
H. What percentage of the total property assessment base is TAX EXEMPT.
Can Chestertown sustain 50% non-taxable properties?
Can Chestertown leadership focus on commercial survival?
Is all Chestertown public property in good use/value as allowed by law?
Is there an opportunity here to focus on Downtown Chestertown food shopping and then IMPLEMENT now. Evolve sequential small step actions for Chestertown to EMERGE from this recession and build stability for the whole community of residents, shoppers, and visitors, and ‘tax exempt entities’
Dick Norton
Don Morgan says
I’ve not noticed a difference in the amount of people going to the stores in Washington Plaza. If someone wants to go to one of the stores they aren’t going to not go because there is no grocery store. Everyone in Kent County is aware of what is in that plaza. If this story is so true, why did the retailer choose to remain a mystery?
gerald maynes says
Editor,
You have to understand that they have just lost a thousand or so customers who used to to enter that store weekly or bi weekly. That is a lot of foot traffic and they have lost impulse sales. The same thing has happened in Middletown when the Thriftway closed, the Farmers Market is only opened three days per week and makes a poor anchor , that strip center is 70% empty. Remember when these merchants moved in that market was open. A lot of people are not going to go to both places to shop.