ADAMS, Mass. — A Connecticut grocery chain will reopen the former Big Y Supermarket on March 29.
The announcement was met with applause as Adam's Hometown Market informed the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday that it expected to add the location to its 15-market chain on Monday.
"We're thrilled to announce we have every belief that we will be opening the site previously owned on Myrtle Street owned by Big Y on the 29th of March," said Russ Greenlaw, vice president of operations. "We have a letter of intent in place and a closing schedule for Monday."
Greenlaw said his team expected to be in the building on Tuesday and to begin hiring on Tuesday beginning at noon.
"We have a very, very aggressive plan to get that store up and running and we have important work to do to make it is food safe," he said.
Big Y on Feb. 14 announced it would close the 50-year-old store and layoff about 90 employees. Supermarket officials put the closure down to the store's small size as it has been expanding and upgrading its more than 80 locations to offer more products and services.
At the time, officials had said Big Y was in talks with another grocer to take over the location and expected to close the market in early March.
On Wednesday morning, the Big Y sign was removed and the building shuttered. On Wednesday night, Adam's Hometown informed the public it would be moving in.
"Thank you very much for stepping in," said Selectman Joseph Nowak. "Now I feel our community is whole again."
"These size stores, 15,000 square feet, is what we operate really well," Greenlaw said. "We like a tight-knit community."
He said the grocery plans on rehiring the employees who had been at Big Y but noted some key people have already moved on to other positions.
"Those folks who served day-to-day are the community," he said.
Greenlaw said the footprint will basically be the same though there will be some structural changes and the store will not operate a pharmacy.
Adam's Hometown operates 15 stores in Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island and has one other in Massachusetts. It's stores have bakeries, seafood, meat and deli departments and offers catering.
All Adam's locations are IGA partners and are supplied by Bozzuto's Inc. Bozzuto's is lead by Michael Bozzuto, son of the company's founder Adam Bozzuto and for whom Adam's Hometown Market is named. The grocery chain is owned by Intercontinental Holding Company Inc. of Cheshire, Conn., which operates as a subsidiary of Bozzuto's Inc., according to Bloomberg's. It was incorporated in 1996 and employs more than 800 people.
"We would like to extend our gratitude to the local town officials whose assistance was instrumental in finalizing our decision to serve the great of people of Adams, Massachusetts," the grocer's officials said in a press release confirming the announcement on Thursday morning. "Be assured we will work as quickly as possible to reopen and bring the residents of Adams Massachusetts local, fresh and healthy foods."
"I personally want to say I am beyond thrilled to hear about Adam's moving in," said Erica Girgenti, director of the Senior Center. "The Senior Center was getting bombarded with phone calls. We were working on an agreement and a contract with the Big Y to provide a shuttle service to North Adams in the interim and I think we plan to continue with that for the next couple of weeks."
Greenlaw said he was informed of the supermarket's history and how it was once an Adams Supermarket.
"We think this was somewhat predestined," he joked. "It was only a matter of time before we made it back."
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Adams Selectmen Recognize Champion Hurricanes
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
The Hurricanes after winning the state championship in Lowell last month.
Selectman Joseph Nowak, who organized the recognition, said, "these Lady 'Canes have really shown what grit really is. And I've known these kids for such a long time, and I've seen them grow, and I've seen them mature.
"And these kids aren't just good athletes. They're talented in a classroom, they're well versed, and they are taking a lot of activities within the school and as a community, we should be very proud of them."
He called each girl by name and her stand up for recognition along with coach Jon Frederick and assistant coaches Kailynne Frederick and Trish Carlo.
"So there's a look at our great team. And you know, it warms my heart that we can share something that's kind of fuzzy and happy," he said, instead of the back and forth the board sometimes gets into.
Chair John Duval said it was a big deal and noted how many other communities would see this on Northern Berkshire Community Television.
"I just think back 44 years now, when I was in a similar situation, when our football team won the championship ... every time that I meet with my fellow teammates since then, that's pretty much all we talk about is our championship team, and we feel pretty proud about that, and it's really was our glory days back then," he said. "So we are tied for life. ...
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The spending plan is up $654,917, or 2.9 percent, over this year. Out-of-district special education tuitions and a 16 percent hike in health insurance are major drivers of the increase.
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