Price Chopper/Market 32 purchases 5 ShopRite stores in New York's Capital Region

Price Chopper/Market 32 announced on Tuesday that it has finalized the purchase of the leases, store equipment and fixtures of five former ShopRite stores in New York’s Capital Region as the Schenectady, New York-based grocery retailer looks to expand its local fleet of Market 32 stores.

The grocer plans to convert the formerly Wakefern-owned ShopRite stores in New York’s Niskayuna and North Greenbush area into Market 32s, while the Slingerlands location, which sits directly across the street from a Market 32, will be marketed for sublease, the company said in a statement.

“Our Market 32 brand has been extremely well received, and this gives us an excellent opportunity to expand our footprint in the Capital Region, provide our customers with the shopping experience they are looking for and our teammates with career growth opportunities right here in our hometown,” said Blaine Bringhurst, Price Chopper/Market 32 president, who celebrated the grand re-openings of the chain’s 39th and 40th Market 32s in Rutland and West Rutland, Vermont, last month.

With ongoing discussions with landlords in Albany and Colonie continuing, the grocer said decisions regarding the future of these properties and the current Price Chopper/Market 32 stores which are located nearby in Westgate and Colonie Plazas will be revealed. Price Chopper/Market 32 said it does not intend to operate the gas stations.

Current employees will be given priority in staffing, whichever of the locations are ultimately occupied, the company said in a statement.

“Price Chopper/Market 32 is excited about the prospect of growing scale right here in New York’s Capital Region, where we’ve been serving customers for more than 90 years, Bringhurst said in a statement. “We are here to stay and will continue to invest in modernizing our stores, providing opportunities to our workforce, delivering an exceptional shopping experience to our customers, and supporting the community around us.”