D'Agostino's to Exit Suburbs, Focus on NYC

MARK HAMSTRA

NEW YORK — D'Agostino's will exit its remaining stores outside of Manhattan, the president and chief executive officer of the family-owned chain told SN, confirming local reports that the chain would close its last two Westchester County, N.Y., locations.

"We are just trying to concentrate on Manhattan. That¹s where our expertise is, and we think it¹s better to concentrate there," said Nick D'Agostino III. "We've been outside Manhattan for some time, and it just doesn't seem to be our expertise, so we're going to concentrate on Manhattan for now, possibly go back outside Manhattan once we think we're ready."

He said no firm dates had been set for the closure of its stores in Rye Brook and Chappaqua. The closures would leave the chain with 13 locations in Manhattan, according to its website.

DeCicco Family Markets, a local operator, is preparing to open in the former D'Agostino's in Cross River, N.Y., which closed in June. As previously reported, D'Agostino's recently joined the Foodtown cooperative's Allegiance Retail Services group, which D'Agostino said would give the chain more buying leverage and access to the Foodtown private label, among other benefits.