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 Grocer making a big moveBY KEIKO MORRIS July 28, 2008 Iavarone Bros. Foods, a family-owned Long Island grocer specializing in international and gourmet foods, is planning to relocate and expand its Huntington store next spring to a Woodbury facility with almost three times the retail space.Despite the national economic slump, Iavarone Bros., which has four European-style marketplaces on Long Island as well as a cafe, is continuing to see its sales grow, said Joe Iavarone, one of several family members running the company. It had long been looking for an opportunity to expand and finally leased a 6,200-square-foot building in the Woodbury Village Center at South Woods Road and Jericho Turnpike. The company is working with architects to construct a 2,000-square-foot mezzanine within the store as well, he said. And the parking lot is set up to accommodate a large supermarket, he said. "The parking is great for us because we are trying to set up a high-volume store," Iavarone said. "We can now offer a full produce line and a full seafood line and baked goods, which we hadn't done before because the store was too small." The company was able to secure a rent under $40 a square foot in the center, where Iavarone figures the average rent is between $70 and $80 a square foot. In addition, the company hopes to attract customers from the surrounding affluent neighborhoods and continue to draw upon loyal clientele from its Huntington store. "Even though times are bad, people still eat," Iavarone said. The tough economic climate coupled with high energy prices has cut into the company's profit margins, but the Iavarone Bros. stores have seen a 3 percent to 5 percent growth in sales, he said. "There's a lot of money on Long Island, and the people with money are still going to spend," said Iavarone. He also noted that his barbecue catering business - the company sends out a staff to barbecue at customers' homes - has been quite popular. "Maybe it's good for my business that people are traveling less and spending time at pools and parties. I'm seeing a lot more family barbecues." ###
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