WESTPORT – A Big Y grocery opened for business Thursday, Oct. 24 at 1076 Post Road E. Its grand opening is scheduled for Nov. 7, according to store officials. It is the second such store in southwestern Connecticut for the Massachusetts-based chain.
The new store, located at the former Barnes & Noble bookstore site and what was supposed to be an Amazon Fresh store, is hiring nearly 100 employees, according to officials from the grocery store chain that operates more than 90 stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Big Y is also looking for local farmers, vendors and artisans for the Westport store. Billing it as its “Local Vendor Discovery Tour” the new supermarket gives an online tour for its sales teams the opportunity to learn more about local offerings that can be sold in-store.
The chain operates stores in Milford, Stratford, Shelton and Monroe. Earlier this year the chain opened stores in Brookfield and Middletown.
“Our team is looking forward to learning about the Westport area and becoming a part of the community,” said Big Y President and CEO Michael P. D’Amour. “One way we do that is by partnering with local farms, businesses and artisans to showcase the products that are unique to the region.”
Big Y partners with over 500 local businesses who provide over 4,000 individual local products, such as soda, artisan bread, chocolate, hand-crafted soap, and coffee, to name a few.
“The group at Big Y is fair to the farmers, always willing to help us out, and most importantly, cares about what we are trying to accomplish in our communities,” said Will Dellacamera, Cecarelli’s Harrison Hill Farm, Northford.
Big Y’s sales team assists partners with distribution and delivery of all local products. “We’re committed to providing our shoppers with the finest, freshest and most flavorful local products that reflect the communities we are in,” said Mike Cormier, Big Y senior vice president of sales and marketing. “These partnerships not only help local small businesses stay healthy, but they also allow us to provide the highest-quality merchandise to our customers.”
Anyone who is interested in becoming a local vendor can inquire at www.bigy.com/LocalPartners.
