Mystery solved: Market 32 opens on the Berlin Turnpike

by Mark Jahne

Editor

Photos by Mark Jahne

The talk around town for the past few years was about a new supermarket coming to a development along the Berlin Turnpike near Pane Road. What would it be?

The answer is Market 32, which is part of the Price Chopper supermarket chain. It opened a few weeks ago.

Blaine Bringhurst is the president of Market 32/Price Chopper. He spoke about the new store and why the company chose this newly constructed mixed-use development on the turnpike.

“We had a store just a mile up the road that was a Price Chopper. We love the town and we love the customers,” he said.

Cody Sanford, left, is the grocery team leader at Market 32. With him is General Manager Mike Pauly.

But that supermarket was in an old shopping plaza set back from the road with poor visibility and it was too large by today’s industry standards. The company wanted something newer and properly sized for today’s competitive food market.

The new Market 32 covers 42,000 square feet, about half the footprint of a larger supermarket. It is one of 128 stores in a chain located in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. Corporate headquarters is in Schenectady, N.Y.

There is a wide variety of cheeses from which to choose.

“Market 32 is newer and more contemporary. The new location provides a better spot from a visibility perspective,” Bringhurst said. “We haven’t opened a Price Chopper in 14 years.”

Employees were able to retain their jobs. He said many of the people who worked at the now-closed Price Chopper down the street were transferred to the new Market 32.

Shoppers who select sandwiches or ready-to-eat meals can dine in a well-lit café area.

“It focuses on our products and our people. It’s more in line with how customers shop today,” he added.

Fresh and prepared foods are popular selections. Bringhurst said Market 32 is also known for its meats, seafood and floral department. He also said a strong emphasis on customer service and soliciting feedback makes it stand out from its competitors.

“You can do all your grocery shopping here. You can get everything you need,” he added.

The store offers products from multiple local businesses and artisans, among them Fair Weather Growers in Rocky Hill. The deli offers the Boar’s Head signature line of meats. Shoppers who favor organic produce will find more than 1,000 USDA-certified options.

There are several options of fully cooked seafood meals.

The butcher counter features pub style and smash burgers. Chicken and seafood choices come free of antibiotics, growth hormones, preservatives, pesticides and artificial ingredients.

Try the artisan breads and specialty cheeses. If you don’t feel like cooking there are plenty of prepared foods available and meal trays that serve six to 10 people. A wide variety of colorful flowers can be found in the floral shop.

For those who enjoy food with a Latin-American flavor there is the Goya line of products. Market 32 has a commitment to local foods and offers various flavors of Connecticut. These include Durante’s pastas and sauces, Foxon Park sodas, and Gina Marie Italian sweets and biscuits.

Market 32 focuses on a selection of fresh produce.

Mike Pauly is he general manager. He is familiar with Newington, having lived in neighboring Berlin his entire life. He’s also experienced in food market management and previously managed Market 32 stores in Middletown and Oxford.

“I’ve been in the supermarket business for 41 years,” he said.

“This store is right sized for this day and age. The sight lines are perfect. I think we have a perfect blend of offerings. If you’re a foodie we have specialty items,” he said.

The market also features prime beef.

There are products on the shelves at all price levels. Some of those products are private label brands. He describes it as a “community-based” store. New luxury apartments on the same Meadow Commons parcel have provided a nice start-up customer base.

“It’s nice to see the turnpike being developed again,” he said.

“Market 32 is about a store for everybody. It captures the whole demographic. The store encompasses a one-stop shop. What really differentiates us is this team is made of great people. This team really cares. The people are the difference here,” Pauly said.

“We’re old school. We cut our own meats here. We make our own pizza,” he added.

A café corner with plenty of natural lighting is a spot where people can enjoy lunch.

“Come here and try us out. We have grab-and-go food, we have heat-and-eat food,” he said.

There is currently a lower-price campaign to attract more shoppers. Pauly said people praise the layout of the store as bright and well organized. One can see every part of the market from the main entrance.

Market 32 offers a discount card, digital coupons, catering, online shopping, Instacart and will soon add Uber Eats. Flowers can be ordered and delivered via DoorDash.

The company has a long tradition of supporting nonprofit agencies and local events and that is expected to continue at this new store. NL

Market 32 is located at 3333 Berlin Turnpike next door to Best Buy.