Fairway Market's Holiday Gift For Midtown Manhattan!!!

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairway Market has a holiday gift for residents of Kips Bay, Murray Hill, Gramercy, Union Square and many other midtown area New York neighborhoods.  The newest Fairway Market (www.fairwaymarket.com) opens this Friday, December 21, 2012 at 550 Second Avenue (off 30^th Street).

The 40,119 square foot store, in the Kips Bay Shopping Center, is being staffed by many of the employees from Fairway Market's Red Hook location that was devastated by Hurricane Sandy.  In the aftermath of the historic super storm, which forced the temporary closing of the Red Hook store, Fairway Market committed to ensuring that the employees there would not lose their jobs.  It offered temporary placement at Fairway Market's other locations and provided ongoing free shuttle service so that these employees could get to their new assignments.

The Kips Bay store is the fourth Manhattan Fairway Market and 12^th store for the company.  Over the past six years, Fairway Market has opened nine new grocery store locations and three wines and spirits locations, creating more than 3,500 new jobs.

"The holidays are all about giving, and in this regard we're proud on two fronts.  We're giving residents of midtown and downtown the unparalleled shopping experience that is the hallmark of Fairway Market.  And we're giving our Red Hook store employees and their families some cheer amid the chaos that has defined their lives over the past two months," said Charles Santoro, Chairman of Fairway Market and co-founder and managing director of Sterling Investment Partners, a Westport, CT middle market private equity firm that owns a majority stake in Fairway Market.

"People have been asking for years for us to come to midtown so that they too can enjoy just how unique and special we are," said Howie Glickberg, Vice Chairman of Development and grandson of Fairway Market's founder. "Our people are the best, from our butchers and bakers to our cheese mongers, produce and seafood experts. They all share a passion for what they do and we're very pleased to be able to share this passion now with even more New Yorkers."

"We look forward to providing one stop shopping at its best and, as we do through all our stores, to making an impact in the Kips Bay community through our giving back to the causes and organizations that make a difference in the lives of our neighbors," said Herb Ruetsch, Chief Executive Officer  of Fairway Market.,

Once inside the 2,500 square foot entryway of the Kips Bay location, shoppers will find two glass enclosed elevators and two extra wide escalators that will whisk them to the lower level with its 16 to 20 foot high ceilings. There they will find an exceptional combination of traditional, organic and specialty foodstuffs at great every day prices.

Fairway Market's signature produce section - an astounding assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables, including a wide array of locally sourced, organic, and exotic items - is the first stop for everyone as they enter the lower level of the store. Shoppers then continue their gastronomical journey through this beloved institution while enjoying delicious aromas from the made-from-scratch bakery, with its artisanal breads, pies and NYC-style bagels, all KOF-K certified kosher.  

Shoppers will also find a full line and ever-expanding number of gluten-free products, more than 100 varieties of olive oils, a great assortment of organic and natural health and beauty aids and an abundance of organic products.

The seafood department, which is reminiscent of an old style fish market, offers the freshest varieties right off the boat. The meat department is a full butcher shop where customized orders are its specialty and there is a large selection of pre-cut, kosher certified red meat, as well as fresh kosher poultry and 21-day, dry-aged prime steaks.

The New York classic deli and appetizing section provides a selection of pickled and cured foods, including more than 70 kinds of freshly marinated olives, as well as a number of smoked salmon options, including Fairway Market's house-smoked salmon.

The master coffee purveyors roast coffee beans from around the world on premises and the smells are hard to resist.  As for cheese, Fairway Market is widely recognized as a driving force behind the artisanal cheese industry in the United States and this department has more than 600 cheeses from which to choose. Specialty foods abound throughout the store, virtually a food paradise with honey, nuts, dried fruits, candies, sardines, pastas and so many exciting imports from every part of the world, a great deal of which are exclusive to Fairway Market.

Kips Bay has one of Fairway Market's famous hot bars, with food made by the company's chefs with all the same high-quality fresh ingredients found on the store shelves. The store will also have freshly prepared grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, rotisserie chickens, hand-rolled sushi and top-quality prepared dishes and sides to satisfy everyone in the family. 

Fairway Market Kips Bay will be open from 8am to 11pm., seven days a week. For more information, visit www.fairwaymarket.com or call (646) 720-9420.

About Fairway Market
Fairway was founded in the 1930s as a fruit and vegetable store in Manhattan, and it is now a growing chain of markets with an expertise in specialty foods. It is also one of the nation's highest grossing food retailers per square foot. Sterling Investment Partners acquired a majority share of the company over five years ago. Today there are 12 food stores and three wine and spirits locations in the tri-state area, employing approximately 3,900 people. Fairway has been listed on Inc.'s top 5,000 fastest growing private companies for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Learn more at www.fairwaymarket.com.

About Sterling Investment Partners
Sterling Investment Partners is a middle-market private equity firm that invests in companies with significant competitive strengths and growth potential. Founded in 1991, Sterling has completed investments, strategic or add-on acquisitions, and liquidity events with an aggregate transaction value of approximately $9.0 billion, representing over 100 transactions. Sterling maintains a broad industry focus, including professional and business services, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, value-added distribution, retail, consumer, education and training and technology-related businesses.  www.sterlinglp.com

SOURCE Fairway Market