Middle Island King Kullen closes after 34 years
This is the latest of several large-scale grocery stores to close in the Town of Brookhaven recently.
Another longstanding grocery store is closing its doors in the Town of Brookhaven.
Today was the last day of operations for the King Kullen in Middle Island, marking the fourth King Kullen to close on Long Island since 2022.
Located at 1235 Middle Country Road in the Strathmore Commons Shopping Mall, the store has been in this location for the last 34 years and has been a community staple at another location for over 40 years combined.
Employees shared their thoughts as they went for their last shifts.
"My clients are going to miss us, they're going to miss the bakery and the service," employee Marion Dahl said.
"Things happen, you adjust, you move on, but it's just kind of weird still," 22-year employee Tiffani Campbell said.
A spokesperson for King Kullen called it "a business decision not to renew the lease."
"Employees have been reassigned or offered positions at other King Kullen locations," King Kullen spokesperson Lloyd Singer wrote to News 12 in a statement. "King Kullen is honored to have served the Middle Island community."
Last year, Stop & Shop closed several locations on Long Island, including in Coram. Now, with the loss of King Kullen, many people are wondering what large grocery stores they can turn to for their weekly shopping in the area.
"It's becoming more and more difficult and then you have to drive farther and farther," Selden resident Hank Vanderaa said.
"Some of the employees, they're my friends, you know, 30 years coming here," Ridge resident Corinne Telesca said.
Brookhaven town officials are hoping the building's owner is able to fill the space quickly.
"I speak with the owner of the shopping center almost every day and he's been very gracious and he's trying diligently to get another grocery store in this spot," Brookhaven Town Council Member Michael Loguercio, Jr. said.
Middle Island Civic Association President Gail Lynch-Bailey told News 12 there are ongoing discussions to find a new business to take over the space and that a grocery store is likely to move in at some point.
She added that ShopRite, Aldi and Giunta's Meat Farms are the three leading candidates.
"We simply don't want to have another empty, big space here on Middle Country Road," she said.
News 12 reached out to Island Associates Real Estate, Inc., which owns the property, for comment, but has not heard back yet.
