Four months after Fairway Market, a beloved destination and a critical anchor for the entire Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, was devastated by Hurricane Sandy and forced to close, it will reopen on Friday, March 1 with a ceremony celebrating the rebirth and return to life of the entire community.
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will keynote the program, which begins at 9:30 a.m. at the store, which is located at 480-500 Van Brunt St. Also joining in the ceremony will be Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and other elected officials and local dignitaries, as well as Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan, Fairway Market executives, dozens of local business owners (many offering demonstrations), and hundreds of residents.
"Fairway Market is more than just a store; it is the quintessential grocery experience with something for everyone — from our foodies and artisan advocates to even Brooklyn's own Miss America, Mallory Hagan," says Markowitz. "Since Hurricane Sandy, Fairway's absence in Red Hook left Brooklynites with an emptiness in their daily routines — and their refrigerators. I can personally attest that no week was quite the same without my wife and I taking our ritual trip to Fairway; of course Jamie would head straight to the fruit and vegetables aisle and I dash straight for the prepared foods counter and the great variety of smoked salmon a.k.a. lox."
The opening marks the completion of the renovation of the 39,000-sq-ft store, which was completely gutted in the aftermath of the super storm.