7 November, 2011
Town and state officials joined the developers and members of Price Chopper’s management team at an official groundbreaking ceremony for the Hopkinton store on Friday, November 4, 2011. Following the obligatory shoveling of dirt, the crowd moved to the Marathon Restaurant for a presentation by Price Chopper CEO Neil Golub that included both company history and policies and plans for the Hopkinton location.
“We are a family in business,” said Golub, “not a family business.”
He went on to explain that a family business is for the benefit of the family, while a family in business is for the benefit of the business and all decisions that are made and the way the business is run is always based upon what is right for the company.
Based in Schenectady, NY, the Golub Corporation owns and operates 127 Price Chopper grocery stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Hopkinton store will be the most eastern location for Price Chopper Supermarkets and will also be a smaller store at 40,000 square feet. But Golub assured local officials that his newest store would have most of the same offerings as his larger stores.
Departments planned for the Hopkinton location include a deli/sandwich shop, bakery, custom cut meat, seafood, a fresh produce market and a florist. Golub said that Price Chopper gets its fish from all over the world and is known for its seafood . The deli will feature Boar’s Head brand meats and the custom cut meat market sells Certified Angus Beef. According to Golub, the bakery is famous for its rye bread that is made from scratch and also for its homemade bagels.
The opening of the new store is expected to create jobs for approximately 250 people, with a 60/40 spilt between full-time and part-time jobs. On the eve of the grand opening, Price Chopper will host a Preview Party and a $5 dollar donation will be collected and donated, along with a matching contribution from Price Chopper, to three local non-profits.
“We are a very charitable company,” said Golub, who detailed his contributions to other charities and causes, including $1 million raised for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and 30 years’ service as a member of the MS Telethon.
The new store in Hopkinton is anticipated to receive LEED certification, as have all Price Chopper stores built since 2008. In addition, 20% of construction materials used for the new store will come from suppliers within a 500 mile radius of Hopkinton, encouraging regional economic growth.
The new store is expected to open in the summer of 2012.
