Balducci's
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| Type | Specialty Gourmet |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1916 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. 1946 Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Founder(s) | Louis Balducci |
| Headquarters | Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Area served | Connecticut, New York Maryland, Virginia |
| Key people | Judy Spires (CEO), Fred Brohm (Executive VP of Merchandising/Marketing), Rich Durante (SR. VP of Operations), Michael Bruno (Sr. VP Human Resources, Patrick Dentato (Sr. VP & CFO) |
| Products | Specialty Gourmet |
| Parent | Kings Super Markets |
| Website | balduccis.com |
Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market is a specialty gourmet food retailer in the United States with six grocery stores.[1] The company headquarters is in Parsippany, New Jersey.
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[edit] History
Balducci's was the first company in New York City to sell premium quality foods with a butcher, fishmonger, delicatessen and greengrocer all in the same store.[2] It became a model for specialty markets all over the city.[2][3]
In 1999, Balducci Enterprises became a subsidiary of Sutton Place Gourmet, a Maryland based company.[4] Sales for the combined company were more than $130 million per year.[4]
The flagship store in Greenwich Village closed earlier in the year (Jan 2003).[5] In November 2003, the company was purchased by an investment group led by Bear Stearns Merchant Banking.
[edit] Balducci's post 2005
The new flagship store on Eighth Avenue at 14th Street in Manhattan opened in December 2005.[6] Following its opening, Local 1500 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union began protesting outside the store against the non-unionized status of employees.[7]
"Right now we are restructuring our company," said Jennifer Barton, Marketing Director with Balducci's LLC. "We had to close some of our under-performing stores."[citation needed]
There are currently six full-service retail stores in Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and New York (Scarsdale). There are four Balducci's Express locations: three in JFK Airport in New York and one at the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets in Virginia.[1]
In April 2009 Balducci's was sold to Angelo, Gordon and Co. Investment Firm under the leadership of then CEO Bruce Weitz of Kings Super Markets. The current CEO is Judy Spires.
[edit] In fiction
In the popular television sitcom, Will and Grace, the character Will Truman regularly visited the original Greenwich Village store in New York before it was closed in 2003.
In a scene from the movie Fatso, the character Dominick Anthony "Dom" DiNapoli, played by actor Dom DeLuise, visits a weight-loss clinic with a bag of groceries from Balducci's.
[edit] References
- ^ a b http://www.balduccis.com/locations
- ^ a b "Balducci's: A House Divided Stands in Name Only", The New York Times, June 28, 2000
- ^ "In Rough Market, a Slow Market (Balducci’s) Suffers", The New York Times.
- ^ a b "Sutton Place, Balducci's in Partnership", The New York Times.
- ^ "Balducci's Flagship Closes in the Village; A New Site Is Planned", The New York Times.
- ^ "A New Balducci's, Back Downtown", The New York Times, December 14, 2005
- ^ "Lining Up at Balducci's, and Not for the Salmon", The New York Times, March 6, 2006
In a scene of the film the 25th Hour, Montgomery "Monty" Brogan (Edward Norton)mention Balducci's in his soliloquy in front of the mirror
[edit] External links
- balduccis.com, Balducci's Food Lovers Market official website
