In celebration of its new location in West Caldwell, ShopRite held a grand opening on Oct. 21 with local leaders and dignitaries that featured a parade and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Sunrise ShopRite store, located at 900 Bloomfield Ave., is a nearly 90,000-square-foot supermarket. It replaces the store’s former home at 540 Passaic Ave. and is set to honor the nearly 85 years that the family business has been part of West Caldwell and its commitment to the community.
A community concert and “Parking Lot Party” was held during a pre-opening event on Oct. 19. That celebration featured live music from New Power Soul band, food trucks, games, giveaways and family-friendly activities such as a balloon artist, inflatable corn maze, airbrush tattoos, face painting and a Touch-a-Truck experience.
“It was important to us to include everyone in this grand opening, and we are so excited to celebrate with our friends, neighbors and the entire community as we prepare to open the new ShopRite of West Caldwell,” said Dara Sblendorio, a fourth-generation grocer and president of Sunrise ShopRite.
“The new store reflects and recognizes the commitment of our family, our retail teams and the loyal customers who continue to shop with us — many across multiple generations. With this beautiful new store and our same strong pledge to service and quality, we will continue to grow with West Caldwell for years to come.”
The new store is twice the size of the previous location and offers:
- Enhanced Sunrise Kitchens – Freshly prepared meals and favorite recipes, a made-from-scratch Pizza Shop, sushi, Asian cuisine and a hot buffet.
- Sunrise Cellars Wine, Beer & Spirits – Three aisles of selections with staff to help find the perfect pairing.
- Community Room – A dedicated space for cooking classes, wellness programs and private events.
- Wider aisles and an expanded parking lot.
The ShopRite of West Caldwell has been a beloved family-centered store for generations of shoppers and employees. The former store was also known for its red pagoda roofline, which was inspired by founder Irving Gladstein’s interest in Japanese architecture and culture. He was a World War II veteran who served in the Pacific theater and made several trips to Japan during his lifetime.
Archival photos showcasing the family history in West Caldwell will be on display in the new location. The new store will also include favorite elements and items like the phone booths that are posted outside the current location on Passaic Avenue.
Sunrise ShopRite’s local roots date back to 1940, when Nathan Gladstein opened his first small food store, Sunrise Market, in Caldwell, NJ. Irving, Nathan’s son, took over the business after his father’s passing in 1948. He joined the supermarket cooperative Wakefern Food Corp. in 1951 and transitioned his Sunrise Market to ShopRite.
The West Caldwell ShopRite store on Passaic Avenue opened in 1967, and in 1980, Irving’s son Ned expanded the business with the first Parsippany ShopRite location.
