Stewart’s Shops planning bigger stores

Multiple local sites to see work this year

SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. » Stewart’s Shops is moving full steam ahead with a $2 million makeover of its South Glens Falls location at the corner of Main Street and Saratoga Avenue.

Two adjacent houses were recently razed and construction crews are preparing the site for a much larger plaza-type operation.

It’s one of about a dozen replacement shops the company is doing this year, putting new stores where others currently exist.

Others in Saratoga County are at the intersection of Route 9 and Kinns Road in Halfmoon; Route 67 in Charlton, on property diagonally across the street from the current shop; and Broad Street in Schuylerville, a short distance from the existing shop.

The existing South Glens Falls store will stay open until the new one is finished.

“We transition one to the other,” spokesperson Maria D’Amelia said.

Once the new store opens, in October, the old one will be demolished to make room for a gasoline plaza and parking.

The new, larger store will have more food and beverage offerings and improve access to the site, at the busiest intersection in South Glens Falls. Ovenbaked pizza, custom-made subs, a beverage bar and beer cave are among the highlights customers can expect at the new store, D’Amelia said.

Last year, Cumberland Farms opened a new store and large gasoline plaza about a block away.

Stewart’s has 337 shops and employs approximately 4,500 people.

On Thursday, an official grand opening was held for a new Watervliet store at 2000 2nd Ave., where Stewart’s is sharing a location with Pioneer Bank. This replaces a former store on 19th St.

Replacement projects are also taking place in North Creek, Queensbury, Hudson Falls and on Brandywine Avenue in Schenectady this year.

“These new, larger shops allow for a better flow inside and out, to improve the customer’s shopping experience,” D’Amelia said. “Easy food options are fueling many of these projects throughout the company, as we evolve to meet the needs of our customers’ busy lifestyles. They’re looking for quick, quality foods they can easily grab throughout the day.”

PAUL POST — PPOST@ DIGITALFIRST MEDIA.COM Stewart’s Shops plans to replace its existing South Glens Falls store with a larger, new one scheduled to open in October. It’s one of several similar projects the company is pursuing throughout the area this year.

PAUL POST — PPOST@DIGITALFIRSTMEDIA.COM Construction crews have razed two houses adjacent to a Stewart’s Shop in South Glens Falls and are preparing the site for a large, new store.