Uncle Giuseppe’s Coming To Melville

The seventh Uncle Giuseppe’s location is set to open its doors in Melville on Dec. 1.

By Andrew Wroblewski
awroblewskit@longislandergroup.com

Uncle Giuseppe’s is coming to town, and its CEO and co-founder is hopeful the chain will fill Melville’s grocery store “void” that dates back to 2015.

The full-service supermarket chain, which opened its first location in 1998, is gearing up to open its seventh location, and first within the Town of Huntington, at 890 Walt Whitman Road on Dec. 1.

The newest store spans over 52,000 square feet, making it the Farmingdale-based chain’s largest on Long Island.

It takes over a space left vacant by Waldbaum’s in late 2015. The closure tasked nearby residents with finding a new grocery store to shop at.

Carl DelPrete, CEO and co-founder of Uncle Giuseppe’s, said Wednesday that he hopes the new location will remedy that problem, and then some.

“Not only are we filling the void of a supermarket that carries your regular, everyday grocery items, but in addition to that, we have gourmet, hand-prepared bakery goods, seafood and a 120-foot deli counter,” he said, adding that the location also has more than 250 employees. “We’re a regular supermarket on steroids.”

The chain is also known for offerings like its fresh-made cheese and pasta selections, butcher shop and craft beer selection which are paired with a welcoming atmosphere that includes Italian opera music and elaborate décor throughout.

DelPrete said the goal is to take shoppers back to “the days of old when it was enjoyable to go shopping … when quality and service went above all else.”

Along with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. on Dec. 1, the Melville location will host grand opening events with face painting, balloon artists, holiday crafts and pictures with Santa Claus on Dec. 2-3 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.