If not for the power of the grapevine, the subject of a possible lease for the long vacant 888 Franklin Avenue would not have been brought up during the public comments of the Aug. 12 Village Board meeting, leaving most residents in the dark. One resident heard that there had been discussions about the proposed new tenancy of a Kings Super Market at the Planning Commission held the night before and spread the word to POA leaders and residents in attendance at the trustees' meeting. Garden City Life worked all weekend to track down whatever information was available about the lease and the potential tenant.

Over the weekend, while "surfing the net" http://www.garwoodnj.com/kings/home.htm was located. The website says, "Kings Super Markets, Inc. is a 22-store [but since the site was created another store was added to the chain, making it 23] supermarket chain with its corporate headquarters located in Parsippany, New Jersey. Kings is a subsidiary of Marks & Spenser p.l.c. of Great Britain."

It continues, "From its inception in 1936, Kings has been an innovator in quality and customer service. Our friendly, knowledgeable associates, Consumer Affairs and Community Relations Department, consumer panel and outreach programs continue Kings commitment and dedication to our customers. Our commitment to excellence provides quality foods with personal, friendly and helpful service... a tradition of more than 60 years."

The chain offers cooking classes and special events at what they call their Kings Cookingstudios. According to the website they offer "hands-on classes and demonstrations in ethnic, health, pastry and special occasion menu preparation. Courses offered include: Technique Instruction, classes for children and teens, and our 8-part Diploma Series for a lifetime of culinary pleasures." Also offered by Kings are full service catering, a professional florist department, gift certificates, and a signature club card.

Sunday, Garden City Life spoke with former Kings employee Mark Wawrzenski, now a college graduate gainfully employed in his field, who worked for Kings Super Markets in southern New Jersey during his high school days. Wawrzenski commented that the store in which he worked was [it did close, but according to Wawrzenski because of economic problems in the community during the recession and not the chain itself] a "high end supermarket" that "sold everything" as a standard supermarket would, but with an eye toward a certain level of exclusivity. Wawrzenski noted that he enjoyed his experience with the company and, having lived on Long Island while attending college, said he believed it could do well in Garden City.

Monday morning as this paper was in production, Garden City Life contacted Elizabeth Dazies with King Super Markets in their Parsippany office and was able to obtain more information about the lease currently being negotiated with Renaissance Development, LLC, [Albanese Development and Castagna Realty's joint venture] owners of 888 Franklin Avenue. Dazies was able to report that the chain is in fact planning a new store in Garden City. She was able to prepare, along with her promotions department, a release about their plans.

"Kings is negotiating a lease for 15,000 square feet of retail space at 888 Franklin Avenue in downtown Garden City" the release states. This is the "first out-of-state venture for the northern New Jersey chain." According to Dazies and the release, Robert A. Burghardt of the Realco Group, Inc. is representing Kings in negotiation for a 20-year lease. A grand opening tentatively scheduled for spring 2000.

In the release, Alan C. Levitan, Kings' president and chief executive officer, was quoted as saying, "We are very excited about opening our first store outside New Jersey and in Garden City in particular, which is undergoing an ambitious downtown renaissance. The Franklin Avenue site is ideally suited to Kings and presents us with an excellent opportunity to fill a marketing niche with a premium neighborhood market. We look forward to forging new and lasting relationships with the residents of Garden City."

Executive Vice President of Albanese Development Corporation Russell G. Matthews, who was unavailable to speak with Garden City Life in time for this publication, was quoted in the release as saying, "Kings is exactly the type of upscale food store that the Business Planning Coalition of Garden City identified in its 1997 report as key to attracting pedestrian traffic that will benefit the whole area. It's an important niche that will serve Garden City's office workers, rushed commuters, and residents looking for superior products for their families and guests."

The chain, established in 1936 in Summit, NJ, if the Planning Commission, Architectural Design and Review Board, and Village Board of Trustees all approve the plans, will open next spring where residents will recall Sutton Place Gourmet had onced planned to move. Kings Super Markets is planning to occupy more space than was Sutton Place, as they will be utilizing basement space and a portion of the building that was at one time proposed to be a wine store, similar to the new and apparently rather successful shop Simply Wine located in the Albertson Waldbaum's Shopping Center. The store will be larger than either the Food Basket or the Grand Union on Seventh Street in Garden City.