Bill Bittar Photo
Charlie D’Amour, president and chief executive officer of Big Y World Class Market, The Jolly Green Giant, and Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan.
DERBY — The public got its first look at a brand new grocery store Thursday during a grand opening of a Big Y World Class Market at 656 New Haven Ave. (Route 34).
“We’re delighted to be here in Derby,” said Charlie D’Amour, president and chief executive officer. “We’re thrilled to be part of this community. We’re excited by the progress up and down Route 34. We think this can be a real focal point for the community, a place where people meet.”
The $5 million, 60,000 square-foot store means new taxes and jobs — but it’s also important for the Derby’s psyche. The Big Y replaces a Walmart that left the city in July 2016. The Adams grocery store next door closed not long after. Big Y announced it was coming to Derby in late 2017.
So that once busy parking lot — on Derby’s busiest road — has been mostly empty for three years. Having Big Y open is great news for Ajay Manchanda who owns The Liquor Factory next to the Big Y.
Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan credited Manchanda for hanging in there. The liquor store has essentially be an island in the shopping plaza since Walmart closed.
“The full parking lot will help you,” Dziekan said. “Thank you for staying here.”
The mayor said the city hosted a planning meeting with Big Y reps shortly after he took office in 2017 to help the company navigate the permitting and inspection process. The idea was to make the project as smooth as possible.
“I want to thank you for coming down here,” the mayor told Big Y’s representatives. “If you ever need anything, my office is open. I wish you the best of luck.”
Other dignitaries on hand included Bill Purcell, president of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, state senator George S. Logan, R‑Ansonia, and House Minority Leader Rep. Themis Klarides, R‑Derby, and state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R‑Seymour.
Throughout the ceremony, military veterans and those still serving were honored as Veterans Day approaches. American Legion Post 16 in Shelton took part in the festivities and the crowd applauded Big Y employees who also served their country.
Rather than a ribbon cutting ceremony, a cake cutting ceremony was held. Bob Rainville, director of the new Derby store, did the honors.
All of the Derby store’s managers were introduced. Samantha Knapp, employee service field manager for Big Y, said the local store has over 170 employees.
“We’ve got a stir fry kitchen here, a salad bar, a sushi chef and an expanded selection of hot foods,” D’Amour said.
Knapp said Big Y always forms partnerships with local food producers and venders. Among the local products in the Derby store are popcorn from Kennedy Kitchen in Hamden, barbecue sauce from Nantucket Blonde in Cheshire, craft beer from Two Roads Brewing Co. in Stratford and ricotta and mozzarella cheese from Calabro Cheese in East Haven to name a few.
Valarie Shultz-Wilson, chief executive officer for the Connecticut Food Bank, accepted a donation of $7,500 worth of gift cards from Big Y, along with Sack Hunger bags.
“Thank you. This will buy a lot of turkeys,” Shultz-Wilson said. “Over 1.5 million pounds of meat and produce are donated from Big Y. We cannot do what we do without you.”
Big Y also opened a store in Milford Thursday.
To open the Derby location, company officials closed a store in Ansonia. As recently as April the company had said they had not made a decision about the Ansonia store’s future, but later announced it would be closing. Employees were offered jobs in Derby or Milford.
