Stop & Shop in Trumbull to Undergo $500K Renovation Following Petition

TRUMBULL, CT — Nearly a year after a petition calling for improvements at a Stop and Shop grocery store in Trumbull was circulated by residents, a town official has confirmed renovations to the store are planned for this year.

Economic and Community Development Director Rina Bakalar confirmed to Patch this week the store, located at 100 Quality Street, is set to receive an approximately $500,000 renovation sometime this year.

"This includes interior upgrades such as new shelving, improvements to refrigeration, cosmetic improvements and signage," Bakalar said in an email to Patch. "They are in the permitting process now."

Bakalar also said she did not have a timeline for when the renovations will be completed at this time.

A Stop and Shop spokesperson told Patch this week it was still "too early in the process to share any additional information" about the project.

A request for comment from First Selectman Vicki Tesoro's office was not immediately returned.

The petition calling for enhanced equipment and improved conditions at the store was first circulated in March 2024 by area residents.

Titled "Enhance Equipment and Conditions at Stop & Shop Trumbull CT," the petition has garnered nearly 700 signatures as of Wednesday.

The petition claims the Trumbull store's refrigeration units "often malfunction leading to spoilage of fresh produce, produce and meats are routinely expired" and the store's "general cleanliness and maintenance leave much to be desired," and called for Stop and Shop management or the grocery chain's headquarters to take immediate action.

See also:

• Petition Calls For Enhanced Equipment, Conditions At Trumbull Stop & Shop
• First Selectman Responds To Petition For Trumbull Stop & Shop Improvements

In a statement sent to Patch in March, a Stop and Shop spokesperson said the grocery chain was grateful to have served as Trumbull's neighborhood grocer since opening there in 1979 and appreciated residents reaching out to share their feedback.

"While our Trumbull location is not currently scheduled for a remodel in 2024, we've continued to make improvements to the customer experience in recent years," the spokesperson said last year, "including the addition of online pickup and the "flashfood" program to help reduce our environmental footprint."

The spokesperson also noted the safety and quality of Stop and Shop's products is something the company takes very seriously.

"We have check points throughout the day to ensure proper storage temperatures are met," the spokesperson said, "and we continuously monitor our systems and products from both a quality and safety standpoint."

Shortly after the petition gained momentum last year, First Selectman Vicki Tesoro told Patch she spoke with Stop and Shop representatives and shared her concerns gathered from her own shopping experience at the Trumbull store.

"Our conversation focused on how things need to improve," Tesoro said to Patch last year. "I asked about a renovation plan for this store. I was told we are on the list to be renovated, but not in the near future."

Tesoro said they also spoke about the condition of the store, the quality and freshness of certain food items such as produce, equipment concerns and other issues.

"When our discussion concluded I was told they will review their plans and possibly move Trumbull forward in the renovation schedule," Tesoro said. "In the meantime, they're going to look to remediate some of the issues we discussed right away."

She also noted she planned to follow up with Stop and Shop so they could work together to create a better shopping experience in Trumbull.