Clifton Stew Leonard's Announces Opening Date

CLIFTON, NJ — Heads up if you're curious to check out the new Stew Leonard's that's been under construction off Rt. 3 in Clifton:

The grocery store just announced it will open its doors for business next Friday, May 17. The store will be open 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. next Friday.

This is the new Stew Leonard's located at 467 Allwood Road, in Clifton’s Styertowne shopping center. This is a new 56,000-square foot grocery store, and is the eighth Stew Leonard’s in the New York metro area.

In addition, the existing Stew Leonard’s Wines & Spirits in Clifton is moving from its current location at The Promenade Shops, and will be located inside the new grocery store.

The plan is the liquor store will sell more than 1,200 wines, 1,100 spirits and 350 beers. However, this is still waiting on approval from the New Jersey Alcohol Beverage Control; right now the only thing the new store is licensed to sell is wine, similar to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.

The company says this grocery store will sell products from more than a dozen local vendors and "dozens of New Jersey farms." The store is officially called "Stew Leonard’s Farm Fresh Food and Wine."

Stew Leonard Sr. started as a milk deliveryman for his family’s Clover Farms Dairy. He opened the first Stew Leonard’s in 1969 as a 17,000-square-foot dairy store in Norwalk, Connecticut.

The company is now run by his son, Stew Leonard Jr.

“Stew Leonard’s in Clifton has the look and feel of a farmers' market,” said the son. “Everything will be made fresh in front of our shoppers’ eyes, from bagels coming out of the oven to meat being cut to order. Plus, this is the most fun my family and I have ever put into a store, with new animatronic shows and some eye-popping decor, including a 14-foot-tall lighthouse inspired by Old Barney.”

Stew Leonard’s Farm Fresh Food & Wine Store of Clifton is located at 467 Allwood Road, Clifton, NJ 07012.

Hours: Seven days a week from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Stew Leonard’s Wines & Spirits will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. selling beer and wine, with the sale of liquor beginning daily at 9 a.m. On Sunday, beer, wine, and liquor will be sold from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. (subject to New Jersey Alcohol Beverage Control approval.)