Sneak Peek Inside New Clifton Stew Leonard's

CLIFTON, NJ — The new Clifton Stew Leonard's grocery store will open this Friday, May 17, but here are some photos from their ribbon cutting Tuesday, and a sneak peek inside.

The new store is located at 467 Allwood Rd., Clifton, NJ.

The ceremony included the dedication of a 300-pound bronze statue in honor of former milkman and grocery store founder Stew Leonard Sr., who passed away last year.

Stew Leonard's have become a $600 million family-owned supermarket chain with locations in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey.

“We’re very proud to be here today to open our eighth food store,” said Stew Leonard, Jr., joined by his 92-year-old mother and children. “We brought cows with us because that is how we got started 100 years ago. My dad was a milkman and his father was in the dairy business; farming is in our blood.”

“I want to thank the Stew Leonard’s staff,” he added. “We’ve hired over 400 new employees and promoted over 100 existing employees thanks to this new store.”

Stew Leonard's buys dairy and produce from hundreds of local farms in the tri-state area. “Some of our best products come from New Jersey, from blueberries to asparagus,” said Leonard, Jr.

Stew Leonard’s is continuing its relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton, which, since 2009, has received more than $45,000 in life-saving grants from the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation and provided free or low-cost swimming lessons to more than 400 kids.

“My wife and I lost our little boy to drowning when he was only two years old,” said Leonard, Jr. “Therefore, it’s very important to our family to give back to the community in this way.”