See Photos, Details As Stew Leonard's Prepares To Open Second North Jersey Store

CLIFTON, NJ — It won't be long until Stew Leonard's, the Connecticut-based dairy and regional grocer, welcomes people into its brand-new store in North Jersey.

Clifton is the city where "The Disneyland of Dairy Stores" will open their second Garden State location, a 56,000-square-foot food and wine store at Styertowne Shopping Center (467 Allwood Road, Clifton NJ, 07012). The official opening date is Friday, May 17.

"Stew's" is known for its farm-grown produce, freshly-baked bread, local meat and seafood, and deli with handmade mozzarella cheese and burrata — but also for a whimsical, family-friendly farm market atmosphere inside the store.

This location will be no exception, the company said. Classic animatronic shows including the "Farm Fresh Five" and the "Avocado Girls," a life-sized Divco milk delivery truck, and even a replica of New Jersey's iconic Barnegat Lighthouse (which wasn't shown in the renderings, but you can see it online here in the "sneak peek" photo carousel).

The Clifton food store will be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Stew Leonard’s Wines & Spirits will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Food selections include fresh produce, a butcher shop with fresh cuts from family-owned ranches, breads and pastries made at "Bethy's Bakery," and more than 30 varieties of fresh fish as well as their award-winning dairy products. A culinary team will prepare more than 200 to-go options at "Mrs. Leonard’s Kitchen," including meatballs, soups, hot food and salad bars, pizzas, and sushi.

Stew Leonard's said they already buy from dozens of New Jersey vendors and farmers, and provided this stat: In 2023, the chain sold 150,000 pounds of heirloom tomatoes and more than 100,000 pounds of blueberries that were grown right here in the Garden State.

Other New Jersey items that can be found in the grocery section and throughout the store include Colavita Olive Oil of Edison, Jersey Italian Gravy from Oakland, and CiboVita nuts of Totowa.

Stew Leonard's broke ground for this store in October, with Stew Leonard’s Wines and Spirits of Clifton moving from its current location at The Promenade Shops.

Stew Leonard's said that the Clifton store will employ about 500 people, including bakers, butchers, fishmongers, and more than a dozen chefs. And with a brand-new refrigeration system and energy-efficient LED lights, it will be the most environmentally-friendly one yet, the company added.

The grocer is offering chances to win a $100 gift card to their new store, if you subscribe to their emails. The drawing will be held on the opening day of the new store, and there are five chances to win.

With the addition of this store, Stew Leonard's has eight total locations: Three in Connecticut, three in New York, and another New Jersey location in Paramus.

See more renderings of the new store below: