Super Foodtown in Throggs Neck held a grand reopening and 20th anniversary celebration on Oct. 3 to mark a new generation of immigrant family ownership.
John and Alisa Sun, who are Korean-American siblings in their 30s, took the grocery reins from their father, an immigrant entrepreneur who started the business in Brooklyn in 2010.
Today, the 21,000-square-foot store at 2945 Bruckner Blvd. is a community staple that its new owners are proud to continue.
“As immigrants, this business is what helped put us through school, it’s what our dad did when we first came to this country back in 2010,” co-owner John Sun said.
“It has been a great opportunity for my sister and me. … This is a tough, competitive business, but through our dad’s resilience and perseverance, we have been able to expand. Now we are operating three major stores, and we hope to keep growing.”
The Oct. 3 celebration included discounts, free samples and raffles throughout the day, as well as visits from elected officials’ representatives.
Super Foodtown is “a true cornerstone of the community — fostering local jobs, supporting neighborhood events, and offering a welcoming space for all,” said Millicent Matos, who serves as deputy director of community affairs for Borough President Vanessa Gibson and presented the Suns with a Citation of Merit.
Shopper Nancy Hidalgo, who has lived in Throggs Neck for nearly 55 years, said the store “has been a landmark for all of us.”
“With the updates, I can say it is very clean, very neat,” she said. “Everything is always fresh. It’s a big store that really caters to everybody. No matter what you need. And the people are so friendly.”
Supporters of the business were key in preserving the store when its future was thrown into doubt under the Bruckner Blvd. rezoning that passed City Council in 2022. An eight-story affordable housing development was once set to be built above the store, but East Bronx locals opposed the change and the long-term construction it would entail, and the store remained.
The Suns do not own the building and said they signed a 25-year commercial lease to ensure the grocery store’s long-term presence in the neighborhood.
Super Foodtown is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
