Going West: Schmidt's Market Will Move Into Old Quogue Market

Schmidt’s Market is heading west.

Dan Schmidt, the owner and operator of Schmidt’s Market, which was a staple in Southampton Village for 43 years before closing on October 21, confirmed that the business will reopen, moving into the former home of Quogue Country Market, across from the village green in Quogue.

Schmidt said over the weekend that he had worked out a deal with the Della Forra family, who owns the building, to lease the 4,800-square-foot space, and the lease includes several extension options.

He added that the monthly rent is “significantly” more affordable than what he was paying in Southampton Village.

The closure of the North Sea Road location in October was never meant to be permanent. Schmidt and his father, Dennis Schmidt, said they were forced to close in the fall after the building was put up for sale in January by the McLaren family, who owns it.

A “For Sale By Owner” sign had been sitting on the front lawn of the store since the Fourth of July weekend, until it was replaced in October by a Compass Real Estate sign. It is currently listed for $8.75 million by commercial real estate agent Hal Zwick.

The Schmidt family said the reason they had to leave was simple: The rent had been steadily increasing over the years and was costing them more than $30,000 monthly under their most recent lease. The $8 million price tag on the building was too much for them to buy the building themselves, and their most recent lease expired in the fall, leaving them with no choice but to close.

While many of the longtime customers who live and work in Southampton Village might be disappointed that their favorite lunchtime spot or place to buy high-quality produce isn’t around the corner anymore, moving into the Quogue location made sense for several reasons, Schmidt said on Sunday. He pointed out that the market had been on his radar for a long time, and renovations that were done in recent years made it even more appealing.

Quogue Village Mayor Robert Treuhold got in touch with Schmidt in the fall, after Schmidt’s closed its location in Southampton, letting him know that the operators of Quogue Market had decided to close and that the space would be available. Schmidt got back to him, and said Treuhold helped put him in touch with the owners.

“I’ve always been interested in this place, for the past 20 years, but it wasn’t up to the level of what the owners have put into it recently,” Schmidt said. “I’m pretty much in walk-in condition here and can just open the door and be open. Of course, I still have to put my Schmidt’s touches on it, but it’s ready to roll. For the most part, everything is in working order, which was a big plus for me.”

Schmidt said he was aiming for a grand reopening in six weeks, but acknowledged that it could take a bit longer than that.

Another appealing feature for Schmidt in moving his business west of the Shinnecock Canal was the potential for a drastically reduced morning commute. Schmidt lives in Hampton Bays and said he won’t miss fighting the trade parade traffic heading east on weekday mornings.

When it was in operation in Southampton, Schmidt’s was a popular destination for many workers and contractors who make that west to east commute in the mornings, and Schmidt said he is planning to open a bit earlier in the mornings than he used to in Southampton in order to give that customer base time and incentive to hit up the market earlier on during their morning drive. He added that the business will remain dedicated to delivering the quality produce it’s known for to customers and house accounts it has long done business with in Southampton as well.

Of course, Schmidt is also excited for the prospect of welcoming a new group of customers, and said he would do his best to cater to the people who work in and around Quogue Village.

“We want to become more friendly with Otis Ford, the fire department, and everybody in the vicinity,” he said, pointing to the car dealership located within walking distance of Quogue Market that employs a significant number of people in Quogue Village.

He talked about offering special deals for those workers, particularly during the first few weeks of operation, and said the business would remain true to the reputation it had built for being an affordable place to grab breakfast or lunch.

“You’re not going to be overcharged when you walk out of here,” he added. “$6.50 will get you a cup of coffee, an OJ and an egg sandwich out the door for the first week.”

Schmidt’s said the market will become a “smaller” version of what they had in Southampton, but will “pack more of a punch,” and he promised the return of certain Schmidt’s staples that customers in Southampton had grown to love, including the salad bar, hot food bar, and grab-and-go items, as well as the quality produce that was the foundation of the business more than four decades ago.

“I’m excited,” Schmidt said, standing in front of the market, with the sun breaking through the clouds on Sunday. “It’s a new venture, and a whole new world.”