Shoppers React To Best Market Closure In Westhampton Beach; Lidl To Move In

For the most part, shoppers in Westhampton Beach greeted the news with disappointment: Their only grocery store, Best Market, is closing this week. German discount grocer Lidl will take over the space and, according to spokesman William Hardwood, “The store will undergo comprehensive remodeling as part of its transition to Lidl, and we will work as quickly as possible to reopen the upgraded store. We aim to have everything completed by Spring 2021.”

Plans for a new sign and a bottle return area are under review by village officials.

Anticipatory review by shoppers this week was predominantly negative, with just some who spoke to The Press — in person or through a Facebook request for comment — looking ahead to a new shopping experience eagerly.

Many, like Christine Simone of East Quogue, said they aren’t familiar with the Lidl brand. “I hope they have what I need,” said the teacher who routinely stopped off at the Best Market on her way home from work in Remsenburg.

Mike Dean of East Quogue commented, “I’m not familiar with LIDL but certainly was a big fan of Best Market. Quite a few times since they opened I’d make the longer ride there from East Quogue instead of Stop and Shop or Wild by Nature. Where they really shined for me was being able to pick up steak and veggies for the grill on the way back from surfcasting down in Westhampton. I always found they had serious quality for more than fair prices.”

“My wife and I are very upset,” second-home owner Richard Levine said Saturday. “This is going to be a big loss. This is an incredible store and we’re going to miss it.” He said there’s “no comparison” between Lidl and Best Market.

Those familiar with Lidl’s model bemoaned the predicted loss of the salad bar, sushi bar, and prepared, grab-and-go foods. “I believe the change will drive locals away,” Kennedy Williams commented.

“It’s like johns bargain store!!” Joanna Elia Kaminski posted. “Not a real supermarket.”

The expression “bad fit” was reiterated throughout the social media thread. For a town with only one supermarket, Lidl isn’t a one-stop shop, Kristy Homan asserted.

Lidl has the wrong business model for Westhampton, Carol Corocoran put forth. She said she’d been to the Lidl store in Center Moriches and “it is horrible.”

Kim Wolfersdorf had a different view. Commenting on The Press’s post, she opined Lidl is “fun and cheap,” but added, “They never have everything on my list. I always have to make a second stop somewhere else.” She said even though she could easily walk to the Westhampton Beach Lidl, she will likely wind up shopping at Stop & Shop in Hampton Bays

Carrie Garcia just learned the store was closing on Saturday when she stopped by to pick up a few things. Like fellow Westhampton resident, Ronnie Smithline, she made note that the village went without a grocery store when Best Market transitioned in about five years ago. “We’ve been through this before,” Ms. Smithline offered. “I’m very upset.”

Everyone was upset when Best Market moved in, Eron Bloomgarden recalled. He said people will learn to like Lidl, and he bets that in the future, when Lidl moved out, people will be complaining about its departure.

“The thing that made Best successful and appreciated in our community was that they catered to a higher-end customer while maintaining decent value,” Jay Dodd said. He wasn’t sure Lidl would provide the same service.

Some shoppers appear to be looking forward to a change and aren’t fans of the current experience. “It can’t get much worse than this,” resident Peter Ciccone said Saturday morning outside Best Market. Offering a pragmatic “we have no say in the matter,” he said he often has to travel to other stores because Best Market doesn’t carry the brands he wants. Deborah Ponsot Bouchard decried the local Best Market for price gouging. She made note of the chain’s Long Island circular that listed separate, higher, prices for its Westhampton Beach branch.

Offering still a different point of view, Briana Halsey Rogers suggested focusing on local small businesses and shopping the local farm stand, butcher shop, and seafood store.

Heather Clark looked askance at the timing of the closure: “Why make it harder for people to get groceries right now?”