"We liked the idea of serving the students and staff of the University of Rochester, just as we had liked the idea of serving the students and staff of Case Western Reserve University," said Andrew Revy, chief operating officer of Constantino's Market.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland's Constantino's Market is expanding beyond Ohio, but keeping up its appeal to hungry college students and busy professionals. The family-owned business will open its newest neighborhood market at University of Rochester's College Town district in Upstate New York, on April 9.
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Constantino's Market in Rochester, New York, is 40 percent larger than its Cleveland stores. Owner Constantine "Costas" Mavromichalis, who owns two neighborhood grocery stores in Downtown Cleveland and in University Circle and a Convenient Food Mart on Cleveland's West Side, had not been looking for a fourth store, said Andrew Revy, chief operating officer of the family business and Mavromichalis' son-in-law.
But when Fairmount Properties in Cleveland was picked to develop College Town, a 500,000-square foot, $100 million student village with stores, restaurants, offices and residences near Strong Memorial Hospital, one of its first priorities was bringing in a food market.
Although other stores were bigger and more closely located to the site, "we thought if Constantino's could translate what they do in terms of service, quality and selection in Cleveland to a remote location, they'd be our first choice," said Randy Ruttenberg, managing partner of Fairmount Properties, in a written statement.
At the time, Constantino's was in the midst of opening its 12,500-square-foot Uptown Market at University Circle. "We had just opened at University Circle and were not looking to expand again and definitely had no interest in opening out of state," Revy said.
"We looked at the project and location, first out of courtesy to Fairmount, and then out of genuine interest," he said. "We realized that while it was larger in scope than our University Circle store, there were a lot of similarities. We liked the idea of serving the students and staff of the University of Rochester, just as we had liked the idea of serving the students and staff of Case Western Reserve University."
Revy said the Rochester store will offer the same amenities as Constantino's Cleveland stores, including a full-service deli counter, prepared foods and catering, but because it will be 40 percent larger, it will also have a full-service meat counter and fresh seafood department. It will employ 55 to 60 people.
"I first became familiar with the Constantino's operation from visiting their West Ninth store," said Randy Ruttenberg, in a written statement. "While this was clearly a well thought-out, great urban market and cafe, it was much, much more.
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Anna and Costas Mavromichalis opened the first Constantino's Market in the Historic Warehouse District in 2005. The family will open its fourth store on April 9 at the University of Rochester. "The patriarch, Costa, his daughter Anna and her husband, Andrew, are first class, passionate people dedicated to both their staff and their customers. They seamlessly combine their skills into this well-oiled, vibrant and very tasty operation," he said.
"We thought so highly of them, we pursued them to open the one and only [Constantino's] Cafe in our new 23-story $250 million office tower," the Ernst and Young headquarters in the Flats East Bank.
Revy said several Rochesterians who visited the store have said: "Oh, it's a gorgeous store; it reminds me of Wegmans," referring to Rochester-based Wegmans Food Markets.
"To be compared to a wonderful company like that is a point of pride, frankly," he said.
Revy credited Constantino's success to the vision of its founder and family patriarch, who opened his first grocery store in a location that larger grocers wouldn't even consider and when downtown only had about 8,000 residents. "The personal and financial risk he was willing to take to launch Constantino's in the Warehouse District in 2005 is the reason we are here today," he said.