Ruitenberg Lind Design Group Designs Newly Revamped Supermarket on Broadway in Bushwick, Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Sept. 20, 2017 - PRLog -- Broadway in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn gained notoriety as the most heavily damaged street in the city after the devastating 1977 blackout and ensuing looting. In the 40 years since, much has changed for the street in the shadow of the elevated train line, with the latest development being a new Foodtown Supermarket designed by Ruitenberg Lind Design Group (RLDG).

Hardly new to the neighborhood, storeowner Gary Schneiderman and his late father, Harold, have been operating an Associated Food Supermarket at the 1291 Broadway location since the early 1970s. The elder Schneiderman opened his first supermarket in adjacent Bedford-Stuyvesant in 1959.

"We have certainly seen many changes in Bushwick over the years and it was time to reinvest in the supermarket to better serve customer needs," said Schneiderman. "I had learned about Ruitenberg's work through Foodtown and was impressed by their design work at other stores. They have brought wonderful ideas to the table and have been an important part of our new store."

RLDG has designed successful stores for other Foodtown owners in the last couple of years, and Schneiderman knew that RLDG was the right choice to help realize his vision of an updated supermarket to address the changing demographics of Bushwick.

"We are bringing a more modern, industrial, and authentic design that connects with the neighborhood's history," said RLDG Chief Operations Officer Steve Hudes. "The look of the new store will resonate with the community and better reflect what they are looking for in a local supermarket."

The new look for the store, which remains open during renovations, will include wood, brick, tile and stainless steel. Most of the security gates, long a staple of businesses along Broadway, will be eliminated and replaced by more inviting glass. Schneiderman hopes to complete the transition from Associated to Foodtown by the end of September.

During the 1977 blackout, looting started on Broadway minutes after the power outage began, according to media reports, with 124 stores ruined along a three-mile stretch of the major thoroughfare that divides Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant.

"We barely survived the '70s and '80s, we went through some hard times," said Schneiderman, former President of the East Broadway Merchants Association. "Our employees saved us, they went without raises for a few years because they knew we were hurting. The neighborhood used to be plagued by drugs and crime, but the city revitalization has changed the demographics. Bushwick is in transition."

About Ruitenberg Lind Design Group (RLDG)

RLDG specializes in the planning, design, fabrication and installation of professional environments for supermarkets, malls, specialty retailers, restaurants, hotels and health care facilities. The company is located in Jamesburg, N.J. and works on projects worldwide. For more information, please visit www.beststoredesign.com or call (732) 474-1000.