STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – A major retail shift has occurred in the Greenridge Plaza shopping complex this month, with several shops recently relocating their longstanding businesses to accommodate the reported arrival of discount grocer Aldi.
“Aldi is coming,” said Nina Livia, owner of Hair Essentials, who added that her salon was relocated from its prime spot next to Dollar Tree to make room for the grocer. “I know there’s been a lot of rumors and speculation, but we were all asked to make this move months ago, because the deal had been confirmed.”
Plans have yet to be officially announced by both Aldi and KIMCO Realty, the Long Island-based real estate investment firm in charge of leasing the Greenridge Plaza property. The grocer has said it has intentions for a Staten Island store, but still has not committed to a location.
However, Livia, who has been a tenant in the shopping complex for 30 years, said Aldi is the reason for her move and claims construction of the popular market is imminent.
“I was told that everything had to be out, because they’ll be starting on the roof soon,” Livia said.
Located one door down from McDonald’s, between RXBox Pharmacy and the newly relocated UPS Store, Livia’s salon is now slightly smaller, but newly renovated.
“I had a beautiful salon, and I made it beautiful again,” Livia said. “Truth is, I had just renovated four years ago, which is upsetting, but I was able to reuse some of the furniture I had just purchased and keep a similar design scheme.”
The space, which formerly housed Gamestop, had to be completely gutted, Livia said, and the plumbing and electricity needed a total upgrade.
“We needed upgraded electrical service, because we have a lot going on with the blow-dryers and other equipment,” she said. “This site was not made for a salon, but we had to turn it into one.”
And while Livia considered closing her shop when she was asked to move in October, she said she decided to remain open out of loyalty to her clients and staff.
“I’ve been blessed with a wonderful staff and great clientele, who have been loyal to me for years,” she said. “The move has been a big ordeal, but I did it for them.”
Hair Essentials’ move comes after a series of other store closures at the complex. On April 30, Dollar Tree, considered an anchor at Greenridge Plaza, shut its doors for good, preceded by the relocation of Chocolate Fantasy and StateFarm Insurance to new sites outside of the center. Ralph’s Ices made the jump across the parking lot this winter too, and is now operating in a larger space next to Country Donuts.
Last June, Koolest Shoes shuttered entirely, and Jenny Craig, which was located next to L.A. Fitness, recently closed too, after the company filed for bankruptcy.
The UPS Store, which was located near the Dollar Tree, moved next to the Greenridge Card Store earlier this month.
According to KIMCO’s website, there are now six open retail spaces available for lease in the shopping center, which is bordered by Richmond Avenue and Arthur Kill Road. On a digital map of the center, a yellow ring labeled with the words “redevelopment area” sits where Aldi is rumored to be built.
Not to be confused with Lidl, another German-based discount supermarket chain which opened a New Springville location at the Staten Island Mall in 2018, Aldi is a completely separate entity known for its smaller layout and highly curated selection of goods.
“We are private-label trailblazers,” the company noted on the New York portion of its site. “And our company is built on these basic principles: simplicity matters, we sell the best food at low prices, and everything we do is purposefully designed to save people money.”
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