Pathmark Daily to open in East Meadow, reviving Long Island brand

A smaller Pathmark is coming back to Long Island, and the first test case will be a converted Super Foodtown at 625 Merrick Avenue in East Meadow, where Pathmark Daily will open with a tighter mix of fresh foods, grocery essentials and value-driven promotions.

The store is designed for busy shoppers who want a faster trip than a traditional supermarket can offer. Allegiance Retail Services said the format will be smaller than a full-size grocer and will lean on curated fresh foods, Best Yet private-label products, weekly promotions, in-store specials and a loyalty savings program.

The return gives a familiar Northeast grocery name another run after its collapse a decade ago. Pathmark disappeared in 2015, when A&P filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and 19 Pathmark locations on Long Island were closed in that wave. Allegiance bought the Pathmark name and intellectual property in 2016, then revived the banner in 2019. That year, a 49,000-square-foot Pathmark opened in Brooklyn, the first new Pathmark since the shutdown.

The East Meadow opening is the first Pathmark on Long Island in 11 years, which makes it more than a brand revival. It is a sign that regional grocers are still looking for ways to compete on convenience and price as shoppers split their trips between warehouse clubs, full-service supermarkets and smaller neighborhood stores. Pathmark once had about 140 stores across the Northeast, and its return suggests that the name still carries enough recognition to be used as a retail tool, not just a memory.

Allegiance Retail Services, a supermarket cooperative with 32 members operating 120 supermarkets in three states, is backing the launch as part of its wider network of independent operators. The company supports banners including Foodtown, Freshtown, D’Agostino, Gristedes, LaBella Marketplace, Brooklyn Harvest, Market Fresh, Big Deal Food Market, Green Way Markets and Shop n Bag through marketing, advertising, technology and merchandising.

Mike Said said the launch is meant to better serve neighborhoods and provide a more convenient shopping trip. If the East Meadow store finds an audience, it could point to more small-format Pathmark conversions on Long Island, where brand recognition, speed and everyday prices still shape where families buy their groceries.