Cynthia Marie Thursday, May 30, 2013 |
Superstorm Sandy ravaged beaches, towns, and all different sorts of businesses. Unfortunately, one business will not be coming back. Frank Whitney, of the Saltaire Market, said that the store will not reopen this summer.
Mr. Whitney said to a packed room at the Saltaire board meeting on Monday, “I’ve been a grocer since I got out of the service in 1945 and went into business, and since then I’ve been paying off mortgages.” The Saltaire market was established in 1915 and had been owned by the Whitney family since 1988.
After the storm did more damage than was covered by the insurance, the family put the market up for sale. The village condemned it because it is not structurally sound and is uninhabitable. The asking price is $850,000.
Mayor Robert Cox said that the Whitney’s have been trying to sell the store for years. “I think they would love to sell it, and if they can sell it as is, they’d be happy to walk away and take their money,” says the Mayor.
For the first time, the village residents will not have a grocery and will have to go to nearby communities to shop. In addition, it is affecting summer rentals in the area and it is becoming an eyesore. If no potential buyers come forward, the village may have to step in and purchase the store, and find a private party to run it for the good of the village.
cynthiam@longislandyellowpages.com Appears In: Local Events
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