The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center Partners With Local Contractors and Suppliers

The transformation of The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center has begun and, owing in large part to the selection and hiring of contractors and suppliers local to Guilford to manage and execute the project, is proceeding on schedule.

The expedited schedule targets Memorial Day weekend for a celebration to mark all elements of The Marketplace being operational.

“When we agreed to buy the Guilford Food Center, we knew we would remain open during our transition so finding flexible contractors with the ability to adapt was going to be key for our success,” said co-owner Dee Jacob in a prepared statement. “Luckily we have so much construction talent here in town and on the Shoreline.

See related story: UPDATE: Guilford Food Center Has New Owners with Big Plans

In addition to being flexible, another attribute exhibited by all of the craftsmen involved is a shared feeling for keeping a business like the Guilford Food Center in the heart of Guilford, given the role it and the Rosa Family have played in contributing to the Guilford community over the years. There is no better example of this than R&B Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating.

“We could not be more pleased to be involved with this project. The Guilford Food Center was our very first customer and original owner Mr. Rosa was a very special person. His love for this community was very evident. For example, during the twenty or so years I was involved with Guilford’s Little League program, the Rosa family always provided food at wholesale prices for the league snack bar. They are great people and I’m happy to hear the new owners share their passion for our community,” said R&B co-owner Bryan MacKenzie in a prepared statement.

MacKenzie and his partner Russ Amato also exemplify the type of flexibility Jacob sought in the remodeling team.

“This job requires some agility as we’re not just ripping and replacing; we are working at odd hours and, during opening times, we must be very mindful of making sure our work doesn’t impact the customer experience. What makes it easier for us is that most of the equipment we are removing, we installed. We’ve been working with The Guilford Food Center for over 31 years,” MacKenzie added.

Coordinating the remodeling team is Dennis Gilloran, Guilford resident and owner of Dennis Gilloran Custom Builders. Gilloran has handled many residential and commercial projects over the years and shared Jacob’s enthusiasm for hiring local talent with experience as well as passion for this project.

“Many of the guys on this job I’ve worked with in one way or another over the years; we’re friends and neighbors. When you work on something like this, it’s great to know when a guy says it has to be done this way or that he’ll get it done by this deadline, he knows what he’s talking about and it will happen,” said Gilloran.

Jacob echoed the need for flexibility and for construction and supply partners being able to adapt to the unique requirements under which the transformation is taking place.

“Normally, a flooring vendor would expect us to take full delivery and store it on site. The only place we could store it would take up valuable parking spots - that our customers count on. Lee Pelosi of Floor Craze not only got us the product we needed the next day to meet our schedule, but is willing to store it so we only have to bring the flooring we’ll install in on a daily basis, which was great. All our partners have shown great creativity in accommodating our needs,” said Jacob in a prepared statement.

Co-owner Jason Iglesias described the ability of the contractor team to adapt to changing conditions which come about during the demolition process as equally creative and equally important. “We uncovered some beautiful tile work hidden behind the barn board which had been mounted to the walls; it was circa 1930 and it’s amazing. The team has been great in modifying our design to take this wonderful discovery into account,” Iglesias said in a prepared statement.

Another example of a local business providing flexibility and passion is Page Hardware and Appliance, who are providing new refrigerators and coolers for The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center as well as paint and a variety of other construction supplies.

“Everyone in town has a Page Hardware story similar to mine. Years back, I was hosting a dinner party and a new range I’d just purchased was to play a big role in food preparation. An hour before the party, disaster struck and the glass cooktop was accidentally cracked. Not only did Page’s find a replacement cooktop, but they came over and installed it with 15 minutes to spare. It’s this commitment to customer service that made partnering with Page Hardware a no-brainer for us,” said Jacob.

Andrew Page of Page Hardware and Appliance feels the same way about the new owner’s plans to extend the legacy of The Guilford Food Center.

“When I heard that the Guilford Food Center was possibly closing my heart sank; it was and remains a huge part of the retail landscape for downtown Guilford and, in particular, the Green. Needless to say, I was thrilled to hear that the Guilford Food Center was being reinvented as The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center.

I could not be happier for all involved as everybody wins. This is the best possible outcome for the families involved, the other downtown merchants and the community at large. We and many other Guilford companies are appreciative of the opportunity to provide The Marketplace with products and services as they continue their remodeling. More exciting will be the opportunities to collaborate on special events with The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center later this spring. Dee and Jason’s commitment to the town of Guilford and their passion to keep it local should be inspirational to all of us,” said Page in a prepared statement.

Local town officials are also enthusiastic about the local-first strategy being employed by Jacob and Iglesias.

“It is exciting to see the transition beginning. Dee and Jason continue to demonstrate their commitment to our community by utilizing numerous Guilford contractors and support resources to do the work at the facility,” said Brian McGlone, Economic Development Coordinator, Town of Guilford, in a prepared statement.

Photo credit: EJ Vongher and Ray Rosa