Meli Family Prepares to Open Shadow Market

A new market is coming to town. The Meli family of Hasbrouck Heights is preparing to open Shadow Market at the former Minit-Mart location on the Boulevard at Washington Place.

Tom Meli said they are planning for a grand opening celebration hopefully around the end of July or early August.  The market will feature some of the same offerings the former market had along with some upgrades. Meli said the market will feature Green Mountain coffee, a deli featuring Boars Head meat and breads.

They also plan to offer some produce as a convenience to shoppers. They plan to start by offering produce from the which is a weekly feature of the Hasbrouck Heights Farmer’s Market. 

As they prepare for the grand opening, they have also given the market a new look. They have redone the parking lot and have added landscaping to the front of the property.

Meli has a strong background in retail as he was the vice president of operations for A&S. He explained that his family had owned the building where the market is housed for the past three decades. Over the years the market had changed hands about five different times as it had been leased and sub-leased but now that the 30 year lease has ended, the Meli family has decided to come in and run the market themselves. 

“It’s going to be a family affair,” Meli said explaining members of the family will be taking part in operating the market. He fully intends for the store to be active in the community.

He and his wife Michelle founded the , an organization which pairs children who suffer from illnesses such as epilepsy and muscular dystrophy with specially trained dogs who serve as their companions. 

For the grand opening celebration, they hope to have Canine Assistants be a part of the event. In fact, Meli also plans to devote an area in the market to fundraising efforts for the cause.

Just like they chose the name of their first dog Mickey for their foundation, the Melis have named their new market after their dog Shadow.