Tops Friendly Markets has finished a $1 million remodel of its store at 1000 Portage Road in Niagara Falls, New York.
The 73,000-square-foot store received a new exterior storefront with updated awnings, building signage, exterior paint and cart corrals, plus renovated restrooms and a refreshed fuel station.
Inside, the work included a new pharmacy, which opens Aug. 10 and accepts Nations Benefits and S3 health benefit cards.
Other interior changes include enhanced decor and interior paint, LED lighting throughout, a complete store reset and a revised layout.
Interestingly, the location sits near the site where Tops opened its first supermarket in 1962.
“There’s no more fitting place to invest in the future of Tops than the community where our story began,” said President Ron Ferri. “Refreshing our Portage Road store, just steps from the site of our first modern supermarket that opened in 1962, honors our legacy while reaffirming our commitment to serving Niagara Falls with the best possible shopping experience for generations to come.”
What the project covered
In its 52nd major remodel in six years under a capital improvement program that has now exceeded $100 million across its three-state footprint, Tops made changes in several departments.
- Deli and carryout cafe, expanded refrigerated cases with Marketplace Deli and Meals to Go;
- Bakery, expanded with gluten-free items from Vin-Chet’s, new fixtures and donuts;
- Produce, expanded with new cases and display fixtures; and
- New Healthy Hydration and health and natural/organic sets.
The fuel station received Gilbarco pumps with PCI- and EMV-compliant touchscreens, a 3D barcode reader for Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, and a nine-inch interactive screen. Customers can scan a BonusPlus card from the Tops app at the pump for GasPoints savings.
Double Up Food Bucks expands
The store also carries the Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches SNAP customers dollar for dollar on fresh produce. The daily cap has risen to $20 from the $5 in place when the program launched here and at the Jefferson Avenue store in Buffalo in 2023. It now runs at 43 Tops stores.
“Everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy, food,” Ferri said. “This program is about making fresh produce attainable, affordable, and part of everyday life for every shopper. We continue to work with Field & Fork Network at ways to expand the availability of Double Up Food Bucks, thereby investing in the long-term wellbeing of the communities we serve.”
Other services include Instacart pickup and delivery, DoorDash delivery, order-ahead meals and catering, and the Flashfood app, which offers up to 65 percent off items nearing their best-buy date.
Tops operates 152 stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, including one franchise location, with more than 14,000 associates.