José Luis and Lisset Ureña will open Compare Fresh, a 17,000-square-foot downtown Hempstead supermarket, on Friday, Oct. 30, creating more than 50 jobs on Main Street. The husband-and-wife grocers will cut the ribbon at 10 a.m. at 159 Main St. The Hempstead Chamber of Commerce and local civic leaders will join them.
Associated Supermarket Group (ASG), the Port Washington, New York-based company that supports the store, announced the opening. For the Ureñas, the new location deepens a family investment in Long Island neighborhoods. It also puts a full-service grocery store directly beneath hundreds of new apartments.
Ureña Family Builds on Brentwood Experience
The couple already knows the Long Island market. In 2022, they opened a Compare Foods supermarket in Brentwood, according to ASG. Now they’re bringing that independent retail experience to a denser, walkable downtown.
José Ureña, co-owner of Compare Fresh, said the family’s strategy starts with the shopper.
“We’re excited to continue growing our business and become part of the Hempstead community,” Ureña said. “Our focus has always been on understanding the neighborhoods we serve and providing the products, freshness, and service our customers deserve. We’re proud to bring that same commitment to Hempstead and contribute to the growth of the area.”
That neighborhood-first approach shapes everything on the shelves.
What Shoppers Will Find at the Downtown Hempstead Supermarket
Inside, the new Compare Fresh will offer fresh produce, a full-service deli, and seafood and meat departments. The store will also house a juice bar, an in-house bakery, and prepared foods. Sushi chefs will make rolls on site. Of course, customers will still find a wide range of everyday grocery essentials.
Beyond the basics, the Ureñas will stock an extensive mix of international and culturally relevant products. According to ASG, the assortment reflects Hempstead residents’ diverse tastes and traditions. That focus fits the wider network, too: ASG’s website lists more than 1,000 international products available to its member stores.
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Built-In Customers Above the Aisles
Location gives the downtown Hempstead supermarket another edge. Compare Fresh occupies the ground floor of 159 Main, a mixed-use development with 228 apartments. As a result, many shoppers will live within walking distance, some just an elevator ride away.
The building also carries a broader civic purpose. In April 2022, the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency (IDA) gave final approval to incentives for the project, then known as Carman Place Apartments, according to the New York Real Estate Journal. A joint venture of the Community Development Corp. of Long Island and Rochester-based Conifer LLC led the development.
At that stage, the developers planned the units as income-restricted workforce housing, with 22,600 square feet of commercial space along Main and Bedell streets. Village rules require ground-floor retail there. IDA CEO Fred Parola called the project a major step toward reinvigorating downtown Hempstead.
Today, the supermarket helps deliver on that promise. Its 50-plus jobs feed directly into the village’s ongoing economic development and revitalization efforts.
ASG Bets on Independent Operators
For ASG, the opening highlights the role independent grocers play in local economies. Co-presidents and co-CEOs Joe Garcia and Zulema Wiscovitch praised the Ureñas in a joint statement.
“The Ureña family represents the entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to community that define independent grocery retail,” they said. “Their continued investment and growth demonstrate what’s possible when experienced operators combine local market knowledge with the resources and support of a larger retail network. We’re proud to partner with them on this exciting new chapter and to be part of Hempstead’s revitalization.”
ASG traces its roots to 1939, when local grocers formed a group called Queens Food Dealers, according to the company’s website. It added the Compare Foods banner in 1987. Garcia and Wiscovitch led a management buyout of the company from AUA Private Equity Partners, which closed in January 2021.
Today, ASG says it serves more than 275 stores across eight states, with a retail sales network of about $2.5 billion. Its banners now include both Compare and Compare Fresh. Consequently, the Hempstead store strengthens a network that aims to help local grocers compete while keeping the personal touch that sets neighborhood stores apart.
Grand Opening Weekend in Downtown Hempstead
Residents can meet the Ureñas during two grand opening events at 159 Main St., Hempstead, New York:
- Ribbon cutting: 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30
- Community celebration: noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31
Once the doors open, this downtown Hempstead supermarket will test a simple idea: a neighborhood grocer can anchor a downtown comeback.