Discount chain opens at former Centereach Pathmark

Discount chain Ocean State Job Lot has opened a new store at the former Pathmark supermarket in Centereach, which was closed in October 2015 by the bankrupt Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.

Ocean State Job Lot, based in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, had a soft opening the day before Thanksgiving and will hold a grand opening on Saturday of the remodeled 34,000-square-foot location at 2150 Middle Country Rd. in Centereach. The store will provide about 40 full-time and part-time jobs.

The store will open to the public at 8 a.m., followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Attendees will include Brookhaven Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine, other local and state officials, business leaders and chain executives.

“It’s a pleasure to be back in the Empire State to open our 124th store and 10th in New York, here in Centereach,” David Sarlitto, executive director for Ocean State Job Lot, said in a statement. The company has about 4,000 employees and annual sales of more than $700 million.

Founded in 1977, Ocean State Job Lot sells household goods, apparel, pet supplies, seasonal products and kitchen pantry items. The discount retailer has stores in New York, Rhode Island Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New Jersey. Its other location on Long Island is in North Babylon.

The Centereach location was closed by A&P, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, after it filed in July 2015 for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and reorganization. The property in Centereach was sold in June to Ocean State Job Lot for $13 million by Kimco Realty Corp., a New Hyde Park-based real estate investment trust.

All 51 Waldbaum’s and Pathmark stores operated by A&P on Long Island closed by November 2015. Thirty were purchased by supermarket chains, 20 were turned over to their landlords and one was sold to a real estate company. With Victor Ocasio

SEE PHOTOS50 chain store openings on LI