Behind-the-Scenes at Stamford's Fairway
With over 80,000 square feet, a staff of 500 passionate employees and 77 years of experience, Fairway Market’s newest location in Stamford at Harbor Point is poised for success and sure to draw the grocery-getting masses. The store will officially open on November 3 with a grand opening party but we were lucky to get an early behind-the-scenes tour with CEO Howie Glickberg, the grandson of Fairway founder Nathan Glickberg.
Walking through Fairway’s front doors and into the cavernous grocery-filled space, we were instantly greeted by huge, wide aisles and shelves already stocked with the non-perishable organic and traditional food stuffs we know and love. As tempting as it was to skip down the empty aisles with this grocery mecca to ourselves, it was the perimeter that got our attention. At the far left corner, the 
produce section was beginning to come to life as employees set up displays primed for the arrival of their perishable contents. High above the aisles drawing your gaze upward were colorful free-hand murals announcing and inviting me to visit the mouth-watering stations below. I lost count of how many times I pointed with my mouth agape, but here are a few reasons why:
- An impressive variety of organic produce
- Kosher meat section & a full-time kosher butcher on-premise
- Dozens of types of olive oil & over 50 types of olives
- Coffee roaster & a master roaster on-premise
- 600 artisinal cheeses & a hand-pulled mozzarella station
- Vast selection of yogurt, milk & imported butter
- Bakery with bagels made on premise
- Aged meats & butchers who will cut-to-order
- Cafe with seating for 80
- Prepared & made-to-order foods including sushi, panninis, pizza, & espresso drinks
Fairway seems to have fused your favorite vendors, from your butcher, fish monger, and even coffee roaster successfully under one roof. In early December, Fairway has also announced they will be opening a wine, spirits, and beer store. If I was a betting woman, I’d say Fairway will be a smash success and a cornerstone to the revitalization of Harbor Point. Well done, Stamford.
A grand opening party will be held on November 3 beginning at 10 am featuring performances by the Stamford Symphony Orchestra and the Stamford High School band. Fairway will be open from 8 am to 11 pm, 7 days a week.
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Reader Comments (13)
I used to shop at Fairway when I lived in NYC. The cheeses, olived, coffee!!! Welcome to Stamford, Fairway.
Having Fairway in Stamford is nothing short of thrilling!!
i am looking forward to a bagel, a schmear and some novey and sable on sunday.
I have been for months for this store to open... I am so glad, can't wait to ... wing it!
I lived across the street from Fairway in NYC and would run across the street the minute they rolled up the gates in the morning to not only get first dibs, but also escape the throngs. I can't wait to get my hands on some hard to find items I'm sure they carry.
Thanks for sharing jfood
What great news to have a wonderful resource for high quality food products in CT!
I arrived this morning around 750 and had a chance to speak with other shoppers and workers before the doors opened. It was great fun. As desired, I have my Gaspe smoked salmon ($30/lb) , schmear on a bagel with some creamed herring. Salmon is outstanding ($6/lb) , herring is moist and flavorful and WE NOW HAVE BAGELS HERE!!!!
Store is sensory overload. Produce was smaller than I expected but lots to choose from.
Other incredible fun stuff:
- olive bar
- olive oil bar and samples
- $4.99 filets and they will slice and pack. They are NOT the wasteful variety at Stews, incredible buy
- Fish looked as fresh as right off the boat
- meat selection looked great, not wild about Murray's as their chicken choice
- Raviolis to die for from The Ravioli Company
- Several cooked chickens in three varieties and 5 styles
- Coffee selection is outstanding
- rotisserie not open this time of morning
- lots of registers
Great first time to get the lay of the land
Fairway bagels are not real NY bagels. Like all other bagels in CT, they are rolls with holes. Real bagels are supposed to be crisp and slightly crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Such bagels do not exist in Fairfield Country. The novi was good, and the cutters had at least one week training.
Miss Fairway since moving here from the city- hope they come up-county! Their cheese counter is great and I LOVE their plain breadcrumbs if you can beliwve it! The Harlem store had a "walk-in" meat/dairy section- they even provided jackets to keep you warmand toasty when you entered! Welcome Fairway...good luck.
My first visit was underwhelming. Maybe it was the crowds, maybe it was the identity crisis the store seems to have (gourmet food store? Bulk items warehouse a la Costco? Reasonably-priced local grocery?), but it wasn't appealing visually or in terms of much of what they offered. The produce looked limp and pallid, the cheese area was truly uninviting, and many of the aisle signs were incorrect, starting a wild goose chase. I'll go back once the crowds die down, but I was pretty disappointed.
I have been to Fairway every weekend and here are my +/-'s.
+'s:
- smoked salmon, 1 batch of gaspe ($32/lb) and 3 batches of fairway ($24). Liked the fairway better and the price is more friendly
- they have florida (versus cali) navels which are my favorite. price has rise from 3/$1.5 to 3/$1.70. still well worth it
- cucumbers have been great
- shallots as well
- honey crisp apples are huge and sweet
- honey roasted peanut butter. try a free sample at the place where they make the pop out things in the bakery area.
- sweet italian sausages. lots of fennel flavor, which i like and they do have a kick so they are not just laying back
- creamed herring. good the first day and much better the day after
- bagels are very good but not great
- salmon today was super fresh and on sale
- half gallon organic milk 2/$5
- Yonah Schimmel knish in fridge for halftime
Could do better:
- not fond of the butternut squash ravioli; thought they did not bring out all the flavor
- some people not using the tongs at the bagels
- 1/4 pound minimum at smoked fish. i only wanted 2 slices of sable and could not buy
- no way of telling which register is open. if there is a light to indicate it, then they are not using it
- cashiers are still learning the produce. this should get better with time though. they are super friendly and usually the cashier or the bagger know the difference between almonds and walnuts
- could use another smoked fish slicer. one is not enough
- no bialys today
- fish quality on some looked challenging especially the tuna today. some bronzini had good eyes others looked less than fresh. just be careful
already booked my trip with little jfood next sunday
you can get real bagels at Las Vetas Cafe in downtown Fairfield. I think they get them from King Bagel also in Fairfield.