New Grocery Store Opens at Knolls Crescent Shopping Strip
The grocer secured a 20-year lease in a vacant space, signaling a potential shift for small business retail in the neighborhood.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Fine Fare has opened a new grocery store at 21B Knolls Crescent, filling a vacancy left by a former Rite Aid. The shop now provides fresh food access to the neighborhood, addressing a long-standing demand from residents for walkable retail services.
Why it matters
The store represents a shift in local commercial stability following a period of disinvestment. It highlights how persistent community advocacy can successfully pressure property owners to secure long-term tenants for vacant storefronts.
The new Fine Fare location has secured a 20-year lease and currently employs 14 staff members. The store occupies the space previously held by a Rite Aid, which closed in the summer of 2025.
The players
Fine Fare
An independent grocery operator that provides essential food services to neighborhood markets.
Friedland Properties
A commercial real estate firm that owns and manages urban retail assets.
The details
The store opening follows the February 2026 launch of the Save Knolls Kappock Retail campaign, which utilized social media and email outreach to target the decline of the local shopping strip. By securing a multi-decade lease, the operator provides stable essential service access to residents on fixed incomes who require proximity to their groceries. The facility currently operates on a limited schedule as it prepares for a full-scale launch next month.
Timeline
Summer 2025: The previous Rite Aid store closed.
February 2026: Residents launched the Save Knolls Kappock Retail campaign.
October 7, 2026: Fine Fare held a soft opening.
November 2026: A grand opening is scheduled.
March 2027: A pharmacy may open in the adjacent space.
Market Landscape
This opening serves as a successful private-market resolution to the vacancy issues frequently cited during the New York City commercial rent control debates. It marks a transition from the recent cycle of retail flight in neighborhood shopping strips back toward stable, long-term occupancy.
Operators in areas with high vacancy should monitor the effectiveness of organized community advocacy in attracting anchor tenants to vacant strips. Review lease terms and local demographic needs to determine if similar demand-driven opportunities exist for your own business expansion.
The takeaway
Persistent community outreach can revitalize dormant commercial assets that have been impacted by disinvestment. Business owners should track the scheduled March 2027 opening of the adjacent pharmacy as a signal of continued retail density growth at the site.
What happens next
The store will host a grand opening event in November 2026.
Further reading
For more updates on neighborhood retail, browse the Openings & Closings section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Riverdale Press.
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