Stewart’s Open’s Newest Utica Location; Moves Forward With Expansion in Frankfort

Stewart's Shops opened their newest location for the first time to the public on Wednesday, just hours after the convenience chain was granted approval for expansion of an existing store.

The new South Utica location - at the corner of Genesee Street and Woodlawn Ave - welcomed customers for the first time on Wednesday morning (photo below).

The store faced some objections from neighbors. Among them, the fact that an existing Speedway gas station sits directly across the street, and that the footprint of the store and gas pumps was too commercial for a quiet residential and historic neighborhood.

But the plan did get the green-light from city officials earlier this year.

As that Utica new store was preparing it's first opening, Stewart's officials were also pitching an expansion to an existing store.

The Frankfort Village Board did grant approval for the expansion, which will result in the closure and demolition of a legacy grocery store that has served customers for decades. Stewart's is buying Melrose Supermarket on East Main Street, along with an adjacent house, and will build a brand-new, larger store at that location.

The existing Stewart's on Main will stay open until the new store is built, then it too will be knocked down, said Charles Marshall, who handles the company's land permitting and development. Once the new convenience store is open, the old one will come down and to make way for a new gas island, he said.

The purchase of the grocer was continent on the expansion approval from the Frankfort board - which was granted at Tuesday night's meeting - but does come with a couple requirements, according to Marshall.

They include moving an existing light, and following state historic preservation specifications, Marshall said.

Below are the specs for the new store, however, details have not yet been finalized.