Economic Development

Continuous Grocery Store Replacement Summary

Please note actions the Mayor and City Council have taken since Incollingo’s closed. This is a fluid situation that will be updated as information becomes available.  Salem City does not own the Incollingo’s site.

Mid August, 2017
Incollingo’s notifies City Tax office of intent to close by Sept. 30

August 22
Mayor Washington & Council President Roots agree to contact major food chains, including Aldi and Shoprite immediately.

August 23
Aldi and Shoprite respond with intent to share information with their real estate division.

August 24
Council President Roots meets with ownership of Incollingo’s to discuss closure.

September 7
Council President Roots advises State Senator Sweeney of the situation

September 15
Mayor receives call from Senator Sweeney requesting economic development information for city

September 18
Mayor requests information be gathered for Senator Sweeney to hand off to a potential investor

September 21
Mayor’s Office relays information for potential investor to Senator Sweeney

September 28
Mayor reached out to Padilla Group for assistance and Economic Development information was sent that night

September 29
Mayor received a call from Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly, who offered assistance. The Mayor’s Office sent Economic Development information the same day

October 2
Mayor Re-establishes Task Force

October 4
Mayor’s Office sends informational email regarding closure to corporations containing grocery outlets Food Lion, Giant, Publix, & Lidl

October 5
Publix Reply:
“Thank you for taking the time to contact us with your question and allowing us the opportunity to serve you. We always enjoy hearing from our customers, and we appreciate the trust you have placed in us as your grocer of choice. We always appreciate hearing from our customers, current and former, especially when they are requesting Publix open a store in their community. We believe there is no greater compliment than to be invited to be part of one’s community, and we are constantly reviewing potential sites for future growth. However, at this time, we do not have plans to add additional stores in your area. As sites are confirmed, we make official announcements, so should something change, you will know. Additionally, your request has been shared with our Real Estate department for further consideration. We look forward to the day when we can serve your family’s grocery shopping needs”.

October 5
Lidl Response:
“Thank you so much for contacting Lidl Customer Care. We are honored to hear from the Mayor of Salem City, NJ and we appreciate your interest in bringing Lidl to your area! I’m sorry to hear you lost the only grocery store in your community recently, and although we don’t have much information here in Customer Care of where we are expanding, I will be more than happy to share your interest with our internal departments for review. Also, if you have specific locations in Salem City, NJ that you would suggest, you are more than welcome to send them to our Real Estate Department at for further consideration. Hopefully we will make our way to Salem City, NJ in the future! Please don’t hesitate to reach back out if you have any further questions.”

October 6
Food Lion/GIANT Response:
“We appreciate knowing of your interest in having a Food Lion store in Salem City. While the parent companies of both Food Lion and Giant have merged, Food Lion still operates as an independent company. I have shared your email with their Consumer Affairs team.”

October 6
Mayor sent email to Elmer IGA regarding opportunity is Salem.

October 9
Mayor made follow up call to Mayor Kelly for update

October 9
Mayor made follow up call to Padilla Group for update

October 23
Meeting scheduled with Padilla group & Freeholder Director to discuss incentives/options

October 24
The Mayor’s Task Force met to discuss updates and share research on supermarkets in low income areas, successful co-ops, and funding sources, such as Philabundance, * Browns superstores, The Reinvestment fund

November 15
Mayor’s Task Force sent out informational flyers to all Salem City residents, detailing food banks, transportation options, and other temporary measures put in place to make sure no one goes hungry.

November 17
Mayor’s Task Force personally solicits input and advice from each stall vendor at Bridgeton Amish Farmer’s Market, determining depth of interest in opening similar market in Salem

November 29
Mayor’s Task Force met and discussed reaching out to companies to inquire of potential co-op plan for future store. This included several local family-owned concerns such as Redners, Lapps, and others.

December 13
Mayor’s Task Force met and discussed reaching out to Italian Kitchen, Lapp’s Market, and Stolzfus Meats for business for potential co-op

December 14
Mayor’s Office met with NJ State EDA and Business Action Center of NJ for investor incentives

January 3, 2018
Mayor’s Office spoke with Manager of Stolzfus Meats. At this time, they are not looking to expand their business

January 4
Mayor’s Office spoke with Manager of Lapp’s. At this time, they are not looking into co-op option

January 9
Mayor met with Italian Kitchen owner to discuss co-op plan. While not directly interested, owners agree to provide meat and butcher services if a market opens in Salem.

January 11
Jody Veler from Stand Up For Salem joined Mayor’s Task Force to assist with co-op and to coordinate Task Force interactions with grant Uplifts with whom she is familiar.

January 18
Mayor’s Task Force met and discussed funding and feasibility study. Task Force will also reach out to Paul Marcus Investments and USDA for resources and funding options

January 24
Mayor’s Task Force met for debriefing on recent efforts and progress, and confirmed direction for future operations – e.g. a co-op based location with several smaller vendors and a wider range of potential services, rather than a single, monolithic anchor store.

January 25
Task force publishes RFP details on city website for proposals for a feasibility study and Mayor’s Office sent a letter Salem Health and Wellness Foundation for a grant for Feasibility Study

January 29
Mayor’s Office contacted Jerry Velasquez of CCIA to have meeting with owner of Supremo’s Market

January 30
Mayor’s Office contacted Salem Health and Wellness Foundation for support to fund Feasibility Study

February 1
Mayor’s Office reached out to Paul Marcus Investments for phone conference regarding food deserts

February 5
Mayor had phone conference with Paul Marcus

February 12
Task Force briefs City Admin Committee on status of search and responses to RFP for Feasibility study.

February 14
Mayor’s Office sent RFP for Feasibility Study to the League of Municipalities site

February 15
Mayor’s Office contacted Uplift Solutions for advisement and support w/ Food Markets and food deserts

February 20
Former IGA property does not sell at Tax Lien Auction, therefore will probably revert to city lien and foreclosure within six months, the legal waiting period.

February 21
Mayor’s Task Force met and discussed RFP’s and some of the legal and financial issues surrounding the site, including discussions and other contact with the mortgage lien holder and local and state politicians. It was noted that some county and state politicians have not responded to requests for assistance or guidance. March 7 th RFP’s for Feasibility Study returned. Mayor’s Office received proposals from Kairo, Uplift, and Barkwend companies. Mayor’s Task Force to go over proposals at 3/13 meeting.

March 13
Mayor’s Task Force met and evaluated proposals for Feasibility Study. Task Force accepted Uplift’s proposal and will reach out to them for quotes

March 19
City Council approved submission of Grant Request to Salem Health and Wellness Foundation to fund a feasibility study.

March 26
Mayor’s Office sent grant Application to Health and Wellness Foundation for Feasibility Study

April 4
Mayor’s Task force met to debrief recent efforts and conversations, and developed strategy to move forward after RFP is delivered in early May. This document was designed and developed for future editions.

April 25
Mayor’s Task force drafts responses to questions raised by the Health & Wellness Foundation on the Feasibility Study, and discussed some additional city business issues generated by recent commercial sales. Plans were set for the next meeting.

May 9
Mayor’s Task force begins research and compiles data to determine the types and viability of conventional and modified supermarkets, including cost of operations, population and demographics, households, radius of service and comparatives

May 15
Salem Health and Wellness approves funding for a grant to conduct the feasibility study

May 31
Salem and Stand Up for Salem receive the funds to proceed with the study

June 15
Feasibility Study is received from consulting group, including alternatives for conventional and modified markets

June 18
Mayor’s Task Force investigates all possible alternatives for grocery store; gives consideration and holds discussion.

June 25
Mayor’s Task Force has a conference call with ** Uplift representatives about feasibility study.

July 5
Feasibility study is sent to City Council for review

July 24
The Mayor took delegates to Pennsylvania for a tour of several Brown’s grocery stores that are operated by Uplift.

August 7
Uplift representatives came to Salem to meet with the Mayor and delegates for a site visit of the Incollingos space and to continue dialogue about a presence in Salem

August 21
Mayor has conversation with Uplift representatives concerning the Incollingo’s space and discusses questions in regard to foreclosure status and litigation.

September 4
Mayor reached out to the Pennsville National Bank to arrange a face to face meeting regarding the Incollingo’s property

September 18
The Mayor met with Pennsville National Bank and Uplift representatives regarding options to acquire the Incollingo’s space

September 19
Salem City Solicitor reached out to bankruptcy attorney for Incollingos to discuss legal obstacles surrounding sale while in foreclosure and bankruptcy and to schedule a meeting with Uplift.

* Brown’s Super Stores includes seven grocery markets in low-income neighborhoods in and around Philadelphia. Brown’s specializes in providing fresh, healthy and affordable foods in areas designated as “food deserts”. Brown’s stores are dedicated to hiring locally.

** Uplift supports full-service supermarkets in underprivileged communities by creating access to fresh and healthy food; preserve existing supermarkets to maintain access to fresh and healthy food; develop new health clinics to create access to preventative and restorative health care services; and co-locate wraparound services to provide access to nutrition education and public benefits. The four program areas representing this work are: Sustainable Food Solutions, Health Solutions, Financial Solutions, and Workforce Solutions.