Eddie's Supermarket celebrates another milestone & Santoni's Takes their market on the road

Congratulations to EDDIES of Roland Park on the 20th Anniversary of its Charles Street Store. I remember taking my grandmother, of blessed memory, on a 'field trip' to the new,Gucci-esque supermarket when it first opened. My dear grandmother had always lived in the city and shopped with an active 'account'. She introduced me to the Eddie's specialty market as a young child. I vividly remember our trips to Eddie's Roland Park where we were ALWAYS greeted with a smile, NEVER allowed to take anything out of our basket at checkout lines and ALWAYS offered an oatmeal cookie from Mr. Victor, the market's founder and NEVER opening the door in front of you.

Victor Cohen opened the original "Victor’s" market in 1944 with the philosophy of providing shoppers the very finest products available, along with excellent service and attention to detail. Today, nothing has changed, except the cookie has changed to a small sip of fresh coffee brewing and Victor handed down his empire to capable daughter, Nancy Cohen and grandson, Michael Schaffer (seen top left). The 17,000 SF store at 6213 N. Charles (the original, 69-year-old store is on Roland Avenue is 13,000 SF) will mark its anniversary with a Shop Local event April 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring specials, tastings and a meet-and-greet with local vendors. But from Tuesday through Saturday, there will be daily reduced costs of local Eddie's fare from breakfast blend coffee ($2/lb) to jumbo lump crab cakes ($1 off), NY Strip Steaks ($3 off/lb). Daily samples from local purveyors will take place from such notables as: Zekes Coffee, Prigel Family Cremery, Popsations Goumet Popcorn, and Hawks Hill Cremery.

Wait, who is Eddie you ask? In 1954, Victor joined a buying and advertising cooperative that was formed by Eddie Levy. Some time later, the cooperative dissolved, but the name "Eddie’s" stuck. In the early ‘80s, we distinguished ourselves from those other stores as "Eddie’s of Roland Park," Nancy explains.

Just this week, with grants from Johns Hopkins, and Associated Black Charities Santoni's Supermarket has started a new free bus service that will serve different senior housing and East Baltimore neighborhood stops. The Supermarket shuttle is a ground breaking collaboration and evidence of terrific out-of-the-box marketing.

Rob Santoni, Santoni's CFO hopes to improve access to healthy and affordable food in those communities and has been praised by local food advocates including community groups, non-profit partners and City officials.launch East Baltimore’s first ever “Grocery Store Shuttle Service” dedicated to providing free transportation for residents that reside in communities with low-vehicle ownership and little access to healthy foods (commonly called food deserts).

Congratulations!

Seen left Rob Santoni Sr. and Jr. Photo courtesy of Facebook.