MILLERTON — On Friday, Nov. 15, the Millerton Square Plaza got new owners when the sale of the entire plaza was closed in New York City.
Although agreement between the parties on the purchase was reached in May of 2023 it took almost 18 months to comply with state and county regulations before the sale could be completed.
The property consists of four separate parcels totaling 10.4 acres on Route 44 in the Town of North East. The supermarket itself is 28,000 square feet with another 18,700 square feet of retail and office space.
Immediately after the sale Skip Trotta provided The Millerton News with a statement concerning the long-awaited sale.
“My wife, Ann, and I are very excited to announce the sale of the Millerton Square Plaza to Kim and Chris Choe. This was a very long and complicated process. We had other proposals for a different use, but we always felt the real need was for a large, clean, remodeled, and competitive market for the sake of the town and the folks that live in the area who deserve just that.
“They have already begun the process with the town and multiple contractors.
“This sale pleases us to know that this store will continue to operate as it was intended to operate back in 1971 when my father and I decided to leave our small market on Main Street and build the plaza. The residents in our area will no longer need to travel long distances to get good affordable and fresh groceries. We will all benefit from this sale. Thank you to the folks along the way who helped us finally get this done and for the patience shown by the people of the community.”
The Choes operate the family owned Sharon Farm Market at the Sharon Shoppping Center in Sharon, where since 2010 they have sold groceries sourced locally. In June 2022, Choe expanded with the purchase of a roadside farm on Route 44 in East Canaan, Connecticut, with vegetable fields.
Since losing the grocery store, Millerton has been a food dessert. A Grand Union in Millerton Square Plaza shut down in 2017.
Many people in the village and the town have resorted to purchasing limited groceries at CVS and Cumberland Farms.
For some time, the parking lot to Millerton Square Plaza has been gated, but as of last weekend the gates were gone.
About to open the planning event for the sixth annual Troutbeck Symposium on Sunday, Oct. 4, Troutbeck owner Charlie Champalimaud spoke with guest speaker Hasan Kwame Jeffries of The Ohio State University, who has been a vital participant in the program since it began in 2021.Photo by Leila Hawken
