King Kullen, Long Island's largest family-owned grocery chain, is closing another supermarket, this time a 34-year-old store in Middle Island. The store is located at 1235 Middle Country Rd. in the Strathmore Commons Shopping Center. The supermarket occupies about 45,000 square feet, said Robert Monahan, property manager for Island Associates Real Estate Inc., the Smithtown-based company that manages the center. Monahan confirmed that the store will be closing but said he did not know when or the reason for the impending shutdown. Tory N. Parrish reports in NEWSDAY that the King Kullen in Middle Island opened in January 1991, according to a grand-opening advertisement in Newsday's archives. Headquartered in Hauppauge, King Kullen Grocery Co. did not respond to Newsday's inquiries yesterday about the reason for the store's closing, the timeline for the closing and the number of affected employees. Most of the grocery company's store employees are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. UFCW Local 1500 in Westbury represents 41 part-time and nine full-time employees working in the front-end, grocery, produce, dairy, frozen food, deli, bakery and receiving areas of King Kullen's Middle Island store, said Aly Y. Waddy, secretary-treasurer for the local union. "Local 1500 is working to maintain as many jobs as possible. [There is] no indication of any layoffs yet," she said yesterday. Founded in Queens in 1930, King Kullen Grocery Co. operates 30 stores on Long Island, including 26 King Kullen supermarkets. The other four are Wild by Nature natural food stores. Across eastern Suffolk there are King Kullen Grocery Stores in Bridgehampton, Cutchogue, Eastport, Hampton Bays, Manorville, Center Moriches, Shirley, and for the moment – Middle Island.***A divided Riverhead Town Board this week took the first step toward selling the historic and blighted Vail-Leavitt Music Hall to The Jazz Loft. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the Riverhead Town Board passed a resolution 3-2 authorizing the town attorney “to take all such actions as may be necessary and appropriate to consummate such sale” of the building to The Jazz Loft. The nonprofit organization previously restored a historic building in Stony Brook built in the 1770s and turned it into a performance venue and music museum.Council members Bob Kern and Ken Rothwell dissented. They tried unsuccessfully to table the resolution, arguing that the town should open the process to other potential buyers. They voiced support for the other pitch to purchase the building made by Ray Castronovo, principal of the Riverhead-based Zenith Group.In 2023, Suffolk County granted $250,000 for the restoration of the Vail-Leavitt, which Riverhead Town officials say will be transferable to The Jazz Loft when it takes possession of the building. The Vail-Leavitt is in need of extensive repairs, according to officials. Supervisor Tim Hubbard and council members Joann Waski and Denise Merrifield backed The Jazz Loft, citing its year-long collaboration with the town and commitment to restoring the Vail-Leavitt.The Jazz Loft could start renovations on the Vail-Leavitt…built in 1881 as an upstairs opera house…at the beginning of this summer and be open by November, depending upon how quickly the transaction occurs according to Jazz Loft President and Founder Thomas Manuel.***The Southampton Village Police Benevolent Association will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Friday, April 18…that’s tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. in Agawam Park in Southampton Village. All kids age 10 and younger are invited to participate but should bring a receptacle to pick up eggs. The Easter Bunny will be on hand for photo opportunities. There will be a great prize egg among the thousands scattered on the field at Agawam Park in Southampton tomorrow at 10...

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