Tour Island Gourmet, a new market in Grant City, primed to open on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Two years after Duane Reade vacated its Grant City operation, the property at 2107 Richmond Road again comes alive — this time with a new grocer. Island Gourmet’s staff and management will open its international specialty food inventory to the public on Wednesday, June 8.

Initial hours will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

While a small army of workers stocked produce in bins and organized dry goods on shelves in several aisles, owner Yefim Biselman offered a tour.

His first stop was the produce department managed by Adrian Amuli, who handpicks items for Biselman. Hauls of seasonal fruits plus locally and organically grown vegetables hail from the Philadelphia wholesale produce market. Amuli spends the extra time on the road because he likes the shopping experience in the Keystone State — purveyors there allow him to get up close and inspect the goods, he says.

“We have a tremendous variety of produce from around the globe,” said Biselman.

At the rear of this aisle, a fishmonger occupies a chunk of space. This operation is run by Peter Domazetovski, owner of the stand at the Grasmere Met Foods and a Fisherman’s Cove storefront in Pleasant Plains. The latter opened about nine months ago.

Domazetovski said this seafood endeavor caters to the growing Eastern European and Russian populations on Staten Island. His selections lean toward the whole creature — brazino, ocean perch, Pompano, smelts, sardines, anchovies plus lake and river fish. Varietals of salmon plus assorted shellfish soon will swim in the showcase.

“We’re a separate concession within the store,” explained Domazetovski.

He added, “Mr. Biselman was a customer of ours for a long time and purchased our fish for the longest time. He approached us with news of his new speciality market.”

Domazetovski’s fresh catches will be on display Wednesday morning in time for opening.

Beyond the seafood at the back of the store, Biselman installed a 45-foot stretch of display counters. Refrigerated display cases eventually will brim with prepared foods, cakes, cookies and breads. Island Gourmet presents packages of brioche and other French buns. The store also will bake its own loaves.

A deli department runs along the wall that forms the facade of 2107 Richmond Road. This counter is reserved for cold cuts and cheeses with a dedicated compartment for caviar.

The balloon arches in the store announcing the grand opening were designed and installed by resident florist, Kinga Lakomy. She crafts bouquets and centerpieces from flowers stashed in a glass-enclosed walk-in box. Island Gourmet’s floral department additionally sells preserved roses, monochromatic or multi-colored blooms arrested in development at their perfect peak. Lakomy arranges them under a glass dome. She says they last for about a year.

Colored preserved roses from the floral department at new Gourmet Island in Grant City. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pamela Silvestri

There are a handful of grocery aisles at the center of the store with mainstream yet mostly unique chocolates, oils, dairy products, crackers and sweets. A chest freezer houses European ice cream treats.

Biselman’s market has a sprawling kitchen space with a chargrill for kebabs and a few prep areas. The facility is a U.S.D.A. inspected one with the capability to crank out volume. The staff is largely from Ukraine, said Biselman, and foods will reflect the culture.

Island Gourmet already seems to be well-received. On the morning before opening, several eager patrons came through the automatic doors expecting to shop immediately. Biselman encouraged them to return Wednesday morning.

Social media is in the works but the sites are GourmetIsland.com and on Facebook/Instagram as

View this profile on Instagram

Gourmet Island (@gourmetislandny) • Instagram photos and videos " target=“_blank”>GourmetIslandNY. The store is located at 2107 Richmond Rd., Grant City; 929-577-4333.; GourmetIsland.com.

Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com.

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