Anna Mavromichalis, co-owner and general manager of Constantino’s Market, said Thursday that she and her father, company president Costas Mavromichalis, need to gather more information about the scope and demographics of the potential market in downtown Dayton, and come up with cost estimates for construction and renovation, before making any decisions. If Constantino’s owners do go ahead with the project, construction would take two to three years, she said.
Constantino’s Market operates two full-size groceries of about 15,000 square feet in Cleveland — “similar in size to what we would be looking at in Dayton,” Mavromichalis said — and a third, smaller location. The larger stores offer a variety of prepared foods, including sushi, a salad bar, bakery and deli in addition to selling grocery items, she said.
Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, said the owners of Constantino's Market have a track record of success in Cleveland and "understand the urban model" of grocery stores.
Downtown Dayton has Stop-N-Save Foods at 36 W. Third St., which opened 15 years ago and which sells groceries. But adding another grocery store is part of a long-term plan for downtown, Gudorf said.
Steve Seboldt, chairman of the Downtown Dayton Priority Board, attended a reception for the Constantino’s owners and said the downtown store idea “has a lot of potential.” A Constantino’s Market could become a destination shopping spot and attract customers from outside downtown, Seboldt said.
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