Walgreens to Partner with Key Food for 'Full Service' Grocery Store

It's official—Walgreens has announced its intention to partner with Key Food, meaning Windsor Terrace residents will get their grocery store back after all.

The idea of a partnership between the two retailers was first pitched at a community meeting last June. The drug store chain made public its intention to share the space with a grocery store in October, though Walgreens officials kept details tightly under wraps—until now.

Here's the press release in its entirety:

Walgreens today announced it is joining with Key Food to offer Windsor Terrace residents a full service grocery store at Prospect and 11th avenues in Brooklyn. The new store is slated to open during fall 2013.

Plans for the combined 14,149-square-foot store were submitted to the city’s Department of Buildings for building permit approvals in order to expand the building and allow Walgreens to share the space with Key Food. Together, the two retailers will offer fresh produce, a butcher, a deli, dairy products, frozen foods, beverages, snacks, medications, health and beauty aids, toiletries, designer fragrances, greeting cards, small electronics and housewares.

“Over the last year we’ve worked closely with community officials and Key Food to find a solution for the health and daily living needs of the Windsor Terrace community,” said Skip Bourdo, Walgreens market vice president for the Brooklyn area. “Our Walgreens team is thrilled to bring this new pair of stores to the neighborhood and provide grocery services to people who clearly have a need for quality foods and a pharmacy in close proximity to their homes.  We look forward to serving the community and I am confident our new neighbors will enjoy the wide variety of products and services Walgreens and Key Food will offer together.”

“Key Food has served Windsor Terrace residents for decades, and we look forward to working alongside Walgreens to carry on this service for years to come,” said Joseph Zahriyeh, owner of Key Food.

Local elected officials applauded the combination as a practical way to offer Windsor Terrace residents a full-service grocery store.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled that Walgreens and Key Food are teaming up to ensure that Windsor Terrace residents, who were organized by leaders like Ryan Lynch, Lauren Collins and Chris Huntington, will have everything from A to Z—from aspirin to zucchini,” said Marty Markowitz, Borough President of Brooklyn. 

“When the community works together with retailers and our elected officials like Councilman Brad Lander, Assemblyman Jim Brennan and myself, the result is a comprehensive, efficient and organized solution that prevents Windsor Terrace from becoming a food desert and instead guarantees a one-stop shopping solution. As someone who lives in Windsor Terrace, I know just how important it is for this location to provide access to fresh, affordable food. Walgreens clearly has its fingers on the pulse of the community, and this partnership with Key Food is just the medicine the pharmacist prescribed for Windsor Terrace.”   

"Congratulations to the people of Windsor Terrace for making their voices heard, and to Walgreens for listening,” said Brad Lander, New York City 39th district council member. “Their partnership with Key Food to offer a full-service grocery store alongside the Walgreens store is a model for good corporate citizenship, and a great achievement for the Windsor Terrace neighborhood.  I'm so glad we'll have green beans and Walgreens." 

“I think any national retailer who wants to open a business here should look at what Walgreens has done in Windsor Terrace as a great example of how to respond to a community’s needs,” state Assemblyman James F. Brennan. “The work that Walgreens and Key Food have done to reach this agreement should be commended.”  

Walgreens will also bring a full service pharmacy to the community with an advanced pharmacy system that links all its pharmacies, making it possible for Windsor Terrace patients to refill prescriptions at any of the thousands of Walgreens across the country. Walgreens customers can also take advantage of Auto Prefills, a service that marks monthly medications to be refilled automatically, then calls or sends an e-mail to remind you the prescription is ready for pickup. Walgreens is the only pharmacy that offers pharmacist counseling and prescription labels in 14 languages and large-type drug information sheets for the visually impaired.

Windsor Terrace patients also will be able to take advantage of Walgreens Prescription Savings Club program, which offers more than 800 value-priced generics, with some for as little as a dollar a week. The program, which also offers deep discounts on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications, could help improve the health care of residents who don’t have health insurance or those who take medications not covered under their plan.