Longtime, family-owned department store coming to Greece Ridge mall

New York Connect Team

A longtime, family-owned department store is coming to The Mall at Greece Ridge.

How old-fashioned? The store, Boscov's, will have a full-service candy counter where fudge in a variety of flavors is made daily.

The Greece location will be the company's fifth in New York state and its 51st overall across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware, Ohio, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

At 175,000 square feet, it will be the largest department store in our region, mall owner Wilmorite noted in a statement.

The Rochester market is one that Boscov's has been trying to enter for a long time, CEO Jim Boscov said during a press conference at the mall on Friday.

"Albert Boscov, my uncle, came up here in 1990 to look at the Sibley's Building and thought he had a deal at that time," he said. "I know he came back here about 11 years later and tried to find a way to fit into the mall, and I'm grateful we finally found a way to do it."

Here's what else to know.

What is Boscov's?

Jim Boscov, CEO of Boscov's department store, speaks at a press conference at The Mall at Greece Ridge, where the company will open a store.

Headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, and referred to on the company's website as "America's largest family-owned department store," Boscov's first opened its doors in Reading in 1918.

The business prides itself on offering goods in a broad range of categories — apparel, housewares, furniture and beauty, to name just a few — at competitive prices.

"It's a lot of selection, and a vast range of prices," Jim Boscov said after the press conference. "Our pricing is going to be better than the competition, and we know that it is. ... We shop our competition all the time."

Equally important is customer service, he said.

"I think (our) most important difference is having people on the sales floor," he said. "I don't know about you, but I've been to other stores where you pick out something you want to buy and you have to chase somebody down to take your money. It shouldn't be that way. We hire knowledgeable, empowered people to serve, and people who like serving and know how to say 'yes.'"

What to expect at the Greece Boscov's

Much of this wing in Greece Ridge Mall will be renovated in the new Boscov’s department store.

Boscov's isn't moving into a single existing mall vacancy. Part of it will occupy the old Burlington space near Entrance 6. (Burlington moved into the former Bed Bath & Beyond last year.) But Boscov's will stretch all the way to Entrance 6, and to the left and right of it, taking out a number of spaces where stores are closed or will close, including Rue21. A couple of businesses that remain open will be relocated.

"This is a massive project," Boscov said, and will take until September to complete.

When will Boscov's open?

Boscov's will open in the fall. "I'm not going to tell you the opening date," he said, "but we don't miss openings. We'll be hiring people in August, and the trucks will start rolling in September."

What will Boscov's look like?

"We look like a first-class department store," Boscov said. "We really have wonderful fixturing and appointments and décor. We're very proud of it. It's interesting. We offer incredibly low pricing, but we're not a discount-looking store."

How many people will Boscov's employ?

Boscov said the Greece location will have about 250 employees.

For several weeks before the opening, "We'll bring another 150 of our experienced co-workers from other stores, and they'll work side by side with their new co-workers. I'm really a believer that you don't hand somebody a handbook and say, 'Here, this is what Boscov's is.' You work side by side with people, and then you learn the culture of the company."

Where are other the Boscov's locations in New York?

There are four other Boscov stores in New York state:

Binghamton: 11 Court St.
New Hartford: 8555 Seneca Turnpike
Clifton Park: 22 Clifton Country Road
Albany: 131 Colonie Center

The Binghamton location was the first Boscov's to open in New York back in 1984, according to the company's website.

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments and has an interest in retail news. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on X @MarciaGreenwood.

Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.