The ShopRite that replaced the Fairway Market in Pelham Manor after renovations is getting mixed reviews from customers, with some saying the grocery store is more like a typical ShopRite.

Kelly Rodriguez, a ShopRite regular from the Bronx, said, “This is my first time here. I’m just getting familiar with it, but it’s very ShopRite. ShopRite is typically laid out like this everywhere, from my experience. Compared to the structure of Fairway, this feels very industrial.”

However, customer of the former Fairway and Westchester local Nicola Arias said, “To be honest with you, it still looks like Fairway, but they need to get things together so it looks a little bit more presentable.”

Steve Walker, who was shopping with Arias, said, “I think they shouldn’t have opened the place yet.”

In March of 2020, the Fairway chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and motioned to sell the Pelham store and several other outlets to Village Supermarkets Inc. of Springfield, New Jersey, which runs 29 ShopRites. The Pelham outlet continued to operate as a Fairway until the conversion this summer.

Pelham Manor ShopRite manager Mohammed Khan said the store on Pelham Parkway has yet to have its grand opening and the renovations are far from over.

“We still have aisles left to do, lighting…painting,” Khan said. “The floors still got to get done.”

He said the beloved Fairway bakery would be bigger, better and “state of the art” in the ShopRite.

The renovated store features newer, high technology equipment, according to Khan. “Technology wise, if you look at our tags, they’re all digital. Signage is digital, a lot of good stuff.”

Much of the discussion by customers the Pelham Examiner spoke with was about the selections and variety of food. Along with the bakery, people adored Fairway’s olive bar and salad bar. Both sections that have been brought back in the ShopRite.

“I haven’t seen anything that I really want that is missing, but I do miss the Fairway,” Arias said.

“There are more options,” Johanna Bello said. “We shopped at another ShopRite before, and we would go there more often than the Fairway. Now that they have one here, we can come here way more now.”

The Pelham Manor ShopRite’s grand opening is tentatively set for Oct. 9, with Khan hoping for anytime within the second week of October, if all goes well with the renovations still underway. He said there is still much to do within a short time frame as they prepare for the grand opening.