The newest location of Restaurant Depot provides a one-stop-shop experience for restauranteurs, chefs, and business owners in the Brewster, NY and Greater Danbury, CT area.
The warehouse had their grand opening in late May, just in time to kick off the summer and support restaurants preparing for their busy summer seasons. The new Restaurant Depot Brewster location is available to assist with all kinds of dining, from steakhouses to pizzerias, fine dining, and everything in between. Within their lines of inventory are kitchen equipment, cutlery, food, produce, and more.
“A restaurateur could open a business and we could supply them with everything they need,” Manager Anthony Sciortino, a ten-year veteran of the business said. “If we don’t have their [the customer’s] product, we’re bringing it in for them.” Being over 51,000 sq. Ft., its size has also been a draw for customers.
The opening was highly anticipated after taking over three years from purchasing and approvals, to becoming functional. Covid caused delays and material shortages all throughout the creation, making the construction of the new store —like many projects during the pandemic— long and difficult. The land had been vacant for over 20 years prior, so the Brewster community was thrilled when the emergence of Restaurant Depot put the spot to good use.
More than the store, locals were hit hard by Covid with an increase in prices and a decrease in food supplies; along with forced adaptation to meet safety protocols and a suspension of indoor dining – the community needed all the help it could get. Restaurant Depot’s arrival allowed people of the Greater Brewster area some solace during troubling times. “Restaurant Depot was there for people when they couldn’t get products,” Sciortino said.
The location had other positive effects for the community as well, allowing restauranteurs in the area a quicker commute to pick up their necessities. What used to be a weekly trip to buy products and equipment has evolved into a by-need basis thanks to the convenience of the new building. “A lot of the customers were already Restaurant Depot shoppers, already going to Waterbury or Port Chester, but the Brewster location services them seven days a week because they’re within 15 minutes now,” Sciortino said. This, along with a wide range of business hours, allows locals to stop in on short notice for restaurant emergencies or unforeseen high demands for any given product. The ‘Depot gives shoppers valuable products at affordable prices in order to ensure the best experience possible.
The experience is one more benefit that the new Restaurant Depot offers, receiving products from wholesalers and forming community partners allows the store to gain valuable information about the industry. “We’re knowledgeable enough in the corporate field that customers could always reach out to find answers that they don’t know,” Sciortino said. The addition of the store meant the addition of community collaborators, benefiting both Restaurant Depot and inquisitive locals looking to learn.
In the future, the store hopes to add fresh seafood to their inventory, a large magnet for northeastern businesses. Since the arrival of the new store, convenience has spiked for people in the foodservice industry, and a reputable partner has been added to a community-centered town.
Restaurant Depot is a Members-Only Wholesale Cash & Carry Foodservice Supplier. What began as a single store in Queens has grown into the nation’s leading cash & carry brand with stores from coast to coast. Our mission is to be your one-stop shop for Savings, Selection and Service, Seven Days a Week. ‘Depot stores have been supplying independent food businesses with quality products from large cash and carry warehouse stores since 1990. We became the leading low-cost alternative to other foodservice suppliers by eliminating the overhead of a traditional distributor, focusing on the needs of independent foodservice operators and offering free membership. For more information on Restaurant Depot, visit their website.
