A new ShopRite has opened its doors at 481 River Road in Edgewater, taking over the space long occupied by ACME Markets inside Edgewater Commons. The supermarket, operated by Inserra Supermarkets, held its grand opening at 7 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, with a ribbon-cutting that brought out municipal officials alongside members of the Inserra family.
A Fast Turnaround After ACME's Exit
The opening caps a relatively quick turnaround for the River Road retail hub. ACME, owned by Albertsons, permanently closed its Edgewater Commons store on August 15, 2026, after the grocery giant allowed its lease to expire, according to Patch. That closure triggered state WARN Act notices covering 115 store employees, though Albertsons offered affected workers the option to transfer to other regional locations with openings, per the same report.
As Jersey Digs reports, the new ShopRite occupies the former ACME footprint and measures roughly 64,000 square feet. Inserra Supermarkets chairman and CEO Lawrence R. Inserra Jr. said the company is proud to open its doors to the Edgewater community while renovations continue, according to the same outlet.
Specialty Counters Open Now, More Renovations Ahead
Shoppers walking in this fall will already find several of Inserra's signature departments running, including Patsy's Butcher Shop — named for company co-founder Patsy Inserra — along with a Fresh Bakery Shop, a sushi counter, and ShopRite's Fresh to Table prepared meal area, according to the Wakefern Newsroom's account of the grand opening. But the build-out is far from finished: Inserra Supermarkets has committed to investing in the store over the next two years, with plans to expand its offerings, the same account notes.
Per Jersey Digs, that renovation roadmap includes a new section called Antoinette's Kitchen for freshly prepared meals, a hot bar and soup bar, and expanded produce, dairy, frozen, and kosher departments. The company also intends to install new energy-efficient equipment during the overhaul. Despite the ongoing work, the store will stay open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. throughout the renovation, per the outlet's report.
Thirty Years of Grocery Turnover on River Road
The 481 River Road building has a long retail history. It operated as a Pathmark supermarket from 1996 until 2015, when ACME Markets acquired the location, according to The Market Report.
Edgewater Commons sits along the Hudson River, and the former ACME site there is now home to ShopRite. Target and HomeGoods are also at the center, as Patch has reported.
Family-Owned Operator Behind the ShopRite Banner
Inserra Supermarkets was established in 1954 by Patsy Inserra, and today the Mahwah-based company runs more than 20 ShopRite locations along with PriceRite Marketplace and Fresh Grocer stores, per the Ramapo College Foundation. Inserra family members belong to Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative. The Edgewater opening fits into a broader growth push for the family-run operator.
Stiff Competition Along the River Road Corridor
The new ShopRite enters an already crowded grocery stretch. River Road is home to Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's, and natural grocer Sprouts Farmers Market is also planning a nearby location, as Hoodline previously reported on Sprouts' Edgewater plans.
The shift also reflects wider supermarket realignment across North Jersey. Albertsons filed state WARN Act notices this week announcing the closure of two Kings Food Markets stores in Hillsdale and Whitehouse Station by January 2027, citing lease expirations and portfolio optimization, according to WDHA FM. Even as a corporate chain pulls back elsewhere, a regional family-owned cooperative member is expanding its footprint in Edgewater.
ShopRite's Broader New Jersey Footprint
ShopRite, headquartered in Keasbey, operates hundreds of stores across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland, according to Jersey Digs. In addition to the new Edgewater location, the chain already runs markets in North Bergen and Hoboken. ShopRite also plans to launch an outpost in Jersey City on the ground floor of Everton, a 60-story development, per the same report.
