Ben’s Market reopens with new management and exciting renovations

[People seem to love the renovation], so I’m happy about that because I poured my heart and soul into this project.”

Junior Frias

After a brief hiatus, neighborhood staple Ben’s Market is back open and under the new management of Junior Frias. 

In response to the speculation on Facebook and around the community, Frias is setting the record straight: The market’s temporary closure was simply part of a transition to new ownership, which comes with new improvements. 

A Grand Concourse native and Iraq War veteran, Frias brings a wealth of experience to his new role.

Following his return from service, he acquired Riverdale Meat Market & Grocery on West 231st Street. With a family background in the industry — his father owns a store on Fordham Road — Frias is well-acquainted with the business. Now, 10 years later, he is eager to bring a fresh perspective to Ben’s Market.

Frias said he searched for another store for some time. As someone who loves the Riverdale community, he said he found this opportunity came at just the right moment — former Ben’s owner Jim Napolitano’s second or third retirement.

Ben’s has a lot of loyal customers, Frias said, and, so far, people seem to love the renovation. Some even have said that it now resembles a supermarket.

“So I’m happy about that, because I poured my heart and soul into this project,” he said.

When asked how this project differs from others he’s worked on, Frias responded with a laugh: “I’m not used to the attention, I’ll tell you that much.”

Both Frias and his team wanted to clarify none of the changes are reductive; what hasn’t remained the same has only expanded. The suppliers are the same, but there is now a wider range of products. The team remains intact but is working longer hours — from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. rather than 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. — and Saturdays are now from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. instead of 4 p.m.

Visually, the store now has a distinct supermarket feel, with polished wooden floorboards, shiny surfaces and all new shelves, registers and casing. 

Ben’s Market, which has been a fixture in Spuyten Duyvil since 1975, opened its Knoll’s Crescent location in 1998. “Ben” refers to one of the earlier owners’ fathers.

Anna Rufino has been working at Knoll’s Crescent since six months after the store’s opening, and Mary Beth Duffy has been with the company 19 years. Most other employees have also been with the store for many years.

Rufino said many people were relieved to discover the former team was still there. While there has always been a devoted customer base, she has noticed only more interest since the renovation. Rufino said she is grateful for the relationships she has built with customers over the years; adding even brief interactions are meaningful because of their familiarity. 

During the hiatus, some elderly customers who relied on the store’s delivery of hot meals and miscellaneous items were concerned about losing access to these services. Others worried that popular and well-priced items like the deli’s Italian combo sandwiches might disappear. Rufino, known as the “queen of sandwiches,” was quick to dispel this rumor. She said she has been working in delis since she was 18 and chose this line of work because she enjoys interacting with people and seeing them “walk away smiling because they ate well and spent their money wisely.”

Ben’s regular customers Michelle and Isaac were some of the first to express their appreciation for the reopening. Michelle said she couldn’t believe it was the same space, while Isaac mentioned the wider aisles made the layout much easier to navigate.

“This area really needs a grocery store”, Michelle said, “and this is a great place.”