On Long Island, an Italian‑style supermarket chain is stealing the show this holiday season by turning every aisle into a festive event. Christmas lights, carolers inside the store, and a parking lot that looks like a winter wonderland bring the holiday spirit to life—garlands even drape over fresh meats.
“We can’t find a shopping experience like this anywhere else on the island,” said Massapequa mom Geralynn Townsend to The Post about Uncle Giuseppe’s in December. She added, “It probably almost doubles the amount of people that are in there this time of year.”
The business started out in East Meadow in 2001 with a simple mission: to make shopping feel fun. CEO Carl DelPrete says, “We don’t want to be just a supermarket, we want to be an experience.”
To that end, he spends a significant five‑figure amount each year on decorations and themed displays for each of the chain’s 12 locations, ensuring no two stores look exactly the same.
“This is our Super Bowl,” DelPrete joked. “Everyone gets excited about it.”
Uncle Giuseppe’s has attracted a passionate following on Instagram, with nearly 120,000 followers, many of whom request new store openings in their own towns.
During the holiday rush the parking lots can become chaotic, so a handful of locations now deploy six‑seat golf carts to ferry shoppers from the curb to their cars safely.
“The parking lot can be chaotic, it can be a little intense, there’s people rushing,” Townsend explained. But once inside, shoppers find a warm and cheerful atmosphere. “But once you get in the store, it’s really nice…I absolutely love it. I think it’s adorable.
The other shoppers do too, you can tell even in the crowded aisles that everyone is in a good mood, smiling.”
To keep the merriment going, the stores hire more than a dozen Sinatra‑style singers to perform on weekends. “We have people who call the stores and ask, ‘Is the singer going to be there?’” says 77‑year‑old vocalist Tony Della, who’s been singing classics like “The Christmas Song” for almost two decades.
He notes that customers often stay longer, drawn in by the music: “I’ve had shoppers in the store for an hour, and I would say, ‘Wow, I didn’t think you were still here.’” They reply, “We’re enjoying the music, so we just keep going around the store.”
Many customers call or video‑chat relatives from out of state to share how special the experience is, and some say the live music transforms a stressful holiday trip into a serene moment.
Della has heard people describe songs that remind them of family memories: “You were doing some songs that I remember my mom or my dad used to sing,” they say, before adding, “I feel so much better now.” His melodies, streamed through the golf carts, continue uninterrupted by shop announcements.
Spreading joy—along with a variety of cheeses, dips, and cannoli filling—is a core principle at Uncle G’s. Townsend adds, “All the workers are really, really kind, upbeat, and happy. It’s just a nice place to shop, so much better, I feel, than a big box supermarket.”
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