From the Daily Freeman Newspaper
By ARIEL ZANGLA
Freeman staff
ROSENDALE, N.Y. — Some shoppers were so excited about the opening of the new Associated Supermarket that as soon as the ceremonial ribbon was cut, they jokingly told local officials and the store’s owners to get out of the way and let them through.

The full-service grocery store in Fann’s Plaza on state Route 32 — Rosendale’s first supermarket in more than five years — opened to the public Friday afternoon. The atmosphere outside the store beforehand was festive, with a disc jockey playing music and neighboring Peppino’s Restaurant & Pizza offering free food to the crowd. Once the doors to Associated were open, more than 30 people crowded into the new store and immediately began shopping.

“I’m excited,” Pam VanBuren of Rosendale said upon completing her first purchase. “We needed a grocery store for a long, long time.”

Associated is the first grocery store in Rosendale in about six years. Store owners Raj Nagpal and his son, Paul Singh, said they worked for more than four months to prepare the 10,000-square-foot store for its opening. The work included replacing the roof and doors, as well as the coolers and interior fixtures, they said.

Singh said they spent more than $500,000 to get the store ready and to buy equipment and products.

The supermarket offers local produce and baked goods, some organic items and traditional supermarket fare, and it also has meat and deli departments.

Nagpal said he and Singh chose to open a grocery store in Rosendale because they like the area and the small-town atmosphere. He said they own another grocery store on Long Island.

The Rosendale store has 25 to 30 employees, Nagpal said.