By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
With a deep-rooted family tradition that got its start at Philadelphia’s iconic Italian Market, DiPascale’s, more commonly known as Meadowbrook Deli, made its home in Pennsauken in 1959 along Union Ave., converting a warehouse by peach orchards into a series of stores. Run by Bobby and Stephen DiPascale in 2000, the deli opened a complementary produce market in the same shopping center. And while there have been a variety of changes over the past five years, the Meadowbrook brand continues to thrive. Today, another family with Pennsauken roots is the brand new custodian of this local institution.
Rosemary Abreu grew up in town, attending Carson Elementary and “Pennsauken Tech.” She’s a member of SRC Supermarket, the new owners of Meadowbrook.
“I went past here with my parents when I was younger, but never stopped in,” said Abreu.
Rosemary is partners with her husband, Radhames, who also lived in town; as well as her uncle, Silvero Fernandez, and his business partner, Cristino Valez, who are both current Pennsauken residents. The family team has previous experience running corner markets and restaurants for many years and saw a great opportunity at Meadowbrook.
“When we walked in, I got this feeling in my heart. I was in a place that was family,” explained Rosemary. “Eight days later. We were signing the contract. We felt really good about this.”
Both stores got a fresh coat of paint and new lighting. The deli also received a welcome face lift, with new floors, updated refrigerators/freezers, and additional shelves to add more products. Two registers were replaced with one long counter, so that staff can better see customers and help them when they need it.
“It needed an update,” said Abreu. “People have walked in and asked, ‘Am I in the right store?’”
And while there are some new family members working at Meadowbrook, Laura, daughter of Silvero’s cousin, and Jay, Cristino’s son are working at the produce market, there are still plenty of familiar faces.
“Bobby, Angelo, Lee, Debbie, Linda, and most of the guys are still here,” said Rosemary. “We didn’t want anybody to go.”
“The new owners are friendly, and they care about their people, the neighborhood, and their customers,” explained Bobby DiPascale, who has been a part of Meadowbrook since he was 12 years old. You’ll still find him behind the deli counter making sure things are running smoothly.
You’ll also still see Angelo Gambardello, who grew up down the street and has been working at Meadowbrook since 1974. “It’s fantastic. Everything’s great. There are new customers, new faces, a new store, and outlook. It’s new and improved.”
The new owners are hoping to have an official grand opening as the weather gets warmer. In the meantime, the newest members of the Meadowbrook family want customers to know they’re not going anywhere and they want to hear from them.
“We want to approach the whole community. If a customer wants something, they can ask, and we’ll bring it in,” said Rosemary. “If anyone has any questions or needs anything, ask us.”
Meadowbrook Food Center and Produce Market are located at 3012 Union Ave. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
