Business Profile: Turco’s, Yorktown
Customers show loyalty to companies that treat them right. When Turco’s supermarket closed for a few days to remodel its produce and freezer areas the community was chomping at the bit. Droves of people could not wait to do their food shopping the day the store re-opened its doors.
Preston Turco, owner of Turco’s, credits his store’s success with giving people the finest products for the best price with quality service.
“The reputation we have is so good that people won’t shop anywhere else,” said Turco. “Usually once a shopper shops here they won’t shop anywhere else.”
Turco who has been in the produce business for more than 40 years, started out small with a small produce stand in the Bronx. Then he had a store in Hartsdale for 32 years. In 2000 he felt the need to expand his store. By opening up in Yorktown, Turco was able to double the amount of space he had as compared to his Hartsdale shop.
Just because he moved north, does not mean that he lost his clientele.
“We have a great loyal following,” said Turco. “It is a long relationship we have had with many of our customers. We have been in Westchester for over 40 years and most of the people from Hartsdale either moved up here or their kids moved up here.”
Turco sees owning just one store an asset.
“Since I only have one store, I am able to run it more efficiently,” he said. “I am able to hire better help because I am not in dire need. When I hire somebody I hire the best this way it make it easier on everybody. I have better control over the business.”
Turco, who runs the store with his wife Evelyn and daughter Mia, describes himself as very hands-on.
“I am all over the place,” he said. “I start at 5 or 6 o’clock in the morning and I am here for the day. When I am here I am here.”
Turco grew up in the market business. His father owned a store and it was there that Turco first realized his calling—produce.
“Produce is my passion,” he said. “I have been doing this a long time and the main item I focus on is produce. No one can compete against me with produce. It is just so important. People are health conscience and we can give them the freshest produce around.”
Fruits and vegetables are so vital to Turco’s business that he recently had the entire produce area remodeled so that it could be more amenable to the customers.
“We wanted to give it a much better look,” said Turco. “It is more spacious. Before with the old metal stands the area was cluttered, now we have cherry wood stands that are very open. We opened up the aisles so people can have more room to pick out their produce. We changed the flow of traffic so it is not congested.”
The freezer section also received an upgrade.
“We use a new method for displaying the frozen foods,” said Turco. “We are now using space grids which much more appealing to the eye and it is never messy. It is always organized and always neat.”
The new fixtures help Turco stay true to his mantra. “If you start with the best, you cannot go wrong,” he said. “We only have the highest quality goods and we are cheap. You do not have to spend a fortune to get a good product.”
In addition to being a fully stocked supermarket, Turco’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has a seating area that holds up to 70 people and it also does takeout dinners and catering.
Turco’s which is located at 380 Downing Drive in Yorktown is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. It is open on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit turcos.com.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
