Former Rite Aid in Kingston, NY to Become New CTown Supermarket

Plans submitted to transform vacant Rite Aid location into full-service grocery store

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Plans have been submitted to the City of Kingston's Planning Board to transform the former Rite Aid location on Broadway into a new CTown supermarket. The current 11,421-square-foot building would need to be expanded by 6,667 square feet to accommodate the full-service grocery store. If approved, the new supermarket would be owned by Gilbarto Hernández and Diego Sánchez, who already operate CTown stores in other Hudson Valley cities.

Why it matters

The closure of Rite Aid locations across the Hudson Valley has left many vacant buildings, so the transformation of this former Rite Aid into a new full-service grocery store would help fill a need in the Kingston community. CTown is an independent supermarket chain, so this project represents an opportunity for local business owners to invest in the area.

The details

The plans submitted by architect Jay Diesing call for a 6,667-square-foot addition to the current 11,421-square-foot Rite Aid building, as well as a 236-square-foot enclosed area in front for shopping cart storage. If the project secures the necessary approvals from the City of Kingston, construction is expected to take 4-6 months to complete. The new CTown supermarket would employ approximately 25 full-time and 15 part-time workers.

  • The former Rite Aid location on Broadway in Kingston, NY closed last summer after the drugstore chain declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
  • New plans for transforming the vacant Rite Aid building into a CTown supermarket were submitted to the Kingston Planning Board in February 2026.

The players

CTown Supermarkets

A chain of independently owned and operated supermarkets with approximately 200 stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Gilbarto Hernández and Diego Sánchez

The owners who would operate the new CTown supermarket in the former Rite Aid location in Kingston, NY. They already operate CTown stores in Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Middletown, NY.

Jay Diesing

The architect who submitted the plans to transform the former Rite Aid building into a new CTown supermarket.

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What’s next

The Kingston Planning Board will need to approve the plans submitted by the project's architect before construction can begin on transforming the former Rite Aid location into a new CTown supermarket.

The takeaway

The transformation of this vacant Rite Aid building into a new full-service grocery store represents an opportunity for local business owners to invest in the Kingston community and fill a need left by the closure of major retail chains. As more Rite Aid and other big box stores have shuttered across the Hudson Valley, this project shows how independent supermarkets can step in to revitalize these empty spaces.