Brookfield Supermarket Celebrates Sparkle Name

BROOKFIELD, Ohio — New ceiling panels, fresh paint, colorful décor and more accurate aisle signage are some of the many renovations made during the $350, 000 conversion process which changed the grocery store on Warren-Sharon Road from a Giant Eagle franchisee to a Sparkle Market.

The supermarket has operate under the Sparkle name since May 28, but store owner Tony Modarelli along with his wife, Theresa, cut the ceremonial ribbon inside the main concourse on Thursday morning to officially introduce the new store to the township.

“We felt the demographics of Brookfield needed a Sparkle Market.” Modarelli said. “Sparkles have been in the area since 1955 and it had a good following in Hubbard, and we thought it was time to bring a Sparkle back to the area.”

There are not many areas of the 38, 000-square-foot structure that have not been updated, Modarelli plans to continue the renovations on the exterior of the building including repairing damage done to the sidewalk as well as repaving the parking lot.

Jim Slabe, one of the store managers who helped in the transition to Sparkle, said everything is running smoothly now. The toughest part about the change is learning where all the products are located in the store but the renovation is worth it, he said.

The supermarket services an average of 3,000 customers daily and it feels great to be able to offer them better food at a much better price, he said.

“We have a lot more to offer, the meat department has lot of different USDA choice meats at a cheaper price, and we put in new refrigerated cases in the produce department that people have been raving about,” he added.

One of those customers is Elaine Palett of Vienna, a customer of the Brookfield supermarket for 35 years. She is very pleased with the new layout and says everything is very easy to find without having to walk down every aisle.

“It’s not really huge, its big enough but not so big that I get tired walking around.” Palett said. “I’m finding everything just fine. I’m very glad they’re here.”

Although the store has a new name, the Giant Eagle pharmacy will remain.

“The pharmacy is good for the community and we hope the community still supports the pharmacy.” Modarelli said. “The pharmacy has been a part of the community for 10 years and we want to keep it going.”

Making customers happy is one of the main reasons Modarelli got into the supermarket business 24 years ago when he opened Food Depot in Warren in 1991, he said. Two years after it opened, Food Depot changed to a Sparkle Market.

“I just loved it” Modarelli said.

Modarelli has expanded his ownership over five grocery stores including the Sparkle Market on South Avenue in Boardman and the Reynolds store in Transfer, Pa.

“I have worked in the grocery business since I was 16.” Modarelli explaned. ” I worked in packaging and also was a bottle boy for Fisher-Fazio’s”

Modarelli worked his way through management until he decided to go off on his own.

After the 18-month process of converting from Giant Eagle to Sparkle Market, Modarelli doesn’t have any plans to acquire any more stores.

“If I did I think my wife would leave me.” Modarelli said. “But you never know. Just come check us out, you’ll be very pleased.”

Pictured: Participating in Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony were Trumbull County Commissioner Dan Polivka, Dave Williamson of Seaway Foods, Theresa Modarelli, Trumbull County Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa, Trumbull County Commissioner Frank Fuda and Tony Modarelli.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.