Nearly two years after receiving IDA approval to redevelop the long-vacant former Walmart site, Restaurant Depot officially opened its Riverhead location in early 2024 — marking a major commercial addition to Route 58 and providing a valuable resource for local food businesses.
The wholesale cash-and-carry chain, which serves independent restaurants, caterers, delis, and nonprofits, transformed 65,000 square feet of unused retail space into a modern, fully outfitted warehouse. Managed by Robert Coniglio, the Riverhead store joins more than 150 Restaurant Depot locations operating nationwide.
The project’s path began in 2022, when the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency approved a benefits package including sales tax exemptions and a 10-year property tax abatement. In exchange, the company committed to significant economic investment:
$6 million in site improvements, equipment, and build-out
28 new jobs at opening, growing to over 40 by year five
Nearly $1.85 million in PILOT payments during the abatement period
An estimated $18 million in employee earnings over ten years
The warehouse now offers restaurant owners and local businesses direct access to wholesale pricing without membership fees — a meaningful advantage for East End operators who previously traveled to Bohemia for similar resources.
During the January 2024 grand opening, Restaurant Depot leaders emphasized the store’s role in supporting the region’s growing food service industry, highlighting its quality control, hands-on shopping model, and cost savings compared to traditional delivery wholesalers. The opening also breathed new life into one of Route 58’s oldest shopping centers, originally developed in the 1960s and empty since Walmart’s relocation a decade ago.
With its state-of-the-art facility and convenient location, Restaurant Depot’s Riverhead warehouse now serves as an essential hub for the East End’s independent food businesses — strengthening the local economy and completing a long-awaited redevelopment of a prominent commercial site.
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