King Kullen in Middle Island to close, sparking concerns over grocery access
There is no word yet on the last day for the store.
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Another Long Island supermarket is shutting its doors for good, and local residents are worried about where they’ll turn for groceries once it’s gone.
The King Kullen on Middle Country Road in Middle Island is set to close by August, News 12 has learned. The closure marks the latest in a series of supermarket shutdowns in the area, following the recent closure of a Stop & Shop in nearby Coram just six months ago.
For longtime shoppers like Gina Bilicki, the news is both frustrating and disheartening.
“That really stinks because we go here every week,” said Bilicki, who has been a loyal King Kullen customer for two decades.
Community leaders say the closure could have a ripple effect on the neighborhood. With only one full-service grocery store remaining nearby, residents could soon find themselves with limited access to fresh and affordable food.
“We’re on the brink of becoming a food desert,” said Gail Lynch-Bailey, president of the Middle Island Civic Association. “We really need to be able to access things locally. We shouldn’t have to drive ten miles or ride on a bus for 30 to 60 minutes to shop for groceries for our families.”
The Middle Island King Kullen is just the latest location to close in recent years. The supermarket chain shut down a store in Levittown in 2024, and two others in 2022.
According to Lynch-Bailey, there’s hope that another supermarket could move in once the King Kullen is gone, but no official plans have been announced.
King Kullen declined to comment on the closure and has not provided an official final operating date.
