Our History

Thruway Shopping Center can trace its roots back to 1924 when Meyer and Lillian Jacobowitz founded the Ellenville Fruit Exchange in Ellenville, NY. Looking to expand, Meyer moved the business to Main Street in Walden, NY in 1939 and renamed it the National Self Service Grocery. The National was one of the first true “self service” groceries in the area and Meyer and Lillian quickly built up their business serving the Walden community. In 1946, Meyer and Lillian’s daughter and son-in-law Joyce and Arthur Concors joined the business on Main Street. Then came an opportunity to truly expand the family business.

Early in Walden’s history, the town was known as the “pocket knife capital of the world” as it was home to three prominent knife factories. The building that is now the main Thruway Shopping Center once housed the Walden Knife Company. After the closing of the factory, Arthur saw great potential in the sprawling complex. In 1954, the family moved their grocery business into the building and renamed it the Thruway Food Market and Shopping Center after the newly opened New York State Thruway.

The store has grown from 60,000 sq feet in 1954 to 186,000 square feet today, including the 25,000 square feet two-floor Thruway Sporting Goods building which opened in 1985. Now under the supervision of Joyce and Arthur’s two sons, Les and Bruce Concors, the Thruway continues to be a successful “mom and pop” one of a kind shopping experience. The tradition is now continuing into its 4th generation.