St. Bernard Parish, LA. (November 10, 2017) – Canseco’s Market is opening its newest location on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at 6735 St. Claude Avenue in Arabi. The 11,600-square-foot store will be the company’s fourth location throughout Greater New Orleans.
Owner and operator, Sinesio Canseco, prides himself on the humble beginnings of a company that he says was built from the ground up. “I started working at Winn-Dixie when I was sixteen years old,” explained Sinesio. “I worked my way up to store manager and worked in that role for over a decade before opening my first store on Metairie Road.” The Canseco’s chain employs over 150 individuals, including 40 at the new location.
Sinesio decision to open the Arabi store was a personal one. “It has always been my dream to open a grocery store where I live. I’ve been asked by friends and family for years to bring a Canseco’s location to Arabi. Not only will this location serve to meet the needs of the community, but I believe it will be our flagship location.”
The Canseco’s Market in Arabi will be open Monday through Saturday from 7 am to 9 pm and Sundays from 8 am to 9 pm. The full-service grocery store is known for its extensive deli selections, grab and go meals, and specialty Cuban sandwiches and meat pies.
The new location is located in the heart of the Old Arabi Cultural Arts District, an area that has seen exponential growth within the last several years. The location is the anchor of “The Front,” a mixed-use redevelopment and shopping center on the St. Claude corridor.
Canseco's debut will come nearly four months after the completion of the first phase of a $2.75 million Old Arabi Revitalization Plan and streetscaping project funded by a Community Development Block Grant. Jason Stopa, Director of the St. Bernard Parish Office of Community Development believes the opening of the neighborhood grocery store is proof of the effectiveness of the targeted public funds aimed at supporting private investment. Stopa explained, “The Old Arabi Revitalization Plan provides a community-led vision that promotes main street design standards and local businesses. The St. Claude Streetscape project, along with arts-based business investment, has demonstrated a commitment to implementing the plan and has spurred local business development.”
Canseco's Market will serve a wide array of customers from neighborhoods with historic disparities in healthy food access. “Prior to Canseco's Markets, Arabi was considered a "food desert" with limited fresh food options,” Stopa stated. “Canseco's Markets offers a full-service grocery store including a large selection of fresh fruits and vegetables.”
The opening of a neighborhood grocery store is not only a win for residents but also a significant gain for the local economy according to St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation Executive Director, Andrew Jacques. “The addition of the Canseco’s Market will improve the quality of life for St. Bernard Parish residents and spur new development in the Old Arabi Cultural Arts District. The attraction of a quality grocery like Canseco’s is an indicator of the new energy, residents, and spending power moving into St. Bernard Parish.”
