Stew Leonard Jr., 71, is making plans to step down as president and CEO of the Stew Leonard’s chain of family-owned grocery stores, passing the torch to a third-generation family member.
Under his leadership, the company has seen annual revenue grow from $116 million in 1991 to over $500 million last year. The next CEO will be chosen from five family members based on capability, not just family ties, Leonard Jr. told Hartford Business Journal.
The farm-themed grocery chain offers a selection of curated products, custom-cut meats, fresh-baked goods, and prepared meals. Focusing heavily on fresh, in-store-made items and store brands, it also features entertainment popping up across the aisles, including animatronic animals and costumed characters.
Stew Leonard’s launched and is headquartered in Connecticut, and has expanded to New York and New Jersey, with stores in Clifton and Paramus. The Clifton location is also home to the second Stewie The Duck Swim School. The swim school is a project of the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, established by Kim and Stew Leonard in memory of their 21-month-old son, who tragically drowned in 1989. The first swim school opened in Norwalk, Connecticut, where Stew Leonard’s flagship store is located.
Successors to lead the grocery chain include the following relations to Stew Leonard Jr.:
- Chase Leonard, his daughter and the company’s senior photo and video producer.
- Blake Leonard, his daughter and president of Stew Leonard’s Wine & Spirits.
- Brittany Tavello, his niece and manager of StewsGifts.com.
- Jake Tavello, his nephew and the company’s chief operating officer.
- Andrew Hollis, his nephew and a store director.
About Stew Leonard’s
Opened in 1969 with seven employees in Norwalk, Connecticut, the chain includes six stores in Connecticut and New York. The seventh location opened in Paramus, New Jersey, in 2019 and the eighth on May 17, 2024, in Clifton, New Jersey.
Dedicated to hand-picking its inventory, each Stew Leonard’s store carries only 2,200 items; traditional grocery stores sell an average of 30,000 items.