Target Opens in Bridgehampton as Lidl Closes in Westhampton Beach: What’s Next for King Kullen?

Hello, Target. Goodbye, Lidl. As both stores make news on the same Sunday, Giunta’s takeover of King Kullen adds another twist to the Hamptons’ changing shopping landscape.

There’s a lot happening in the Hamptons this Columbus Day weekend. The Hamptons International Film Festival is in full swing, fall festivals and Oktoberfest celebrations are on the calendar, and there’s a new attraction in Bridgehampton that has nothing to do with Hollywood or pumpkins.

It’s Target.

The retail giant officially celebrates the grand opening of its new 90,000-square-foot store at Bridgehampton Commons on Sunday, Oct. 11, the very same day Lidl closes its Westhampton Beach supermarket after five years.

And there’s more supermarket drama. Giunta’s Meat Farms has completed its acquisition of King Kullen, leaving shoppers wondering what will become of one of Long Island’s most familiar grocery chains.

One store opens, another closes, and a third gets a new owner. Who knew shopping for groceries and paper towels could be this eventful?

Target Arrives — But Is Bigger Always Better?

For years, buying everything from reasonably priced household supplies and children’s clothes to electronics and school essentials often meant a trip to Riverhead for East End residents.

Now Target is bringing much of that shopping closer to home.

The store opened to the public Tuesday evening, Oct. 6, ahead of Sunday’s official grand opening celebration. It occupies the former Kmart space at Bridgehampton Commons, where the discount retailer closed in October 2024 after 25 years. That Kmart was the last full-size store of its kind in the continental United States.

Before Kmart, the building housed Caldor and Woolco. For generations of shoppers, the location offered a place to buy everyday basics without making the trek west.

That history underscores something easily overlooked in a region better known for designer boutiques and multimillion-dollar real estate: People still need affordable places to shop.

But Target’s arrival also raises questions about what happens when another national chain moves into the Hamptons.

Would residents have preferred another full-service supermarket? Will the big-box retailer draw business away from smaller local shops? And what will it mean for traffic along an already busy stretch of Montauk Highway?

The debate began long before Target opened. As Spark Hamptons previously reported, residents weighed the convenience of a major retailer against concerns about development, traffic and the increasing presence of national chains.

Still, the demand for a replacement was evident. In an informal online reader poll conducted by Greater Long Island in 2024, Target was the leading choice to replace Kmart, receiving 49% of votes, ahead of Walmart at 16% and Costco at 15%.

The appeal isn’t hard to understand. With the nearest Target in Riverhead, the prospect of buying school supplies, clothing, cleaning products, diapers and home essentials closer to home is considerable.

Inside the new Bridgehampton store, shoppers will find apparel, home furnishings, electronics, beauty products, groceries and seasonal merchandise, along with a Starbucks cafe and CVS Pharmacy. Order Pickup and Drive Up services are also available.

At approximately 90,000 square feet, it’s the first Target east of Riverhead.

Even Target Has to Follow the Hamptons Dress Code

Target may be a national retail giant, but Southampton Town wasn’t about to roll out the red carpet — or, in this case, the red bull’s-eye.

As Spark Hamptons reported in August, the Bridgehampton store has traded Target’s signature red exterior lettering and logo for white signage against a muted gray facade. Even the large cylindrical bollards typically painted Target red have gone gray.

The changes weren’t simply a nod to coastal style. Southampton Town officials requested white signage during the planning process, and the store’s exterior was adapted to comply with local design requirements.

Illuminated signs are not permitted at Bridgehampton Commons, so Target’s sign is lit from above rather than internally illuminated.

Apparently, even big-box retailers have to tone it down in the Hamptons.

Inside, however, it’s very much Target. And with daily hours from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., the store offers an unusually late shopping option on the East End.

Meanwhile, Lidl Says Goodbye to Westhampton Beach

About 20 miles west, Lidl is preparing for a very different Sunday.

The German discount grocer will close its supermarket at 70 Sunset Ave. in Westhampton Beach at the end of the business day Oct. 11, ending a five-year run at its only Hamptons location.

Lidl arrived in May 2021, replacing Best Market, which had previously taken over the former Waldbaum’s space.

But Lidl’s limited-assortment, private-label-heavy approach wasn’t necessarily a match for the local market.

Cary Staller, president and co-owner of Staller Associates, the real estate firm representing the landlord, offered an explanation for the departure.

“I think they felt the market really wasn’t right for them,” Staller told Newsday. “It was sort of this upscale vacation market and it didn’t fit in with their prototype.”

He also questioned whether the concept had connected with shoppers.

“It wasn’t really what the community wanted, I think,” Staller said.

Lidl has not provided a detailed public explanation for the closing. The company says employees will be offered positions at other Lidl stores.

The approximately 29,000-square-foot space isn’t expected to remain empty. A new full-service supermarket has been secured for the location, although its identity remains confidential.

Which brings us to another local mystery.

A Trader Joe’s Wish Turns Into Fake News

The guessing game over Lidl’s replacement has taken on a life of its own.

Trader Joe’s has been high on the wish list, so much so that a fabricated newspaper story circulated on social media, complete with a doctored photograph showing a Trader Joe’s sign on the Lidl building.

There was just one problem.

It wasn’t true.

Trader Joe’s has said it has no confirmed plans for a Westhampton Beach location.

Holiday Farms has also been mentioned as a possible replacement, although the company has neither confirmed nor denied the speculation.

For now, the identity of the incoming supermarket remains under wraps.

The village has already gained another grocery name this year. Citarella opened in Westhampton Beach in May, bringing its upscale specialty foods to the community.

But whether the new tenant will cater to everyday grocery shopping, specialty foods or some combination remains to be seen.

King Kullen Gets a New Owner — and Maybe a New Name

Meanwhile, another major change is underway in the Long Island supermarket business.

Giunta’s Meat Farms finalized its acquisition of King Kullen Grocery Co. on Oct. 2, ending nearly a century of ownership by the Cullen family.

The deal includes 24 King Kullen supermarkets and four Wild by Nature natural foods markets, bringing them under the same ownership as Giunta’s 10 existing stores.

Founded in 1930 by Michael J. Cullen, King Kullen is widely recognized as America’s first supermarket. Its name has been part of Long Island shopping life for generations.

Now that name could change.

The companies say decisions about which stores will retain the King Kullen identity and which might become Giunta’s Meat Farms will be made in the coming months.

In an online discussion of the acquisition, one commenter offered a possible solution: “Maybe they should rebrand as King Giunta’s.”

It’s not the worst idea.

The companies say no store closings or employee layoffs are expected as a result of the transaction. They are promising greater purchasing power, potentially lower prices and the continuation of the service associated with both family-owned businesses.

For customers, the more immediate questions are what will happen to their familiar stores, whether prices will improve and whether the King Kullen name will survive.

The Hamptons Shopping Shuffle

Taken together, the three developments tell a larger story about the East End.

Target is betting that Hamptons shoppers want the convenience and selection of a major national retailer. Lidl is leaving Westhampton Beach after five years. And Giunta’s is taking control of a nearly century-old supermarket institution.

For all the luxury associated with the Hamptons, everyday shopping remains a matter of convenience, price and access, particularly for the people who live here year-round.

The film festival has its stars. The fall festivals have their pumpkins. And Bridgehampton has a brand-new bull’s-eye.

With all these changes, there’s no shortage of sparks flying in the Hamptons retail scene.

Coming up: Spark Hamptons takes a closer look at the new Target and what it offers East End shoppers.

If You Go: Target Bridgehampton

Address: 2102 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton Commons, Bridgehampton

Grand opening: Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. The store is already open to the public.

Store hours: Daily, 7 a.m.-11 p.m.

Starbucks Café: Daily, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

CVS Pharmacy:

• Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 2-7 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 2-5 p.m.

Pharmacy opening status should be confirmed before visiting.

Shopping services: Order Pickup lets customers order online and collect purchases inside the store. Drive Up allows customers to order through the Target app and have purchases brought to their cars.

Same-day delivery: Currently listed as unavailable at this location.

Phone: 631-709-7053 (Target); 631-296-5006 (CVS Pharmacy).

Website: Target Bridgehampton

Angela LaGreca

Editor, Co-Founder/Publisher

Angela LaGreca, Editor-in-chief and co-Founder/Publisher of Spark Hamptons, is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, writer and comedian/host. Her TV credits include NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “The View,” and, most recently, the primetime cable news program “Cuomo” on NewsNation. On the East End, she was the Creative Director at LTV, VP Features/Events/Photo Editor at Dan’s Papers, and has performed at Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater and the WHBPAC. Her publishing career began at Modern Photography, where she was managing editor. LaGreca lives in Manhattan and East Hampton and can be reached at angelatvmedia@gmail.com and angela@sparkhamptons.com .