When the Bathena Family Moved to the country from India in 1990, Arjun’s father bought a Buy-Rite store in Toms River, NJ.Over the years, he acquired more stores (25 total) and eventually bought the franchise in 1997.Seven years later, Arjun’s brother took over as CEO, and today, the Buy-Rite franchise has grown to include 52 stores throughout the state of New Jersey.
“I consider myself very lucky to be in the position I’m in, having learned a lot from both my father and brother over the years,” says Arjun Bathena, Owner/Operator of Hamilton and Hopewell Super Buy-Rite and Vice President of Buy-Rite Corporation.“One thing they’ve taught me is to create an excellent in-store experience for our clientele.This is my main goal.”
After graduating college in 2010, Arjun took over the Hopewell location full time.He recalls, “We had success over the years and I was looking for a new challenge.”
In 2014 he started looking at neighboring areas for a second store and decided on the Hamilton location.He took over that business and property in the Summer of 2015.
Their typical customer drinks local and has a thirst for NJ options.Super Buy-Rite offers a beer selection at each location that is hand-picked and tailored to what works best to meet these demands.Untappd has become a resource to help the staff better understand customers’ top rated beer choices.
At the Hamilton location, Arjun and his team jumped at the opportunity to serve a large population in a designated craft beer town by installing 55 cooler doors.Customers love the variety they offer, both in the doors, and at the 12 tap growler stations.Hopewell has 41 cooler doors filled with beer.
The Hamilton store has adapted an east to west coast layout for domestic craft beers that includes state logos, and names above the coolers.International beers are grouped in the same fashion.
“Product placement always depends on three factors; what we as an organization believe in for that store, our distributors’ input, and lastly but most importantly, our clienteles’ opinions,” says Arjun.
The horizon is bright for Super Buy-Rite, as they are currently in the process of building their first store from the ground up, next to the Hopewell location.They have also just launched an online store.