NEW STEW’S IN NEWINGTON

Stew Leonard’s First Location in the Hartford Area Slated to Open in Early 2007

NORWALK, Conn., February 3, 2006 – Farm fresh milk, locally-grown produce, custom-cut beef, just-caught fish, bread baked from scratch and gourmet prepared meals, combined with costumed characters and world-class customer service, are moving into the Hartford, Conn. area in the form of a new Stew Leonard's fresh foods market.

The location of the new Stew Leonard's store is the 112,800 square foot former Caldor's store, located at 3475 Berlin Turnpike, in Newington, Connecticut, approximately 10 miles outside the state's capital. The family owned food store is slated to open in early 2007, after making $15 million dollars in improvements, including:

• Building an in-store from scratch bakery and state of the art kitchens
• Installing a specialty cheese aging room and prepared foods area with indoor seating
• A café complete with coffee roasted right in front of the customer
• Ice cream parlor serving freshly made soft-serve ice cream.

"We've always wanted to open a store in the Hartford area, but were never able to find a suitable location until recently, when this property became available," said Stew Leonard, President and CEO of Stew Leonard's.

Named the “Best Supermarket in New England” by Yankee Magazine, what distinguishes Stew Leonard's is its focus on fresh food. Unlike traditional grocery stores that sell an average of 50,000 items, Stew Leonard's store carries only 2,000 items, of which 80 percent are fresh – that is brought in daily or prepared from scratch in the store. The milk arrives fresh daily straight from Stew Leonard's dairy farm in Ellington, Connecticut, so customers can buy milk that has gone from farm to shelf in as little as six hours. The store is nicknamed the “Disneyland of dairy stores” because of its country-fair atmosphere, with costumed characters and animated entertainment throughout the store that keep children entertained while parents shop. Stew Leonard's legion of loyal shoppers is largely due to the stores' passionate approach to customer service: “ Rule #1 -- The Customer is Always Right”; Rule #2 – If the Customer is Ever Wrong, Re-Read Rule #1.” This principle is so essential to the foundation of the company that it is etched in a three-ton granite rock at each store's entrance.

Since Stew Leonard founded the store in 1969, the company has remained family owned and operated, with Stew Leonard, Jr. as President and CEO, alongside his sisters Jill Leonard Tavello and Beth Leonard Hollis who help with the day-to-day operations, and brother Tom who is a partner in the business. The family's cousins, Tom and Dan Arthur, run the Yonkers and Danbury stores, respectively, with Dan Arthur taking the helm of the Newington store when it opens.

Stew Leonard's has been recognized as one of FORTUNE magazine's “100 Best Companies to Work for” for the last five consecutive years, and currently employees 2,000 team members, with 88 percent of the management team being promoted from within the company. During the renovation of the Newington site, Stew Leonard's will employ 200 people from various construction trades. Once opened, the store will employ 400 team members, with 65 percent of the positions being full-time. In addition, Stew Leonard's will become an integral part of the community, donating food and money to locally based charities and organizations, holding family fun events and providing volunteer and service opportunities for Team Members.

The Newington store will be Stew Leonard's third store in Connecticut. The other store locations are Norwalk and Danbury, Conn. and Yonkers, NY. with additional stores planned in Orange, Conn. and East Farmingdale, N.Y. Stew Leonard's will lease the Newington building from the owner, American National Insurance Company out of Galveston, Texas, who is represented by Realm Realty of Houston, Texas. Representing Stew Leonard's in the negotiation was Jeffrey L. Nable of SCA Commercial Real Estate in Westport, Connecticut.

“When I was a student at University of Connecticut I used to drive by this site on my way to the agricultural school. It is so amazing to me that 50 years later, we are opening a food store here,” said founder Stew Leonard, Sr.

Stew Leonard's began as a small dairy store founded in Norwalk, Conn. in 1969 with just seven employees. Today, Stew Leonard's is still family-owned and operated, but has grown to become a nearly $300 million dollar business with 2,000 employees. In addition to the original store in Norwalk, Conn., Stew Leonard's has stores in Danbury, Conn. and Yonkers, NY., with additional stores planned in East Farmingdale, N.Y and Orange, Connecticut. For more information, visit Stew Leonard's website at www.stewleonards.com.