Thursday, October 1, 2026
When customers walk into GoStockUp in Oceanside, they are greeted with shelves stocked with specialty foods, international products and everyday essentials — all at affordable prices.
The new grocery store on Lawson Blvd., located next to the company’s warehouse, recently opened its doors to bring a wider selection of Eastern European and international foods to the community.
“We came up with the idea because Oceanside did not really have a store offering those types of products,” said Levon Ter, operations manager of GoStockUp. “There was only one Russian store over there, and then it closed down, and there were no actual Eastern European Russian products around here. But we do have kind of a population of that native group, so we opened up a store thinking to help the community and also expand our business.”
GoStockUp grew out of a wholesale distribution business that supplied European grocery products to stores throughout New York and other states. The distribution operation eventually moved to Oceanside, and the idea for a storefront developed after space became available next to the warehouse.
The company began as an online store in 2023 before expanding into a brick-and-mortar location.
“It was about two years from the idea to opening,” Ter said. “Then it was a couple years of execution and operation.”
Opening the store came with challenges, including building inventory, installing refrigeration and transforming the space into a full-service grocery store.
“When we were only an online store, inventory was not much of an issue,” Ter said. “When we opened the store, bringing all the produce, building the fridges inside, renovating this place and trying to manage it was the biggest challenge.”
Today, customers can find a mix of specialty items and familiar staples, including products that are difficult to find at traditional supermarkets.
“Convenience, low prices, exclusive products that you cannot find in most stores,” Ter said of what customers can expect. “High-end products and cheap prices.”
The response from the community has been positive, Ter said, with customers from a variety of backgrounds stopping in to explore the selection.
“People love the prices, and they love the convenience,” Ter said. “A lot of people come in who are not from that ethnic group and ask questions. We gladly answer every single question. They leave happy and say they’re going to come back.”
The company’s owner, Ilya Zayrov, said GoStockUp was created from a passion for gourmet foods and a goal of making unique products more accessible. The store aims to offer customers a place to discover foods from around the world while providing a convenient shopping experience.
Looking ahead, Ter said success for GoStockUp means continuing to build relationships with customers and expanding the company’s reach.
“Happy customers, that’s number one for sure,” he said. “Because if our customers are happy, we have nothing to worry about.”
The company is also working to improve its logistics and open more stores in the future.
“We are looking to open new locations and open more doors,” Ter said. “Definitely keep an eye out for us.”
