Two commercial properties in Rockville Centre were recently sold in separate transactions brokered by North Village Realty, reflecting ongoing turnover in the village’s retail real estate market.
In early December, the former Schaefer’s ACE Hardware property at 313–323 Sunrise Highway sold for $3.125 million, according to the brokerage. The property, which had been owned by the same family since 1925, is located along Sunrise Highway, one of Rockville Centre’s primary commercial corridors.
Schaefer’s ACE Hardware closed its Rockville Centre location at the end of October after nearly 20 years in operation. The store, which opened in 2006, sold home improvement products including tools, paint, and supplies and was part of a family-owned franchise operated by Mike Pecoraro and Cristy Schaefer. At the time of the sale, approximately 90 percent of the building’s space was vacant.
While the ACE Hardware store has closed, Fitness Showroom, the property’s remaining tenant, will continue operating at the site. Other ACE Hardware locations owned by the family across Long Island, including stores in Baldwin, Island Park, Bellmore, and Massapequa, remain open.
The buyer of the Sunrise Highway property was Dime Holdings, a private investment group based in the Five Towns area of Long Island. The new owner plans to renovate the building, including updates to the façade, improvements to the retail units, and general upgrades to the property. The renovations are intended to prepare the space for future tenants.
The transaction was handled by Tom Bigansky and Alex Sobel, who represented the seller.
“This transaction underscores the continued strength of Nassau County’s retail market and the demand for well-located assets with real redevelopment potential,” Bigansky said in a statement. “After nearly 100 years under the same family’s ownership, we’re proud to be the brokers who facilitated this transition and helped bring new investment to such a visible Rockville Centre property.”
In a separate deal on Dec. 20, the retail property at 21–23 South Park Avenue sold for $1.675 million, or approximately $634 per square foot. The 2,640-square-foot standalone building is fully leased to The Ivy Kitchen & Bar, which operates the location under a triple-net lease.
The Ivy Kitchen & Bar has two locations, including its Rockville Centre restaurant and a second location in Huntington. Prior to the restaurant’s tenancy, the Park Avenue property housed several well-known local businesses over the years, including Champs Sports Bar and The Beach House. More recently, the space was occupied by the pop-up Memory Motel bar in 2024 and Cache.
The Park Avenue property had been owned by the seller for approximately 20 years and was purchased by Eager Realty LLC, a local family-office investment group. The transaction was completed before the property was publicly marketed.
“This transaction was completed off-market by directly connecting a long-term owner with a local buyer focused on stable retail investments prior to publicly marketing,” Bigansky said. “Park Avenue continues to stand out as one of Rockville Centre’s most sought-after blocks.”
