It was followed two years later by another gourmet market in Glen Cove, and now a third has opened in Great Neck. Smaller in size, but equally rich in choices as the other two, the new North Shore Farms since its grand opening this past June has become an instant success and a focal point for those who are on the lookout for high-end food products at realistic prices.

“My motto is that everybody needs to have access to good, healthy products,” says Katopodis, who spent more than two decades managing Manhattan’s West Side Supermarket, before taking the bold step of transplanting and expanding the affordable gourmet theme in Long Island. “Eating well is a right, not a luxury,” he points out, while going through an all-impressive fresh salad stand.

This time Katopodis has partnered with Peter Mamais of Apple Tree on the Upper West Side, another veteran in the food business who finally decided to try the waters outside the city. “I’m sure there are differences in the way people shop here, but I believe everybody speaks the same language when it comes to quality and freshness,” Mamais said in an interview with NEO. “I’m impressed by the level of sophistication and that is exactly what I’m used to. It feels like home already.”

North Shore Farms in Great Neck is replete with gourmet products from all over the world and with fresh produce from Long Island’s vast fields. All that, with a home style cuisine that has turned the markets into an immediate attraction. For most of the patrons, North Shore Farms Markets are not just stores; they are institutions reflecting the area’s development and the new needs that go with it. Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, who was invited to cut the ribbon at the grand opening, issued a special citation recognizing Mr. Katopodis’ contribution in the area.

The cheese selection, from the beginning a North Shore Farms staple, is equally impressive here, as is the line of fresh meat and fish, vegetables, olive oil from various countries--even cold cuts are healthy, some of them 99% fat free! If you go there early in the morning, the freshly baked bread, coming daily from a traditional brick oven in Brooklyn, will immediately mesmerize you. For Greek-Americans living in the greater area, the new place renders Astoria obsolete! Most Greek and Cypriot products are here and in bigger varieties.

The new North Shore Farms Market is located at 90 Horace Harding Blvd., Great Neck, tel: (516) 482-6287. The website address is www.northshorefarms.com