Syracuse Athletics: The Supermarket

Finally, your three favorite things, Syracuse sports, Swanson's frozen dinners and Funyons, together in one place.

Tops Friendly Markets unveiled its Syracuse University-themed supermarket today, turning the former Peter's-to-P&C market into an SU shrine.

The $2.5 million upgrade to the store on Nottingham Road in DeWitt near SU's South Campus includes aisles that look like basketball courts, a Syracuse Athletics-themed 'Cuse Cafe, orange shopping carts and life-sized photos of famous SU athletes.

Tops says it's the only university-themed supermarket in the Northeast. That distinction lets me know something I've always assumed. Evert supermarket in the southeast is university-themed. And in southeastern cities where there are no supermarkets, the local shanty market is just as university-themed.

I remember when that location was a little less "classy." Back in my South Campus days, we used to go there to buy beer, meat and cheese and that's about it. One of the young check-out clerks also totally narc'd on me when I tried to use a fake ID to buy a case of Keystone Light. Carry that shame forever, guy who is probably still working checkout somewhere...

Go check out Cuse Cafe and report back with your findings. And if you see Mookie Jones there, pat him on the back for a good season. And then let him know you like your Provolone sliced nice and lean...

Update: CNY Central has a photo of the Block S in the freezer section. And a quote from Doug Marrone...

"I just watch what's been done by Tops," he says. "I'm trying to think: maybe we should bring them in here to build a football program. They have done such a great job."

Easy, Doug.