The long-empty former Rite Aid building at 435 Liberty St. NE has a new tenant lined up: El Torito Supermarket.
Owners Lily Perez and Alfredo Mendez say they got the keys Tuesday, Dec. 30, and plan to open a full grocery store downtown with everyday essentials, a wide range of Mexican products, and a meat department that Perez calls the store’s biggest draw. Construction is expected to take six to nine months, with a target opening around September 2026 — and hopes to open sooner.
“I think it’s a great location,” Perez said in a phone interview. “There’s no grocery store around there… and we’re excited that it’s in Salem and that there’s that opportunity.”
The deal was brokered by Elizabeth Infante and Ian Levin of Nathan Levin Co. Infante said the goal was to match a long-discussed downtown need with a local operator ready to expand…