Stew Leonard’s CEO to keynote Melville chamber expo

The Melville Chamber of Commerce will hold its Business Expo 2016 on Tuesday with keynote speaker Stew Leonard Jr., president and chief executive of the Stew Leonard’s supermarket chain.

The business-to-business networking expo will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hilton Long Island Huntington, 598 Broad Hollow Rd. in Melville. Leonard’s speech is scheduled for 11 a.m.

He will discuss his family-owned and -operated company’s approach to customer service, Stew Leonard’s spokeswoman Meghan Bell said Friday.

Stew Leonard’s opened its first Long Island location in January at Kimco Realty Corp.’s Airport Plaza shopping center in Farmingdale. A second location in the East Meadow Mall near Front Street and Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow is expected to open in mid-2017.

The chain, nicknamed the “Disneyland of Dairy Stores,” is known for its country-fair atmosphere, with costumed characters and animated entertainment such as animatronic cows and vegetables, designed to keep children entertained while parents shop.

The expo will feature exhibitor space as well as a “restaurant row” where attendees can taste foods from area restaurants.

Pre-register at melvillechamber.org and bring your printed e-ticket for free admission, or pay $10 at the door. For more information, call 631-777-6260.