Listen to this article

The basics:

• Clifton Stop & Shop featured in Netflix‘s ‘Happy Gilmore 2’
• Store selected for layout, remodel and spacious lot
• Filming took place in November 2024
• Movie opened to a record 46.7M views in three days

A North Jersey supermarket is making its film debut in one of Netflix’s hottest releases of the summer.

After learning last year from its product placement agency, AIM, that Happy Madison Productions needed a local grocery store to shoot scenes for “Happy Gilmore 2,” Stop & Shop in Clifton was eager to partner.

The sequel to the 1996 hit starring Adam Sandler, “Happy Gilmore 2” came out July 25 on Netflix. In the three days after it hit the platform, the flick generated 46.7 million views. The figure makes it the largest opening of any Netflix movie in the U.S. — as well as the largest opening for any Sandler film, according to Variety.

Let’s get Happy

In the film, Sandler reprises his role as the quick-tempered golfer. Amid a series of personal setbacks, he takes a job at a local grocery store to make ends meet.

HAPPY GILMORE 2 IS NOW PLAYING pic.twitter.com/aqXlK2evfo

— Netflix (@netflix) July 25, 2025

When producers began location scouting last summer, the Clifton Stop & Shop was among the many golf courses, parks, eateries, schools and other places visited in New Jersey.

Ultimately, they picked the Kingsland Road store due to its layout, recent remodel, second-floor space and large parking lot, according to Stop & Shop. As part of the agreement between producers and Stop & Shop, the crew captured scenes over a one-day period in November 2024.

In the lead-up to filming, the production team made monthly visits to the supermarket to plan logistics. Then, a few days before the shoot began, Stop & Shop store and district associates helped the film crew prepare. That work included building a tank to house fake lobsters as well as ordering specific produce for background shots.

When Sandler arrived Nov. 19, Stop & Shop added extra security and cordoned off areas to allow filming both outside and inside the store. According to Stop & Shop, the store remained open, but closed its produce and seafood sections to customers.

Making an exception

John Encke, the supermarket’s manager, said he was honored his store was chosen as a filming location. Encke also added he was grateful for the extra hours his team logged to make the shoot a success.

“Our customers were also fantastic, supportive, excited and thrilled to see the filming happen in their local store. We didn’t receive a single complaint, just a lot of enthusiasm from people hoping to catch a glimpse of Adam Sandler,” he went on.

“It was a lot of work, but an unforgettable experience, and I couldn’t be prouder of how the store and team represented Stop & Shop on screen, even though I don’t think I would have hired Happy as an associate, given his poor behavior and antics,” Encke continued.

Stop & Shop District Director Bryan Cramond said, “Bringing Happy Gilmore 2 to life inside our stores took months of coordination and dedication, but it was absolutely worth it.”

“We don’t typically allow filming of any kind in our stores, especially something of this scale that required temporarily closing off sections to customers. But this was a unique opportunity, and I’m proud we made it happen,” Cramond explained. “Our associates across the entire district went above and beyond to ensure the experience was seamless for both the film crew and our customers.

“Their teamwork, professionalism, and flexibility were nothing short of outstanding. Knowing that this movie will be watched by audiences around the world, many of whom may be hearing about Stop & Shop for the very first time, makes this moment even more exciting.”

Seen on screen

Daniel Wolk, external communications manager for the Ahold Delhaize-owned grocer, said, “When we learned that Happy Gilmore would portray a Stop & Shop associate in Happy Gilmore 2, we jumped at the chance. The original film is beloved by so many, and we saw this as a unique opportunity to showcase the Stop & Shop brand in a highly anticipated sequel with a global audience.”

“Netflix and Happy Madison Productions were incredible partners, and I’m deeply grateful to both our district and store associates for all the hard work they put in leading up to and on the day of filming,” Wolk stated.

It was a lot of work, but an unforgettable experience, and I couldn’t be prouder of how the store and team represented Stop & Shop on screen, even though I don’t think I would have hired Happy as an associate, given his poor behavior and antics.
– quipped John Encke, Stop & Shop manager

Other local spots used as filming locations for “Happy Gilmore 2” include nearly a dozen golf courses and driving ranges in Bergen, Essex, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset and Warren counties. According to NJ Advance Media, numerous other businesses and institutions also saw screen time, such as:

• Walgreens in Teaneck
• Life Time Fitness in Florham Park
• Dick’s Sporting Goods in Wayne
• Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg
• Fairleigh Dickinson University in Florham Park and Teaneck
• Hackensack Performing Arts Center in Hackensack

During the three-month shoot last fall, the production spent $152 million locally, that outlet reported. It received a $62.5 million tax credit, according to NJ Advance Media.

Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions is also currently filming another Netflix movie in New Jersey. Production began earlier this month on the film. Starring his daughter, work is expected to wrap in early August.