Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Updated 12/30: The grocery now appears to be closed.
Michael Schumacher, owner of the New Yorkers Foodmarket at 107 Second Ave., has moved up his closing date.
The grocery will now close after the business day on Sunday, Dec. 31.
As we first reported on Dec. 20, ongoing financial challenges have forced Schumacher to close the store that he has been part of since 1987, when he and his brother bought what was an Associated.
Starting this morning at 11, Schumacher said that everything will be 50% off inside the grocery.
Business has dwindled recently, and new competition like the Wegmans nearby on Astor Place hasn't helped.
Schumacher also cited some ongoing health issues that have prevented him from putting in the hours necessary to make the business more profitable. He also doesn't have any money to hire staff. His cashier, Rosa, is the sole employee.
A grocery store has been in this retail space (in a building owned by NYU) since the early 1970s.
Previously on EV Grieve:
I live in Brooklyn and when I'm in the area I'd occasionally shop for a few items at this store. Wegmans prices make Whole Foods look like a discount store so I don't see why the people give up on this store for the sticker shock at Wegmans. Thanks guy for hanging as long as you could.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck Michael, we’re rooting for you!
ReplyDeleteMichael was very kind to my neighbor Walter in Walter’s last years. Walter was quite elderly (late 80s) and Michael took very good care of him, knew what he liked, and paid attention to him when he was at the store. In Walter’s last months he couldn’t go to the store any longer, so I would shop for him. Michael would always ask after him and send his greetings, and helped me get for Walter what he knew Walter would like. A gem of a man, NYC is harsh...
ReplyDeleteMichael-
ReplyDeleteYou had a good run.
The Best on your new life.
to your HEALTH🥇♥️♥️♥️
Everything that was wonderful in the
ReplyDeleteEast Village has been driven out and
replaced with greedy landlords and
developers. And all of our local politicians
are in on the take. Mayor DeBlasio was
an exception to this. He looked for the
people of lesser means. And he got quite
a bit of ridicule for doing so. Sad.
Anon 10:49am - sorry the somewhat off topic question, but your neighbor Walter - was he the Walter who lived in (or near) Village View? And grew up on E 6th Street?
ReplyDelete11:37, when you refer to "[e]verything that was wonderful in the East Village," are you including the topic here, New Yorkers Foodmarket? The store was fine, we're sad to see it go, and we wish the best for its owner. But I suspect even the New Yorkers Foodmarket manager and staff never described it as "wonderful."
ReplyDeleteIt's a neighborhood grocery store, 11:37.
A grocery store.
It was a nice place in our neighborhood. It was a grocery store that was mom and pop, not corporate chain. So yes, when I commented earlier I do include this place as a nice place. Unfortunately, their landlord is NYU, one of the biggest culprits.
DeleteNot just a grocery store. It's a grocery store run and owned by one of our neighbors who treated us kindly and with great care for many years. It was a place to come to when you wanted good food for a fair price and excellent service. You will be missed. More of the humanity gutted out of the neighborhood. Thanks, NYU.
ReplyDeleteWent there today the bill was $50 but with 1/2 price it was not really 1/2 price? came out to $34 anyway I gave the cashier a tip she has not found
ReplyDeletea new job
It's a grocery store that was often more expensive than the Whole Foods and the Wegmans for basic goods. They didn't provide the common items I recommended they stock (e.g. more caffeinated diet drinks, a return of the rotisserie chicken), and even when there was a larger staff, I more than once waited for someone to open the store after the posted start of the day. I sincerely wish Michael well, but I stopped shopping at this store long ago, even though it's by far the closest grocery to my apartment.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed shopping at the Wegmans, which I think is a great addition to the neighborhood. I agree that the neighborhood has lost some gems, but I wouldn't put this closure on that list.
Thank you Michael!!! We shopped and plan to share all we got with friends and our neighbors at Trinity Lutheran church. So many great items, I never shopped this store as it's not near our apartment, but he had excellent selections and fair prices even without the closing sale discount, considering the rent he must have paid. There was a big line when we showed up midday, and the guy in front of us managed to ring up over $500--mostly by cannibalizing the candy racks. I'm convinced he's going to open up a candy stand somewhere...
ReplyDeleteI too must have missed something when shopping here. I never experienced any of this mom and pop ‘magic’. The prices there were extremely expensive. On top of that multiple times I purchased things there and they were spoiled and moldy when I opened them. I gave up on that place and started walking the very difficult extra blocks to Whole Foods years ago. Anyone who is complaining about their prices has clearly never been in one. Whole Foods is easily cheaper than anything in the neighborhood including key food. Go and price a cart there before you start talking out of your ass.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, that is so sad that the cashier has not found a job yet. She was such a loyal good employee for so many years. I will stop by and tip her before they close.
ReplyDeleteWell, all the Negative Nellies here won't miss anything when the store closes. I relied on this store for 20+ years and will miss it and the staff, who were always friendly and helpful, especially when I couldn't reach something.
ReplyDeleteWhole Foods was nice when it was still WF. After Amazon bought it, quality went way down and it's a depressing store. Wegman's is insanely expensive and I really don't get the hype. It's also crowded, but maybe that's because it's new. Key Food is fine and that's where I now do the bulk of my shopping, but I really liked having this store so close, especially when I just needed to quickly grab one or two items. Can't quickly dash in and out in WF or Wegman's.
Thank you, Michael, for your business and your neighborliness. Best wishes to you in the next chapter of your life. You will be missed.