According to the Post, Whole Foods signed a lease for a new store at the former Associated Supermarket space on 14th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.
The tabloid did not know what type of market this might be for the 20,000-square-foot space, where renovations have been taking place in recent months. There's the usual Whole Foods as seen west on 14th Street, or one of its smaller-format Whole Foods Market Daily Shops set to arrive in NYC later this year.
As you may recall, in February 2021, Stuy Town management informed residents that Chef's Local Harvest, a 10,000-square-foot grocery store, would open in this space ... from the father-son duo Paul and Aaron Fernandez, who helped create the Union Market chainlet (as seen on Avenue A and Houston) and Ideal Marketplace in Chelsea.
Associated closed in December 2019. Joseph Falzon, the store's owner, previously told Crain's that a confluence of factors had cut business nearly in half. For starters, construction on 14th Street for the L train obscured the supermarket with a 12-foot fence for nearly two years.
This block of 14th Street is a chain-friendly corridor (despite the ongoing quality-of-life issues) with a Wingstop, European Wax Center. Domino's, Trader Joe's, Popeyes and Target.
Previously on EV Grieve:
23 comments:
With their prices they can't beat TJ at this location
I feel exactly opposite: Once Whole Foods moves in across 14th Street, I'll have little need for Trader Joe's. WF is closer to a traditional grocery store than TJ's, and it's reasonably priced if you avoid specialty items and have Amazon Prime. There are so many things one can't get at TJ's. Not that I think it's a bad place or anything, but people who cook and bake need more.
I'm so sick of Key Foods Prices and lack of quality/supplies. It now makes more sense to get Whole Foods Delivery or take the bus over to 14th Street. Bring on the competition and I'll bring the bags
Agreed! Key Foods prices are astronomical!
I'm a big trader joes fan and will continue going but I agree with 7:56. They lack some traditional stuff and I also find the produce at TJs isnt great. It seems to spoil much faster than a WF. Glad something is finally coming to that space!
We shop at both- you have to know how to shop. I’m a cook n a baker.we are happy to have both in our Great neighborhood.♥️🥢🫖🥭🌶️🍅🫒🥮
?? Key Foods is cheaper than Westside or Wegman’s (if you don’t like their Wegman’s brand of foods). Let’s face it, all supermarkets are overpriced these days…
This is great news. Whole Foods is no longer Whole Paycheque. They have a lot of very reasonably priced products (e.g., the 365 line) and regular sales, and being an Amazon Prime makes shopping there even more appealing. Having it and TJ's and Target across the street is so convenient for the area.
Yeah, you need to supplement TJ's with another market for better-quality produce. Save on the frozen Indian foods, spend more on the plums.
Seems great, that location is not at all the size needed for a regular whole foods though without a lot of work. Maybe we get the smaller version
Correction...Other Whole Foods is on East 14th, between Broadway & University
TJ's is great for some things, Whole Foods is great for other things. I'm happy to hear this is opening, and very thankful the EV is the opposite of a food desert. Our grocery store cup runneth over.
I agree. I worked above a whole foods in the mid 00s in Boston just as they were upping the store brand 365 line (probably in response to TJs growth) and the old "whole paycheck" thing was fading even though, though people won'trt it go.
Yes if you buy artisanal cheese from cows massaged my nuns and only milked at midnight, you will spend a lot but the 365 brand but name brand sales do make is an affordable option and more product line than does TJs. Having them close together plus the target will be a fantastic efficient shopping triangle
I stopped shopping at Whole Foods when Amazon/Jeff Bezos bought it. So I won’t shop here.
I wonder if it’s going to be their smaller “daily shop” style of store? I regularly shop TJ and there is a lot to like about them! But their urban store selection is quite limited in some categories (why are they always out of dishwasher soap—if they only have one choice, yes that’s a problem) and they seem to think everyone just wants different seasonings on the same product. No I don’t want crackers with even more seeds and spices on them. I want triscuit style, cracked wheat style and wheat thins. When I schlep to whole foods bowery the huge store is a delight and I feel like a weirdo because I double up on classic pretzels (not thins or honey sticks or tiny ones), along with plenty of cereals and crackers(!) and nowadays harder to find things like good soy sauce (not low sodium) and poultry/meats that I freeze. I doubt that’s going into 14st but one can wish.
Still will be a devotee of TJ even with my complaints…Love the frozen selection (try the pad see ew and pork gyoza) and less $ organic milk.
Maybe this has something to do with TJ’s “closing until further notice” …🤔
Agree with the commenters about TJ lacking ingredients for people who like to cook and bake. I've noticed that C Town at 12th and C has upped it's game lately and seems better stocked and organized. I've found things there that weren't in WF (or TJ for sure). I'm still getting fresh stuff at the farmer's market or WF/Wegman's but otherwise C Town is more of a resource than I'd given them credit for in the past.
This new addition is better than having an empty space. It is also good news for residents of Stuytown who either live above it or near it.
The store closed early yesterday because a sink in the demo area started pumping backwards and made a mess in the bread area. The situation was made worse because they recently moved the bread shelving in front of the door to the demo area, locked the shelving to the wall, and they couldn't find the key. They sent everyone home and cleaned it up, but not with a professional cleaning crew.
The Health Department made a surprise visit this morning right after (and not related to) a customer had explosive diarrhea in front of the cheese section near the public bathrooms.
BTW this article is 4 years old:
365 organic from China?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=zaE9CSh1JRw
As I recall, Associated was a pretty cramped little store. This would have to be some form of smaller format Whole Foods.
Shopping at Trader Joe's reminds me of my grandparents home post WW2. Lots of "new" cuisine from India, Southeast Asia, and bastardized frozen dishes with semi-racist packing like 'Trader Joe's San tofu' and 'Trader Jose's' beer', and 'Trader Giotto's gnocchi.'
Cringe.
This is mostly good. WF is not as expensive as it's reputation (their house branded things are really reasonable), and they do carry some things that I can't find elsewhere in the area. OTOH, I hate giving any money to Jeff Bezos so shop there as little as possible. TJ's is also great for other things, but not for everything (fresh veg generally sux, and not much in the way of household supplies). They complement each other. On the downside (and it's a big minus in my book) both are rabidly anti-union. I think that this will be what they're calling Whole Foods Daily Market, a small-concept store - they've recently announced 2 locations in Manhattan (Hell's Kitchen and UES). I don't think much else will fit in that space, certainly not a full-size WF.
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