Opening day scenes at Metro Acres Market on 1st Avenue and 5th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Scenes from Saturday's opening day at Metro Acres Market, the new grocery on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Fifth Street in the former Rite Aid space. 

The ribbon-cutting featured co-owners Ennis and Rowhie Said’s mother, who had the honor—and looked very proud doing so.

Outside, there was a small block-party vibe with a DJ, face painting and balloon animals for kids, plus free hot dogs and raffles for TVs, air fryers, microwaves and other prizes. The event drew a sizable crowd.

Management met many neighbors, including officers from the 9th Precinct up the block on Fifth Street, who asked organizers to shut down the outdoor music and sidewalk festivities, and the celebration moved indoors. 

Inside, there were free samples of cheeses, meats, coffee and hot sauces ... and plenty of shopping...

The market also features a salad bar and a solid prepared-foods section.

In case you were making a suds run, no beer just yet...

Early price check: Some items seemed better deals than others, though several sale items were priced quite competitively. 

In talking with the owners over the past few weeks on our Metro Acres updates, they want to be good neighborhoods, and so far, they've delivered on that.

All told, a solid addition to the neighborhood. 

Daily hours: 7 a.m. to midnight. Find the store website here. 

Sunday's parting text message

H/T Melissa on Third...

Grand opening TODAY for Metro Acres Market on 1st Avenue and 5th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Metro Acres Market is hosting a grand-opening party today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the SW corner of First Avenue at Fifth Street. (You may have noticed the flags.) 

There will be giveaways too, like flat-screen TVs, microwaves and air fryers, per ownership ... whom we caught up with the other day...

According to management, the new grocery will feature a deli counter, salad bar and a chef-driven hot buffet with a rotating selection of prepared foods. The store will also include a "Fresh to Go" section with handmade and grab-and-go items, as well as a full-service meat department.

 

Metro Acres says the prepared foods and other offerings will be made fresh daily on the premises. 

Here's a look inside, as of yesterday afternoon... (with a promising vegetarian section)...

The Rite Aid at this corner closed last August.

Here's when the East Village's newest grocery store opens

Opening day signs are up at the incoming Metro Acres Market on First Avenue and First Street. 

The soft opening takes place on March 13, with the official debut is March 14. (Updated: There is no soft opening now on March 13.)

Day 1 activities include samples, giveaways, and entertainment for kids. 

According to the Metro Acres Instagram account, the store will feature a "state-of-the-art" deli counter, a salad bar, and a "chef-driven" hot buffet with what they describe as unique, high-quality ingredients. A "Fresh to Go" section will offer handmade and gourmet grab-and-go options, all prepared daily on-site. 

The space is also expected to include a full-service meat department and additional grocery offerings.

Also, the heavily tagged outdoor scene that arrived in 2013 on the building's exterior was painted over...

The East Village Rite Aid closed here last August. The 63-year-old pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy twice in two years before shutting down entirely. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Metro Acres Market confirmed for former East Village Rite Aid

New signs up as Metro Acres Market nears opening on 1st Avenue and 5th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Metro Acres Market is nearing opening at the southwest corner of Fifth Street and First Avenue, taking over the former Rite Aid space. 

Owner Ennis Said — pictured below (left) with the store's contractor — is targeting an opening in early March, though he says it could even happen by the end of February if everything stays on schedule.

Friday marked a visible step forward: the old Rite Aid signage came down, and new Metro Acres Market signs arrived. Said noted that awnings are next.

During a walkthrough of the space, Said pointed out plans for a deli counter, a possible salad bar area, and sections dedicated to prepared foods. There's also a kitchen in the basement, and the market will include a full-service meat department.

More soon as the opening date comes into focus. 

And in case you were wondering: the Rite Aid letters aren't headed to a pharmacy hall of fame or a signage museum. Workers were preparing to toss them in the trash.

The East Village Rite Aid closed last August. The 63-year-old pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy twice in two years before shutting down entirely. 

 

Background.

Saturday's opening shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A changing-of-the-signs moment yesterday at the southwest corner of Fifth Street and First Avenue, as Metro Acres Market replaced the old Rite Aid lettering. 

We'll have more about the new signage (and the old signage!) and the incoming grocery on Monday.

Thank you to all the EVG readers who shared photos from yesterday!

Progress report: Metro Acres Market build-out continues (and a signage fake-out)

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

An EVG reader shared the above photo from Friday, when Metro Acres Market signage arrived at the southwest corner of Fifth Street and First Avenue. The EVG newsroom emptied in anticipation of it going up to replace the Rite Aid sign. 

No sign of the signage over the weekend, however ...

So we checked in for an update with Ennis Said, who owns this location with his siblings. He said the sign had been scheduled to go up last week, but the installation conflicted with work on the outdoor stalls. 

And as for those — amid speculation about recycling or cart storage — Said confirmed they'll be used to display and sell produce outside. 

Meanwhile, here's a look around inside to see how the grocery is progressing ...

No word on an opening date.

While it is not related to the other Metro Acres Markets, residents may be familiar with the brand. One opened several years back on Clinton Street in Seward Park. 

The East Village Rite Aid closed last August. The 63-year-old pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy twice in two years before shutting down entirely. 

The EV lease for the 8,500-square-foot space was auctioned off last summer. The auction was just for the lease, not the single-level building. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Metro Acres Market confirmed for former East Village Rite Aid

Metro Acres Market confirmed for former East Village Rite Aid

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The grocery conversion of the former Rite Aid on the SW corner of First Avenue and Fifth Street continues. 

And now we can reveal the brand: Metro Acres Market. 

Ennis Said, an owner, confirmed the name and said they are aiming for a mid-February opening.

While it is not related to the other Metro Acres Markets, residents may be familiar with the brand. One opened several years back at 175 Clinton St. between East Broadway and Grand Street in Seward Park. 

A Metro Acres Market also opened in the Bronx (in a space that housed a Rite Aid and later a Walgreens) in July. A review of that location in The Market Report referred to it as "a pleasant, attractive store." 

This outpost has a deli with grab-and-go items. The Bronx market doesn't have a bakery, though it carries items from local bakeries like Terranova and Zaro's. No word yet about a bakery in the EV store. 

Said, who also owns Food Universe stores in Brooklyn with his siblings, said he is partnering with his brothers here — "just a few young guys eager to grow and get involved with the community." 

The East Village Rite Aid closed on Aug. 24 after five weeks of going-out-of-business sales. The 63-year-old pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy twice in two years before shutting down entirely last month. 

The EV lease for the 8,500-square-foot space was auctioned off this past summer. (The auction was just for the lease, set to expire in January 2032, not the building.)

H/T  to EVG reader Jake Bialer!