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!