Early thoughts on Union Market

Union Market finally opened Wednesday on Avenue A and East Houston... a few readers stopped by to see what was what. Some passages from the EVG comments:

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Anonymous said...
Prices are competitive with Whole Foods on premium items. Meat and Seafood, produce looked great. Staples and generics will still be bought at Key and the Associated. Nice addition to the hood, in my opinion.

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Anonymous said...
I went there last night. It's a little confusing to navigate -- one guy was wandering around trying to find the checkout counters. The people who worked there were very friendly. Overall good selection, and a nice addition to the neighborhood.

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RyanAvenueA said...
We went in last night to check it out and I have to say I loved it. Despite being a year behind schedule, the meat counter alone is worth it. Plus a great selection of pre-made food if you want to throw together a quick dinner. Definitely on the higher end with the prices, so I agree the staples can be bought elsewhere, but it's closer than Whole Foods.

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Anonymous said...
"one guy was wandering around..." that's because zombies are and will be patronizing this.

For those looking for good meat, I say bring back mom and pop butcher shops. Personalize attention, my former butcher had a MFA in writing, and a poet. Not only he was knowledgeable about the cuts of meat, he often would recite a poem, in correlation to the type of cut that was purchased. Character.Soul.Personality. Try having that from this generic suburbanize, mallify, Duane Readeesque market. Catalog that for your thoughts.

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OK. Anyone else?

[Updated] Rebreaking! Union Market opens this morning at 10:30 today at noon

On East Houston and Avenue A... Photo and info via EVG regular samo...

Been a long time coming. The signs went up for the space on Feb. 4, 2011, as we first reported.

Previously.

UPDATED. Hold on! Via @IansTweets ... it's now a noon opening!

Union Market update: 'Inching ahead, day by day'

A few readers have noted that workers have been stocking the shelves at the incoming Union Market on Avenue A and East Houston with some non-perishable items... Originally, we heard that the opening date was ... today.

However, in a few sort of recent tweets about an opening date in the East Village, Union Market's tweeters wrote: "Looks like 3 - 4 weeks! Inching ahead, day by day." ... (which is not part of a lyric from "Godspell.")

Union Market signage up; Oct. 22 opening date set

The Union Market Watch continues on Avenue A and East Houston... The sign arrived on Friday...

A tipster now hears that the opening date is Oct. 22.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Mid-summer now at the earliest for Union Market on Avenue A and Houston

Blockbusters: Union Market coming to 240 East Houston; Discovery Wines looking for new home

Breaking: Workers unloading markety-looking things at incoming Union Market

We had an update yesterday on the incoming Union Market at Avenue A and East Houston... now with a late summer opening date...

And today, as this photo via EVG reader Marian shows, workers are bringing in refrigerated cases for the new store... Can the beef-aging facility be far behind?

Previously.

Late summer opening date now for Union Market

We continue to watch the northeast corner of Avenue A and East Houston... where workers have been renovating/rehabbing the space for a new Union Market. Various construction issues have delayed the opening, once set for last fall.

Here's the latest, via an email sent to residents of 240 E. Houston:

The contractors for Union Market have nearly completed their foundation work and are moving quickly forward to build out their interior space. The store's exterior work is scheduled to commence in the next week and the UM owners will be installing new brick, full-height glass panels, and a clean, continuous signature awning that should give our Building a much improved look!

In addition, unlike the previous Commercial tenants, the UM contractors will be weatherproofing all seams, to minimize the street-level erosion that occurred in the past. This Board is partnering with UM to make certain the 240 east Houston entrance to our residences is clearly delineated.

The current goal is for a Grand Opening in late August or early September.

We understand the East Village storefront will look similar to the Seventh Avenue location in Park Slope...

[Via the Union Market website]

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Mid-summer now at the earliest for Union Market on Avenue A and Houston

Mid-summer now at the earliest for Union Market on Avenue A and Houston

There are signs of progress on Avenue A at Houston, where, in recent weeks, the construction netting and sidewalk sheds have come down ... In any event, it has been slow going. On Feb. 4, 2011, we first reported that the Brooklyn-based Union Market was opening an outpost here... The official news release and signage pointed to a fall 2011 opening...

Some readers have been asking for an update. Per a Union Market tweet last Friday:

Construction issues have held us up for months. Mid-summer looks like the earliest now. Details soon on our website

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Union Market progress report

[This past weekend]

On Feb. 4, 2011, we first reported that the Brooklyn-based Union Market was opening an outpost on Avenue A and Houston... The official news release and signage pointed to a fall 2011 opening...

[Feb. 5, 2011]

Several nearby residents said that they haven't seen much construction action at the space in recent months... Here's how it looked inside last month...

We didn't hear back from anyone at Union Market about a possible opening date ... However, we did spot this tweet from Feb. 16:

@unionmarket
@yusophie Looks like a mid-April opening now. Construction challenges still taking time their time to resolve. We can't wait!

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Discovery Wines moving to Avenue B

Discovery Wines is one of the businesses that will be displaced with the arrival of Union Market this fall on Houston and Avenue A. Discovery's lease is up on May 31.

However, we've learned that the store won't be going too far. Tim at Discovery Wines confirmed that they signed a lease for 16 Avenue B at the corner of Second Street.



"We're leaving 10 Avenue A at the end of May and, if all goes as planned, then we'll hit the ground running in June at the 16 Avenue B space," Tim said via email.

And perhaps some neighbors will be relieved to hear this news. Previously, two different restaurant-club hybrids had tried to open another bar at 14-16 Avenue B. (As you may recall, one venture called for a 3,000 square foot Italian restaurant, catering company and lounge "with an occasional D.J.")

The space at 14 Avenue B apparently remains on the market. Nail salon perhaps?

More on 14-16 Avenue B here.

More on Union Market here.

Last day for Houston Deli & Grocery

As I first reported last month, Brooklyn's Union Market will open a fancy new shop on Avenue A and Houston that will include a beef-aging facility and personal shopping services...

Meanwhile, the current tenant at 240 E. Houston St., Houston Deli & Grocery, closes today...

I stopped by during the weekend. I asked about the closing date. The owner, shaking his head and fighting back tears, said several times, "They wouldn't offer us a lease..."

Not much left...

Report: The East Village Union Market will be huge, have a beef-aging facility

As I first reported on Feb. 4, Union Market is taking over the northeast corner of Avenue A and Houston ... Yesterday, Racked reported the following:

We hear that the Houston location will be Union Market's largest endeavor, taking up 6,000 square feet of space and, similar to the Court Street outpost, offering an eco-friendly build, a beef aging facility and personal shopping services.

Previously.

Union Market makes their East Village move official with an Official News Release!

Thanks to a blogging friend for the following release...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Union Market to Open First Manhattan Location at 240 East Houston Street

BROOKLYN, Feb 10th, 2011 –-Brooklyn’s Union Market is set to open a new store location at 240 East Houston Street at Avenue A, bringing their experience-centered brand of grocery stores to it’s new Manhattan customers. The location is at the intersection of the East Village, and the Lower East Side.

Opening next fall, the store will bring Union Market’s unique approach and first-rate selection of goods to the borough of Manhattan for the first time since the store was founded in 2004. With its personal, convenient, and locally focused shopping experience, Union Market at Houston Street will offer all the high quality service and products that Manhattanites expect, with the personal touch of a neighborhood grocery store.

The new store at Houston Street will build upon sustainable business practices established at the LEED registered Court Street store. Union Market stocks organic, local and all-natural products, and will continue the stores’ established reputation as a customer first grocery store that offers superior goods at competitive prices.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

By now you probably know that the Brooklyn-based Union Market is taking over three storefronts on Avenue A and Houston... (Reported here first Friday.)

During the weekend, some various readers chimed in on Union Market coming here... Among the comments:

Anonymous said...
the one in park slope is nice, albeit a little expensive. lots of hale and hearty soups, a good selection of cheeses and produce. honestly though, it really has nothing to offer that whole foods doesn't already in that area.

Madeline said...
So I lived on Union street in park slope for years — it's a really, really high end supermarket. Just what the neighborhood needs! (joke.) It'll have to compete with whole foods and the nine million trader joes, but at least it's not a condo, or a real estate office, or an NYU dorm, and I guarantee there won't be as many babies.

onemorefoldedsunset said...
The Union Markets in Brooklyn — steep in price, & abuzz with the well-heeled hordes. Seems like a successful model, though you have to wonder if over-expansion might be a mistake.

Anonymous said...
Whatever it is, it can't be more expensive, or have worse customer service (or more expired food on its shelves) than Gracefully.

Anonymous said...
there are just as many babies in the EV as in park slope.
deal with it.
people have babies.
hipsters, deadbeats, rockers, etc...
and as much as i am now lamenting the loss of another corner bodega within two blocks of each other, the one that union market will replace was a dump.

Jeremiah has more on the likely arrival of Union Market's East Village coffee blend here.

Meanwhile, we've also heard from residents who worry about what chain store may come to Second Street and Avenue A...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Imagining Avenue A and Second Street with a 7-Eleven

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Thanks to a tip from RyanAvenueA, we now know the future of 240 E. Houston at Avenue A. (Read that post here.) Meanwhile, who has been to a Union Market in Brooklyn? And what can you tell us about the stores?