The Times checks in with a feature on Ioannis (aka Big John) Zoitas and his wife, Maria, who opened Westside Market on Broadway near 110th Street-Cathedral Parkway in 1977.
Since then, the family has expanded, with store No. 6 opening this fall on Third Avenue at East 12th Street. The Zoitases' son, George, and his brother-in-law, Jimmy Beleses, will run the new store.
To the Times:
George has lived near the new market since June 2013 to learn about the neighborhood’s food mores. He shopped at markets, visited coffee shops and wine bars, and talked to residents about what they wanted in a community market.
Most of the Westside Markets operate around the clock, seven days a week. The inside of each store is designed by Big John with pencils, paper, a ruler and a few erasers.
As for the prepared foods, every dish is either made by Mrs. Zoitas, 57, or made with her recipes...
The Times does note that the new location is "something of a gamble: It will be less convenient to a subway entrance than the other stores, said the Zoitases’ son, George, and it will be going up against two nearby giants, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's."
Not to mention M2M on the southeast corner of Third Avenue and East 11th Street ... and there is Heavenly Market opening later this year on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and East 11th Street.
The market watch is on...
[Westside interior shot from Tuesday]
Previously on EV Grieve:
Westside Market coming to the East Village
The new Westside Market on Third Avenue will have Wi-Fi