NEW YORK (PIX11) — The first-ever grocery store run by New York City is coming in 2027, as announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday at his “100 Day Address.”
While the mayor provided no specific date or time as to when exactly this first-of-its-kind government-run store will open its doors to New Yorkers, he did say where the inaugural store will be.
Where is the first NYC-run grocery store located?
The first of five stores coming to New York City, aimed at making it easier for New Yorkers to afford basic groceries, will be at La Marqueta in East Harlem.
The store, opened in 1936 by former Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, is located underneath the Metro-North Railroad’s Park Avenue Viaduct between 111th Street and 116th Street on Park Avenue.
What is La Marqueta?
La Marqueta started under the name of Park Avenue Retail Market when it was opened 90 years ago by LaGuardia. It was originally an informal gathering place for pushcart vendors and other merchants, according to the market’s webpage.
Leading into the 1950s, the area became home to many Spanish-speaking immigrants, transforming the neighborhood into Spanish Harlem, or “El Barrio,” as the mayor put it in his speech on Sunday.
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“Some will insist that city-owned businesses do not work, that government cannot keep up with corporations. My answer to them is simple: I look forward to the competition. May the most affordable grocery store win,” Mamdani said.
The mayor said that the brand-new store will be built on unoccupied city-owned land in East Harlem.
Mamdani did not mention where the next four stores will open, but did say that all five boroughs will have one store by the end of his first term.
Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here.
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