An empty lot in East Harlem is full of opportunity for grocery operator Mark Goris, who’s interested in Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s NYC Groceries program.
“I’m glad that the mayor did address it because a lot of people are struggling, I mean, with these food prices, inflation,” he said.
Goris was on a site tour at the proposed site on La Marqueta with city Economic Development Corporation officials, as part of the bidding process to run the stores
Goris used to run a grocery store in the neighborhood.
“I think the people in this area would appreciate something like this,” he said.
Still, Goris said he wouldn’t have wanted to compete with it when he ran his store in the neighborhood.
“It’s just going to bite out more of a market share, and stores are already struggling during this economic period,” he said.
Under the program, private operators of city-owned stores will get free rent and tax dollars in order to sell staples at a 30% discount.
Grocery and bodega groups oppose the effort, claiming the taxpayer-funded subsidy would undercut business for stores with single-digit profit margins.
Waverly Neer, the lead official for NYC Groceries at EDC, said officials are considering grant money for existing grocers concerned about the competition.
“We’re, as an agency, looking at a number of different complementary policies and programs, grants, incentives that can come alongside these grocery stores to support other local independent businesses that in the neighborhoods,” Neer told NY1.
Meanwhile, supermarket insiders on the tour told NY1 they’re still unsure whether the numbers work out for them financially.
For instance, there will be no kitchen, deli or butcher on site, meaning pre-made food is shipped in rather than prepared as needed.
“It kind of puts the cuffs on you as far as cutting costs,” Goris said.
To build the location, the city will spend $30 million, likely making it the most expensive of the five NYC Grocery stores — one in each borough.