NYC grocers sound alarm on Mamdani’s supermarket plan: ‘We’ll lose customers’
New York Mayor’s proposal Zohran Mamdani The idea of opening a city-operated grocery store is facing pushback from East Harlem grocers who say the area is already saturated with supermarkets and delis.
The plan, part of a broader effort to offset rising grocery costs in the city, would open public stores across New York’s five boroughs; but the effort to increase affordability may come at a cost for small businesses that already have thin margins.
The first store is expected to open next year in La Marqueta, an existing public market space at Park Avenue and 115th Street in East Harlem. The city will spend roughly 30 million dollars building the store.
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La Marqueta, a Latino marketplace in East Harlem, has been selected as the location for the first city-owned grocery store, announced by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani on April 14, 2026.
(Getty Images)
According to analysis by Fox News Digital, there are approximately 45 grocery stores within a 35-minute walk of the proposed market area.
Existing stores include major chains like Whole Foods and Lidl, as well as smaller neighborhood markets and bodegas.
The region is also well served by public transportation. There are numerous subway and bus lines offering residents a variety of ways to reach nearby shops if they are not within reasonable walking distance.
Some local grocers say increased competition from city-owned stores could hurt their business.
“Of course it’s going to impact the store,” said Sarah Kang, manager of CTown Supermarkets, a 35-minute walk or one subway stop south from La Marqueta.
“A lot of people walk 20 to 30 minutes to get here,” he told Fox News Digital. “I don’t think they’ll be willing to make the trip if they find a cheaper supermarket. This will affect the smaller markets. Definitely.”
“I hope we don’t lose customers,” Kang added.
The impact may depend on proximity to the proposed site, said Joel Martinez, manager of a supermarket at 128th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, about a 30-minute walk north of La Marqueta.
“I hope this doesn’t affect us,” Martinez said in a conversation with Fox News Digital. “The store will be a little further away from us, which is a good thing. But it will affect the smaller businesses that are closer.”
Bodegas and small grocery stores are staples. New York City Neighborhoods often serve as the primary food source for nearby residents.
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Mamdani had previously said that publicly owned grocery stores would be exempt from paying rent or property taxes, a move aimed at reducing overhead costs.
Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The mayor plans to open five city-run stores, one in each borough, by 2029.
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Similar proposals for grocery stores and markets owned and operated by local governments have emerged in other cities. including Boston.
Officials in Atlanta appear to have spearheaded this effort and are already opened a municipality-supported grocery store Improving food access in underserved areas.
Original article source: NYC grocers sound alarm over Mamdani’s supermarket plan: ‘We’ll lose customers’
