Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Sarah Jessica Parker got up and protested when the Associated on 14th closed. Now the one on East 14th is going to be closing shortly. The Met Food that used to be nearby on Third/17th is long gone.
I am sorry to see our local Associated close its doors. It’s been here over 25 years and catered to the local neighborhood. I will miss it. But in the past couple of years, I’ve been running in there to pick up a few items and doing my main shopping at Trader Joe’s, Fresh Direct, and Costco. I know I’m not alone.
The reality is that there are many more options for buying groceries nowadays. Target opened across the street from Associated and took some of the business, and now Trader Joe’s is coming in too. These are hard times for supermarkets.
I am sorry to see our local Associated close its doors. It’s been here over 25 years and catered to the local neighborhood. I will miss it. But in the past couple of years, I’ve been running in there to pick up a few items and doing my main shopping at Trader Joe’s, Fresh Direct, and Costco. I know I’m not alone.
The reality is that there are many more options for buying groceries nowadays. Target opened across the street from Associated and took some of the business, and now Trader Joe’s is coming in too. These are hard times for supermarkets.
But none of those three are really comparable to Associated. Costco is particularly inappropriate, since they sell more in bulk, and most Manhattanites have neither cars nor big apartments with a lot of storage space.
Do you live near the Associated at First/14th? If so, do you know who your councilman is? I'm trying to remember - I think I happened to speak with him a couple of years ago, and he said that he lived nearby and thought it was important for places like Associated to survive. I wonder what he's saying now.
Sarah Jessica Parker got up and protested when the Associated on 14th closed. Now the one on East 14th is going to be closing shortly. The Met Food that used to be nearby on Third/17th is long gone.
That Associated is closing due to poor performance numbers against rent. Competition arrived in form of Trader Joe's, not to mention there is another TJ's along with WF several blocks west at Union Square.
Oh and that Gristedes down there is set becoming a D’Agostino.
Red Apple Group owner John Catsimatidis recently completed a full take over of D'Agostino's (only one member of that family remains at company), and now is closing some Grosstedies and reopening them as DAG to give a more upscale image I suppose.
Both supermarkets stink, but combined with a new TJs opening Associated didn't have a chance.
Those dumpy supermarkets need to go... Poor quality=closed... Pathmark was garbage too... Key Food will hopefully be next...
Associated on First and 81st used to be ok, now they've gone down hill.
From quality of meats/poultry and produce to fact shelves are empty as things just sell out or whatever, and takes ages to restock.
Frozen veggie section is almost empty soon after truck deliver, with some items out of stock for several weeks. How can a supermarket be out of frozen mixed veggies for > one month?
I used to do a lot of business with Associated. They were terrible to deal with. It didn't matter what level you dealt with. Store level or corporate level. Just a dirty dive. Thankfully there are better options. MET Foods is another crap hole company too.
I used to do a lot of business with Associated. They were terrible to deal with. It didn't matter what level you dealt with. Store level or corporate level. Just a dirty dive. Thankfully there are better options. MET Foods is another crap hole company too.
Actually...they're all kind of bad from Food Emporium, Gristedes, D'agostino, Mortons...
horrible customer service to even more horrible cashiers.
Actually...they're all kind of bad from Food Emporium, Gristedes, D'agostino, Mortons...
horrible customer service to even more horrible cashiers.
Any Food Emporium you see around now are owned by Key Foods, Gristedes, Acme Markets, and Morton Williams. They bought the trademark/name rights when A&P went bankrupt.
Nearly all these old school supermarkets are union shop, which may account for a few things......
Customer service is what it is at these places. Sometimes great, others not so much. Most do seem to have problems keeping staff, especially good people. All kinds work in these supermarkets, some get Section 8, others live in homeless shelters, etc....
Old timers tell me at one time working at A&P or whatever was a pretty good gig. Especially if you trained as a butcher or something. That and or became a manager, now I dunno.
People getting best deals from these old school supermarkets are those who dig through their garbage each night. Most of what they sell isn't that good IMHO. Produce is iffy, meats/poultry sketchy, and everything usually cost more than you can find elsewhere.
Even sales aren't that great anymore. Now and then my favorite preserves (Bonne Maman) would go on sale two for $5. Now it's two for $8 or three for $10 or something.
In fact have noticed many places have stopped $2 for "X" and racked things up to buy three get one free or some such.
Grocery shopping in much of the city has always been a racket. Supermarkets (if they can call themselves that), long have known most people don't (or didn't) have a choice. You either went to what was in your local area, or maybe took a bus or train some place else, but then you had to lug all that stuff home.
Growing up on SI am spoiled; we had (and still have) those huge suburban sized supermarkets. That being said many (including members of my family) drive over to Jersey.
I am sorry to see our local Associated close its doors. It’s been here over 25 years and catered to the local neighborhood. I will miss it. But in the past couple of years, I’ve been running in there to pick up a few items and doing my main shopping at Trader Joe’s, Fresh Direct, and Costco. I know I’m not alone.
The reality is that there are many more options for buying groceries nowadays. Target opened across the street from Associated and took some of the business, and now Trader Joe’s is coming in too. These are hard times for supermarkets.
Stopped in that sad excuse for an UES Target last night on way home. Was walking buy so thought give the place the once over.
It pretty much is a Duane Reade with a tiny bit more oomph. Would say a cross between Rainbow Hardware on First and a DR.
Layout is odd; there are only two escalators, one up and other down. If either is out of order (as the up was yesterday) you have to take one of the two elevators.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
