What’s happening: Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced NYC’s first city-run grocery store will open at La Marqueta in East Harlem, with plans for one in each borough by the end of his first term in 2029. The first store is expected to open in 2027 on city-owned land that is currently empty. The $30 million project still requires City Council approval.
NYC Is Getting Its First City-Owned Grocery Store — Starting in East Harlem
New York City is moving forward with a plan to open government-run grocery stores across all five boroughs — and the first location has been named. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Sunday during his 100-day address that the city’s first municipal grocery store will open at La Marqueta in East Harlem, with an expected opening date in 2027.
The mayor plans to open one city-run store in each borough before the end of his first term in December 2029, at a total estimated cost of $70 million. The East Harlem flagship store alone is projected to cost roughly $30 million in capital funds.
Why East Harlem and Why La Marqueta?
La Marqueta is a city-owned marketplace located under elevated Metro-North Railroad tracks along Park Avenue in East Harlem. The site is currently largely empty, and the Mamdani administration plans to build the new store there without displacing current vendors.
The mayor pointed to the neighborhood’s economic conditions to explain the choice: nearly 40% of East Harlem households received public assistance or SNAP benefits in the past year, and roughly 59% of households are unable to afford basic needs. The area has historically been underserved by full-service supermarkets.
La Marqueta also carries historical weight. It was originally opened by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in 1936 as a permanent home for pushcart vendors and a food hub for East Harlem residents. Mamdani invoked that history directly, framing his grocery plan as a continuation of LaGuardia’s legacy of affordable food access for working New Yorkers.
How Would City-Run Stores Keep Prices Down?
The city plans to waive rent and real estate taxes for the stores, which the administration argues would allow them to offer lower prices than private competitors. Mamdani has said the stores would create quality jobs and prioritize culturally relevant food options for the communities they serve.
“At our stores, eggs will be cheaper. Bread will be cheaper. Grocery shopping will no longer be an unsolvable equation,” Mamdani said at the 100-day rally in Queens.
Critics, including some City Council members and business groups, have raised questions about the proposal’s scale — five stores in a city of over eight million people — and its potential impact on neighborhood bodegas and small grocers. City Council Speaker Julie Menin’s office said she would review the proposal and assess its impacts on consumers and local small businesses before it moves forward.
What’s Next
The proposal still requires City Council approval. The Mamdani administration has not released a final budget or construction timeline. The first store at La Marqueta is the most advanced in planning — the city already owns the land, which is a significant head start over the other four borough locations.
Frequently Asked Questions: NYC City-Run Grocery Stores
Where will NYC’s first city-run grocery store be?
At La Marqueta in East Harlem, Manhattan — a city-owned marketplace under the Metro-North elevated tracks on Park Avenue. Expected to open in 2027.
How many city-run grocery stores will NYC open?
Mayor Mamdani’s plan calls for one store in each of the five boroughs, all to open by the end of his first term in December 2029.
How much will the East Harlem grocery store cost?
The first store is projected to cost roughly $30 million. The full five-store initiative has an estimated budget of $70 million, subject to City Council approval.
Will the city grocery stores be free?
No. They are a public option designed to offer below-market prices, not free stores. The city plans to waive rent and taxes for the stores to help keep prices competitive with private grocers.
Does the proposal need City Council approval?
Yes. City Council Speaker Julie Menin has said she will review the proposal before it moves forward.
