NYC grocers lobby Council Speaker Julie Menin to fight Mayor Mamdani’s controversial grocery-store plan

NY Post ^ | 4/17/26 | Lisa Fickenscher

[Libloather]

New York City grocers are lobbying Council Speaker Julie Menin to oppose Mayor Mamdani’s plan to open city-run grocery stores — and are optimistic that she’ll take their side after she issued a cool response to the controversial proposal earlier this week, The Post has learned.

The grocers are fast-tracking outreach to the Manhattan Dem and other Council members, who are expected to get a vote on whether to fund Mamdani’s plan that calls for $30 million for one grocery store alone, insiders said.

“This is just five days old but we are doing what we can to reach [Council members] to say, ‘Hey, let’s discuss what’s impacting existing food stores,'” said Mike Durant, chief executive of the Food Industry Alliance of New York, which represents 3,000 grocery stores.

Local grocers were floored by the democratic socialist mayor’s Sunday announcement that the city would open one of five grocery stores at La Marqueta in East Harlem — and they view the plan as unnecessary, taxpayer-funded competition in a brutal business.

There are already five grocery stores within two blocks of the proposed site on Park Avenue near East 115th Street — and 15 within five blocks — according to the National Supermarket Association.

“We expected the Council to line up behind the mayor on this issue,” said one local Bronx grocer, Carlos Collado.

Menin gave a noncommittal statement, instead.

“As our city confronts ongoing fiscal and affordability crises, the City Council is identifying responsible solutions to lower costs and address food insecurity,” her office said.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Food; Gardening; History
KEYWORDS: grocery; madmani; plan; store

[Mark]

INVEST in a rail line from NY to Las Vegas.

[1_Rain_Drop]

"the City Council is identifying responsible solutions to lower costs and address food insecurity,” her office said."

Food insecurity? how is that even possible in NYC?

There are numerous food banks throughout NYC (free food). There's SNAP. Restaurants of various prices are everywhere. Corner Delis.

There's food everywhere. Maybe if the the property taxes weren't so high, commercial rents would be lower as well as food prices.

[rxh4n1]

*“New” stores will be more looter-friendly.*

If there’s anything left to loot after the city employees take everything out the back. Best thing for the local grocrs to do is let the thing fail on its own.