General Store Coming to Willoughby and Marcy in Bed Stuy

A general store selling hard-to-find items is prepping to open at 518a Willoughby Avenue early next year. Willoughby General will carry bread, cheese, coffee, gifts and a small selection of produce. Co-owner Rachel Tutera said she wants to offer items her neighbors can’t find elsewhere in the area.

“We want people to be able to come here instead of zigzagging all over the neighborhood or going to Manhattan to get staples or odds and ends,” she said. The shop is taking requests on what to carry through its Facebook page. Since Key Food on Myrtle and Throop closed over the summer, locals have wondered where they can buy basic groceries without walking several blocks, Tutera said.

Other items may include locally made honey from the bees in a nearby garden, home brew kits, regional spices, and some magazines and newspapers. Tutera and her business partner, Barbara Lester, hope to open in January with hours from 7 am to 7 pm. They’re signing the lease on the 300-square-foot space this week. GMAP