Streetlevel: A New Supermarket for Schermerhorn

Stone-opolis:

You have your GMap wrong. This place is in Boerum Hill/Downtown BK.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 2:30 PM

maybe it's an amish market...

i heard they were expanding....

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 2:33 PM

i heard finefare

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 2:45 PM

Hooray! We live just around the corner and have long wondered what retail will go in that space. Had my fingers crossed for a supermarket (any one will do), which is badly needed in the neighborhood.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 2:57 PM

Wonderful news!

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 3:08 PM

I saw a sign posted on Court Street across from the movie theater between Atlantic and Joralemon that the large space has been rented. Does anyone know what is coming in there?

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 3:14 PM

This building didn't turn out as bad as I thought, but Brooklyn still deserves better.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 3:20 PM

There's a Fine Fare about 8 blocks away on Hoyt Street - I doubt that they'd open up another location so nearby. Fingers crossed for an Amish Market, even if they are a bit overpriced.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 3:22 PM

Oy, I hope it's not an Amish Market or any other pseudo "upscale" place that stocks a few gourmet products and then overcharges for everything else. A plain old Key Food or other no-frills grocery store would suit me fine.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 3:25 PM

key food is a dump.

i can't imagine someone asking for one of those.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 3:27 PM

Key food is a no-frills urban supermarket. This city used to be full of them before they were pushed out by high rents. They may not be glamorous, but they serve a function, and I would welcome one at that location.

Hey, 3:27, why do you gotta be so snarky?

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 3:59 PM

Key Food DOES suck-- what's wrong with pointing that out? It's all relative, so if your point of comparison is Key Food vs. Crappy Bodega Supermarket, sure, Key Food seems pretty good. But step outside the overblown, overpriced (by more far than necessary, IMO) NYC grocery universe and it's clear: Key Food sucks.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:03 PM

"They may not be glamorous"

If by not glamorous you mean not clean, horrible service, lack of inventory beyond mac and cheese and hamburger helper and smells like there's a dead body back by the deli counter, then no, they are not glamorous.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:11 PM

Didn't there used to be a C Town on Livingston at Hoyt (or maybe Bond)? That was the worst market I can ever recall stepping into.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:12 PM

Key Food is horrible. Dirty store, employees (long haired, ex con, white trash stock boy) that are rude and crappy food.

It's probably all the rent-control and rent-stabilized whiners who want Key Foods. I live in Brooklyn Heights and the Key Foods on Atlantic and State have a lot of white trash that shops there. I saw an old, fat white guy holding a line up because he did not want to pay the bottle refund of 5 or 10 cents. I saw another old white women screaming that her bill is over charged by 25 cents and I saw another fat Hispanic woman pleading with the cashier to get a discount on her food since the cashier is Hispanic also.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:13 PM

Actually the Key Food on 5th Ave is not bad.

Same for the Met Food on Smith. And the prices there are competitive with most suburban supermarkets on most items that I buy.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:14 PM

The Met on Henry is fine. The Key food on Atlantic stinks, really, it smells, as does the one on Smith.

Take a car service to Pathmark on Hamilton, or the B63 to the Atlantic Center if you really need to get cheap food. You will save more than you spend on the car service. It is clean and does not smell like the Key Foods.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:19 PM

I think the one on Smith is a Met.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:22 PM

Wow, I'll tell you what really stinks: the classism underlying all the Key Food bashing...

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:22 PM

4:22 is exactly right. This board is really off the wall. "White trash", "fat hispanic lady". No shame.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:24 PM

Well, the female person is overweight (5'2", 210 lbs), and she is Hispanic.

White trash, self explanatory. Belongs in the hills of West Virgina, not NYC, the most expensive city in North America.

Losers, yeah you bet. Am I going to apologize for them? Hel* no.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:35 PM

FAIRWAY

worth the drive

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:38 PM

I LOVE the Met on Smith and on Henry. They are both owned by Koreans and have a great selection. Esp the one on Henry which has a great Italian deli. These markets are really underrated.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:40 PM

I recognize that for some people, Fairway is Mecca. But some of us who are not such hardcore foodies just don't want to deal with such a gargantuan place. I like good food and fresh, interesting ingredients, but I find Fairway overwhelming (and a mob scene). Not to mention that I live in a city precisely so I don't have to drive to get groceries...

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:43 PM

Fairway, do they deliver? Is delivery extra or free?

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:44 PM

Fairway, do they deliver? Is delivery extra or free?

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:47 PM

I get the feeling that a lot the people posting comments here would be happer living in Darien, CT. A reason many of us choose to live in Brooklyn is its diversity in class and race. We don't want it to become a lily-white, boring environment. If Mets and Key Foods are too downscale for you, don't shop at them. But don't sneer at people who do because they have no other options.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:48 PM

Excellent news on a grocery store in Downtown Brooklyn. The more the merrier!

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 4:57 PM

Met Food, Associated and Key Food are all independently owned retail cooperative (buy together) therefore each store is managed seperatly and blame for lousy conditions, prices, cleanliness or employees is the fault of the individual store.

That being said, this is just another example of where "national chains" are attacked, yet small operators are really to blame for creating such an obvious hole in the market - in this case clean, efficient food markets with fresh food.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 5:14 PM

If you live in Brooklyn for dirty, smelly, ill-run food markets that you are truly an idiot. There is nothing exciting or "not boring" about lousy stores.

As for "having no choice" one of the reasons is because if a clean, efficient store wanted to open, it would probably be a chain - which people like 4:48 would yell and scream and try to use Govt to keep out.

Its ironic that the very people who limit choice for the most vulnerable also claim to be their champions.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 5:18 PM

Is the Pathmark really any cleaner than Met or Key? I have shopped at the Pathmarks at Atlantic Center and out by Hamilton, the Met on Smith, the Key on 5th, the Key on Atlantic, and the Fairway in Red Hook. Fariway was hands down the cleanest. The others were about equal in cleanliness (which is to say, not very clean but nevertheless not hideous). The Key on 5th andthe Met had the freshest produce, followed closely by the Pathmarks. The Key on Atlantic, not so much.

Anyway, I think a new grocery store at 200 Schermerhorn could be great depending on its product lines.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 5:24 PM

um, fresh direct? who actually goes to a grocery store anymore? if i go once a year to an actual full on grocery store, i'd be shocked. buy the delivery pass and get a couple delicious pizzas as a thank you.

if i need a few extra things, i'd also rather have a terrific upscale store tho. live in williamsburg, and am near sunac which is lovely.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 5:37 PM

i don't like fresh direct.

a lot of us still like to go and pick out our own food.

i've tried it and am not a fan.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 5:55 PM

what this town needs is a piggly wiggly.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 7:06 PM

Here is a my short review of downtown Brooklyn markets:

Good:
Pathmark in Red Hook
Met on 5th

So-So:
Met on Smith
Key on Atlantic
Fairway in Red Hook (due to co$t)
Key on Montague
Key on 9th St and 6th Ave

Bad
Pathmark @ Atlantic Ctr
Associates on Myrtle

I have ignored the two markets on Henry St (Gristedes and whatever is across from the St James Hotel) because I have never shopped there.

The Met on Smith was a dump until about two years ago, now its ok at best. The Key on Atlantic is WORSE after the renovations (looks nicer, but still low stock and now more expensive), but there is a great fruit/veg stand next door (and Sahadi + Damascus). I would go broke if I shopped at Fairway in Red Hook (no generic brands) and it's really not so great when compared to the Manhattan stores it is trying to copy. The Pathmark at the Atlantic Ctr could be so-so if the entire staff was fired and replaced with people who actually work for a living.

The Pathmark in Red Hook is the hidden gem, since it is well stocked, open 24/7, free parking, good generics, fresh produce and the staff seems to actually work for a living. Met on 5th is also good, but not so cheap.

I think there is a lack of common terminology here. What does "Clean" mean to you: (1) you can lick the floor; or (2) meat section doesn't smell like the back room of a pet store. If you answered (1) then you are not from around here.

The last thing Brooklyn needs is "gourmet" supermarkets. Brooklyn was built on the local shops, but they are disappearing quickly (i.e. the Italian bakeries on Court).

Go to your local store before it closes or move back to Arkansas (or to whatever flyover state you call home - like guest 7:06). You want to shop at Piggly Wiggly? Take I-95 South for a few days and DON'T COME BACK.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 7:46 PM

I heard that Trader Joe's was coming to Brooklyn. I wonder if this is the location ?

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 8:32 PM

No, Trader Joe's will be at Court and Atlantic at the old bank building. I'm sure the fancy boys and princesses will complain that it is dirty, smelly and rude and generally unworthy of their patronage.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 8:38 PM

By the way, national chain supermarkets are not prevalent here in Brooklyn because their business models are harder to implement here. They can't develop greenfield sites, they can't pull up 18-wheelers to unload their goods. Unskilled labor costs are also higher here. The whole logistic model breaks down in Brooklyn, it's tough to transport stuff around here. And real estate is expenisve Be thankful that anyone is interested in setting up shop here to sell ordinary, non-luxury food and goods. It sure beats another bank branch.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 8:59 PM

Oh ok 8:38 ,any idea when it's slated to open ?

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 8:59 PM

so why exactly is manhattan becoming the chain capital of the world, 8:59?

more room than brooklyn to pull up those 18 wheelers?

labor costs lower than brooklyn?

real estate less expensive?

i'm hoping your comment was a joke.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 9:12 PM

9:12, not a joke. If you disagree, please say so like an adult.

Manhattan is not the "chain capital of the world," thankfully, though it far more than it used to be. Most of America is entirely chains, family-owned businesses are disappearing. New York probably still has far less chain mass retailers per capita than the rest of the US. Manhattan has the density to justify some chain stores -- but very few supermarkets, which carry a relatively high proportion of pershiable goods and therefore require a higher frequency of restocking. Target in Brooklyn can sell frozen and canned goods. But forget fresh food (not that they do anywhere). That's why we don't have the big, mega-supermarkets like the rest of the country where highways are broad and land is cheap. If they build one here, it would have to serve a much larger number of people and be mobbed and probably not worth going to. For the record, I prefer living without the big chains and having neighborhood stores, that's why I live here. But this city could still use more supermarkets. Notice that poor people take car services to Pathmark to shop because they have no where else to go. That's not right.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 9:39 PM

maybe it'll be a food emporium? food emporiums are generally nice...

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 10:05 PM

7:46, you and your sad, dying vision of "brooklyn" should come to arkansas for my mama's roast pig.

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 11:36 PM

yes fairway delivers
not sure of the fee but its is FREE if you spend more than 100

hands down the best market in brooklyn

none of these other DUMPS even come close

Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 9:08 AM

BACK ON TOPIC
At least one of the spaces in 200 Schermerhorn is rented to the Red Cross. Heard it from the building mgt.

Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 10:29 AM

I live in the building & had also heard the red cross had rented the space. Even though a supermarket would be convenient, i'm concerned about even more insects & vermin invading the area and possibly invading the building. With all the construction taking place in the area critters are everywhere!

Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 8:55 PM

A Red Cross would be horrible for the neighborhood. I mean, it's a good organization, don't get me wrong, but retail spaces are meant for retail tenants. It adds foot traffic and makes the place more livable. On top of that - retail space is much more expensive than office space in the neighborhood - it would be unwise for a non-profit to shell out the money for retail in lieu of the much less expensive office rents in the surrounding area.

Even one of the smaller spaces I wouldn't know what the Red Cross would want with it, but who knows. I'd take a Starbucks (and I hate Starbucks) over non-retail uses of the retail space in this building. (But maybe we can coerce Cafe Grumpy to open up a Downtown Brooklyn location in that building.)

Posted by: guest at November 7, 2007 9:09 AM

From The Brooklyn Eagle:

"State Renaissance Court
This new building at Schermerhorn and Bond streets has close to 20,000 square feet of available retail in five storefronts facing Schermerhorn.

“We have a very high-end gourmet market going in the larger (11,500 square feet) corner space,” he said, adding that details are not finalized as yet. But he is also looking at resident- and community-related services, like drycleaners, medical offices, etc."

Posted by: guest at November 7, 2007 9:37 AM

Sorry, I have to agree with those who say the chain supermarkets in the area are dumps. I do not consider myself to be snobby or overly picky at all, but that Met on Smith Street literally does smell. When you walk in, you are overwhelmed with a smell that is really unpleasant and hard to describe -- some mix of rotting produce, stale air, and noxious chemicals. So unappetizing. I'll go there to buy paper towels, maybe, but not food (and whoever commented on their hours is so right on -- by 8:45pm they are pushing you out the door so they can be locked up by 9). Key Food on Atlantic is cramped with a terrible layout (things are scattered randomly all over the store) and pretty pathetic inventory. Fairway is great but it just is not practical for those in the Boerum Hill area who don't have a car.

The neighborhood is in need of a decent, well-stocked, and clean supermarket. I am really hoping the addition of Trader Joe's have an impact on Met and Key Food and force them to either step up their game or get out and let someone else give it a try.

Posted by: guest at November 7, 2007 10:58 AM

The smell in the Met on Smith is cat pee. Or at least what my nose tells my brain what it is.

That said, it was ranked one of the cleanest supermarkets in Brooklyn a few years back, I just can't shop there because it reaks.

Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 10:46 AM

anyone know what store it is?

Posted by: guest at November 12, 2007 2:08 PM

It is a Wholefoods supermarket, Hie.

Posted by: guest at November 14, 2007 9:43 AM

har de harrr harrrrrrrrrrr

Posted by: guest at November 15, 2007 6:49 PM

I've been told by management that its going to be a Bravo supermarket.

Posted by: guest at November 15, 2007 8:44 PM

Any new information on this?

Posted by: guest at November 20, 2007 11:00 AM

The large space has been split up and is now definitely going to be a Red Cross office.

Posted by: guest at March 4, 2008 9:39 PM