New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Sunday that the city will open its first government-run grocery store in East Harlem.
The self-avowed democratic socialist mayor aims to fulfill his campaign promise to open one city-run grocery store in every one of the city’s five boroughs by the end of his first term. Mamdani made the announcement on his 100th day in office, saying that the store would be up and running by the end of next year.
“During our campaign, we promised New Yorkers that we would create a network of five city-owned grocery stores, one in each park,” Mamdani said in his statement. “Today, we make good on that promise.”
Mamdani promised to construct “stores where prices are fair, where workers are treated with dignity, and where New Yorkers can actually afford to shop at our stores.”
The store will be located in La Marqueta, the New York Post reported.
Though Mamdani said the government-run stores were “going to make it easier for New Yorkers to put food on the table” and bring down prices, they have been met with much skepticism.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X, “Government-run grocery stores! What could go wrong?”
John Catsimatidis, the owner of Gristedes and D’Agostino’s, “the city’s oldest and largest independent supermarket chains,” wrote in The Wall Street Journal last year that Mamdani’s proposal “would collapse our food supply, kill private industry, and drag us down a path toward the bread lines of the old Soviet Union.”
The initial location has a planned price tag of $30 million, according to The New York Times, nearly half of the $70 million Mamdani requested in his 2026 budget for all five planned store locations.
New York City faces a budget crisis. Comptroller Mark Levine has said that New York is looking at a $7.3 billion budget gap between this year and next year.
“I can tell you that in all that time I—and we—have never seen a fiscal challenge as big as the one we face now,” Levine said to the New York City Council in March.
Mamdani also admitted Friday that New York City is “worse than broke,” though he has blamed the fiscal shortfall on his predecessor, former Mayor Eric Adams.
Jarrett Stepman is a columnist for The Daily Signal. He is also the author of “The War on History: The Conspiracy to Rewrite America’s Past.” Send an email to Jarrett.
Reprinted with permission from The Daily Signal by Jarrett Stepman.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
You wanted him, Noo Yawk, you got him! Half the city’s budget for a government run grocery store? What could possibly go wrong? (snerk) Of course, it’s in Harlem. This would be funny if it wasn’t so pathetic.The five finger discounts alone will kill it.
Hmm, I wonder how much waste, fraud and abuse this will cause.
Tsk tsk tsk, I guess Democratic Socialists, like Zohran MadCommie, will never “lear”, this will never work.
The commies’ always find someone else to blame…..
I guess anything is possible in the fantasyland, how much more proof do the people need to realize the man is not right in the head or a complete calculating devious manipulator.
Silly…. When the government gets involved there is waste and fraud. What could go wrong?
This ought to be good! ????
If you’re already in a deficit, where this $30M coming from? Obviously, Mamdani never had a budget until now…
He should resign as mayor and take an accounting course!
The city is worse than broke, but this commie idiots is still going forward with his failure plan. The new yorkers who falling for this are f**king stupid.
Mandani Look at his eyes, the wild grin on his face, someplace in Gotham they are running a bed check and one of the inmates is missing
“And the prices will be fair.” Right. B’cuz they’ll be subsidized by all the other tax payers who don’t shop there.
Margaret Thatcher said, “Communism is great until you run out of other people’s Money.” Mandani has run out of cash before one of the 5 stores is even completed. Oh well. The people that were stupid enough to vote for him won’t be able to figure that out ether.
This should be illegal. Government has no business making the rules, regulations, conditions under which private enterprises must operate, then use taxpayer funding to compete with them. It is blatanaly and intentionally anti-American. Keep an eye on this guy and hinder his progress at every juncture.
There have been more mayors to blame for this shortfall, but if only regulations and taxes on all businesses could be lowered, the private grocers could lower their prices. Goods and services need to be paid for, and in capitalism, competition is the life of trade. When city governments decide to oppose the very ones keeping the city alive, this socialist move will destroy NYC, worse than this and the last two mayors, IMO
This “great” store won’t open until NEXT year. And for however long it stays open, it will be drawing customers from the mom-and-pop grocery stores who clear about 2% profit. So they will go bankrupt, Commie will have to close his store, and then people will have NOWHERE to shop!
Grocery stores are in business to make a profit. They have to meet payroll, pay for utilities, insurance, etc., etc. Where will the money for salaries, repairs, or anything else come from?
Just the headline itself is infuriating. What is the difference between fraud by a common citizen and fraud by an elected office holder citizen ? Is law enforcement really this blind or limited or slow ? Stop this insane BS immediately.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, guess what?. Here, if it speaks like a communist idiot, acts like a communist idiot and looks like a communist idiot, what do we have, not a duck
So how long until a bunch of thieves dash in, steal 50% of the merchandise and run out, never to be prosecuted (if caught)???? Just saying!!
Just another PLOY TO GAIN CONTROL OVER THE U.S.A.! If our Country would teach History from back in the day and around the world who ever voted for him SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! Hungary was under MUSLIM CONTROL BY THE TURKS!!! SOCIALISM THEN COMMUNISM FOLLOWED: People had no jobs, were starving/killed, the children were tormented abused in the schools, homes/farms/cities destroyed, even little children had to fight and died for freedom, on-and-on! WOW, CONTROL THE FOOD/CONTROL THE PEOPLE!!! WILL YOU NEVER LEARN?
Then came WWII and American’s Freed the World!!! And, NOW TO HAVE SOCIALISM HERE AND ON AMERICAN SOIL? THE U.S.A. has lost itself each and every time that all our WWII Soldier’s grew older and died over the years! They were the GLUE that kept us to belong to the ONE TRUE GOD, Appreciating their HOMELAND, LIVING AND TEACHING RIGHT FROM WRONG (YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS SUCH A THING! MAKING US THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! ALSO,
If you paid attention: You could see America getting Weaker and Weaker because they were the ones who truly Kept America Great and Kept it Growing! Then immigration of non-American, non-Assimilation, Anti-True God, False god, Shape Shifting gods, etc. who use our weak laws to FOOL SO MANY AMERICANS INTO NOW ACCEPTING Socialism as their way of life! ALONG WITH GREED that has created the BIGGEST RIFT amongst its own people! AND ALLOWING this to HAPPEN!
IT IS TIME TO FACE REALITY PEOPLE!!! PRAYER HELPS AND LETS GOD KNOW WHAT YOU NEED! IT IS SO BAD THAT I PRAY THAT GOD’S GOOD ANGELS WOULD TAKE OVER OUR GOVERNMENT!!! OR AT LEAST TAP THE GOVERNMENT DESTROYERS ON THEIR SHOULDER TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE DESTROYING THE U.S.A. BY THE WAY:
HOW DID OUR GOVERNMENT ALLOW MAMDANI TO HAVE SUCH POWER? VOTING HAS MORE POWER TO DESTROY AMERICA:
THAN THAT MEANS OUR LAWS ARE WAY TO WEAK FOR A SOCIALIST TO EVEN EXIST IN OUR “FREE COUNTRY”? IS JUST AN EXCUSE FOR GROSS NEGLIGENCE! DIDN’T YOU EVER HEAR: LET FREEDOM RING? WOW, AND TO THINK, JUST HEARING THE RINGING OF CHURCH BELLS LET US KNOW THAT WE WERE FREE!!! GOD HELP US ALL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!!
He’s a joke and a fool! This whole action of his is a joke! Just think where that $30m could have been spent very wisely on food for the truly poor people, or paid their electrical bills, or given them a roof over their heads. New Yorkers, you voted him in, you now figure out how to get rid of him. Nothing is FREE, you were brainwashed.
Mamdani rules with other peoples money while the city coffers are empty but that is Eric Adam’s fault. Start out big. 30 million for a grocery store with 25-30 dollar an hour employees. And cheaper prices? What can go wrong? And 4 more to go. We are talking 150 million dollars plus. Taxpayers you might find lower prices but real estate taxes have been raised so you have paid for this luxury already. Mamdani said they say sooner or later we run out of other peoples money. That’s why we socialists are saving the day. Socialism, communism no matter what you call it keeps the masses poor. No more entrepreneurs no more jobs being created just control over the masses. If you want to live like that, you work hard and never move up then this is for you. Only remember who you are working for. The coffers of the city or your self and your family. Mamdani has to go. The evil leftists with their smoke and mirrors have brainwashed so many that staying home and holding your hand up for food is the way to go in this country. Crime will increase because they will have less and less. DEI was created to let them take from the white middle class. Biden tried to arrest the parents that wanted to raise their children. Biden tried to alter their gender and raise them by the government. Get them early they will obey. Communists work that way. Those who don’t will be killed. Via a virus or by selection of those that stood up against them. Only all these so called heroes are falling on their sword. Like Swalwell, he is not guilty but he resigned from running for governor of CA and then he resigned from Congress. But it’s all a story made up by the Reps, so he says. If you are not guilty you don’t resign you stay and fight. President Trump did because he knew he wasn’t guilty of anything. That were made up charges. And President Trump stayed and won. Even though the paid for jury said guilty and the paid for judge fined him. But what happened President Trump was voted in. Even with the illegals brought to this country plane load after plane load by the leftists democrats. Somewhere goodness is working on saving America no matter how much hatred and undermining they do to destroy America.
I see a train wreck coming!! $30 Million to start. “Free” Government Grocery Stores. Only 1 store per borough? What could go wrong here?!
So one location costs more than half of all the 5 stores he budgeted for. Yeah, its going to work out. I wonder if the shoppers will need ID to shop there. I guess in Manhattan, they could bring their groceries home on the free buses. Lets add the cost of utilities, maintenance, workers (or are they going to use volunteers like obamas library), inventory and then see where we stand… What about the harm to the private sector – less employees to pay outrageous taxes.
Well, New Yorkers wanted Mamdani real bad and that’s what they’re getting; Mamdani ; REAL BAD!!
A government project with an initial price tag of $30 million is likely to cost $100 million, take twice as long as originally expected and to cause a host of new problems. Besides the initial cost overruns, these stores will no doubt require hefty subsidies to stay open. If you have any doubts, look at California’s high speed rail, a monument to government lies and inefficiency.
Maybe I’m missing something, but don’t the city council members have a say in how funds are spent? Since when is the Mayor able to spend $30 million with no bids, no competition, no feasibility studies, etc.?
New York is on a one way, out of control train headed toward the mother of all train wrecks.
There is absolutely nothing in this world, more ignorantly arrogant, and forever clueless than the droves of certifiable mentally ill, lazy dumba$$ voters who voted for this COMMIE. A spoiled brat, given everything he has by mommy and daddy, and has never worked an honest day in his life. He is completely incompetent and COMPLETELY VOID OF ANY UNDERSTANDING OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY OR HOW TO BALANCE A BUDGET. NOR DOES HE HAVE THE SKILLS TO SUCCESSFULLY RUN A SIDEWALK KOOL AID STAND, LET ALONE HOW TO RUN A CITY.
SO ENJOY YOUR MISERY NYC RESIDENTS.
BUT YOU DO HAVE SOME OPTIONS:
1. RECALL/IMPEACH HIM NOW!
2. LITERALLY RUN HIM OUT OF TOWN. 3. REFUSE TO PAY ANY OF HIS LIFE-DESTROYING TAXES.
(And there are several more options I’m sure you could think of).
If I communist mayor thinks it’s going to cost 30 million dollars he’s got his decimal point in the wrong place and most of that money is going to go to somebody’s pocket. And where’s he going to get that money anyway New York city’s already in the hole by 500 billion dollars. But to quote him it’ll take a socialist to clean up that mess unfortunately he’s a communist. And he’s running the city that is home of the financial capital of the United States. That’s going to go away real quick it’s going to move to Texas
People in New York City are so stupid, well they voted for him
This guy is dangerous. Someone needs to make him disappear, like magic. How could anything like this be happening in our time?
$30 Million? REALLY? For a Grocery store? How big is this place? Not sure how much New York’s property taxes are, but will he NOT charge these stores taxes in order to make his goods “affordable”? Does he actually think that every grocer in New York treats their employees like crap? What do you mean treat them with dignity? How is he going to get the prices down? Many people already shop at Sams Club and Costco and their prices are still pretty high. Will New York’s grocery stores and all the groceries in the store be subsidized by the tax payers. Heck, look how “Affordable” obamacare is for everyone. Triple to quadriple in 13 years. The out of pocket in Illinois was $1000 in 2014, now it is $9250. SUCH A DEAL!!!
Did I miss something? I thought they were to be free grocery stores.
You broke it, NYC. You pay for it…
So glad that I don’t have to live in New York City. What a shame to vote for such a Muslim lefty. This Mayor is living a “dream world” full of dumb ideas.
Mandami is a silly and foolish man who doesn’t know what he is doing. NYC voted for him and now they are stuck with him. He has 4 years to destroy lots of stuff and then be bailed out by the taxpayers. SAD!
Isn’t that just like a communist to promise you the world and give you a heaping pile of crap. This inept Moran has no clue about how anything works. Good luck NY, you’re going to need it.
He couldn’t find his own b@tt with a search warrant and a pack of bloodhounds.
30Million$$$???? Of course/ This POS needs to go back where he came from along with all rejects that voted for him!! How can people be so STUPID as to vote in a communist???? GOD! HELP US ALL!
Mao and Stalin had grocery stores too. When they starved people to death, no need to feed them.
One thing I learned is the government can’t walk and chew gum at the same time.
New York gets what they voted for.
East Harlem, Good Luck with that, Everything will be stolen, Hire good help? if you can find any,
He’s actually a Communist.
Do the patrons gave to show ID to shop there?
Yes, free grocery stores will not be so free. $30 million up front and more to come later where the taxpayers will pay for someone else’s food. Other bodegas and private grocery stores will go bankrupt in mean time. Socialism at work.
Watch this idiot drain New York dry while providing nothing in return. I hate to say it but the ignorant voters deserve what they get. This is just another state that I will not visit or spend a dime of my money in.
Why would so many jewish people vote for Mamdani? It is a total mystery to so many people. He hates Jews.
The idiots who voted him in will now have to figure it out – glad I live in the sanity of the Midwest!
A person needs to be a blooming idiot to vote for this nut!
Total Commie BS! 29 million will into his pocket. P.O.S !!!
Nothing is free mamdami just wants your money in his pocket.