Zohran Mamdani campaigned for New York City mayor on the communist concept of opening a government-run grocery store in each of the five boroughs. This plan is unlikely to succeed, since government grocery stores have failed everywhere they’ve been tried. In a city like New York, with millions of people in each borough, one store per borough would not meet everyone’s needs.
On Tuesday, Hizzonor said that the first store would open next year, but its opening has been pushed back to ‘some time’ in…2029.
La Marqueta, already owned by the city, is set to undergo a significant transformation, with Mamdani planning to convert it into a government-run grocery store by 2029, at a cost of $30 million. Fortunately, there are several other stores within walking distance, which adds to the convenience. However, spending $30 million to offer “cheaper” groceries raises some questions about the overall value.
Bodega owners have expressed concerns that Mamdani’s plan could drive them out of business. We believe the same risks apply to these stores as well. This situation becomes even more troubling for New Yorkers, as the government-run shops he has proposed won’t offer lower prices across the board. Instead, they will only reduce prices on a limited selection of “basket of goods.”
Here’s more on this scam:
Mayor Zohran Mamdani admitted Tuesday that the promised lower prices at his city-owned grocery stores will only be guaranteed for a core set of everyday staples.
Items in those so-called baskets of goods have yet to be decided, but likely include essentials such as bread, milk and eggs, officials said.
Beyond those essentials, the stores will also sell other foodstuffs and items. Officials said they’ll aim to make those items low-cost as well, but may not always be able to achieve the perpetual discount.
“When it comes to the products that we will be selling at the city-run grocery stores, there will be an essential basket of goods that will be guaranteed a cheaper price, and cheaper than what they’re being sold at currently,” Mamdani said during a news conference at La Marqueta in Harlem.
The already city-owned La Marqueta was the first location revealed to host Mamdani’s socialist pet grocery project, but he said Tuesday the actual store – which carries a whopping $30 million expected price tag – won’t open until 2029.
Other yet-to-be-decided municipal grocery stores will open before then, with the first expected to greet shoppers in late 2027, officials said.
For the record, communism and it’s somewhat lighter half-brother socialism both end the same way: Bare shelves, skyrocketing prices, and starving people.
I fully expect with the epic fail is revealed it’ll somehow all be Republicans’ and rich capitalists’ fault. Oh, and Donald Trump’s fault, as well.
This is what happened with the now-closed government-run store in Kansas City, Missouri: Shelves were bare after shoplifters blew through in phases and what food remained was often unedible.