NYC Mayor Mamdani Says First City-Run Grocery Store to Open Next Year

The mayor said city-operated grocery stores will help reduce prices for New Yorkers.

Published: 4/13/2026, 5:44:46 PM EDT

NYC Mayor Mamdani Says First City-Run Grocery Store to Open Next Year — New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a news conference at Gracie Mansion in New York on March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York’s first city-run grocery store is set to open sometime next year, fulfilling a campaign promise from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The Big Apple mayor announced the projected update during an April 12 rally to celebrate his first 100 days in office.

“The first one will open next year,” the mayor told a crowd gathered in Queens. “Stores where prices are fair, where workers are treated with dignity, and where New Yorkers can actually afford to shop.”

“At our stores, eggs will be cheaper. Bread will be cheaper. Grocery shopping will no longer be an unsolvable equation,” he said.

While he only gave a date for one store, Mamdani said he plans to have one in each of the city’s five boroughs by the end of his four-year term. He told the crowd that he took office promising “that City Hall would hold a singular purpose, to make this city belong to more of its people than it did the day before.”

According to Mamdani, one of the stores will be opened in East Harlem in a neighborhood where almost 40 percent of households receive some kind of public assistance.

The mayor said that between 2013 and 2023, grocery prices in New York City have increased by 66 percent—significantly more than the national average.

The democratic socialist has faced criticism over his plan for grocery stores and other policies.

Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld voiced concerns about Mamdani’s proposals, saying that the mayor’s “economic proposals do not match the real challenges of today.”

He accused Mamdani of defaming regular grocery stores.

“Mamdani blames grocery stores for running up food costs, when in reality, grocery stores are some of the lowest-margin businesses around, with 1 [to] 2 percent profit margins in good times.”

Analysis of Mamdani’s economic policies by The Hoover Institute casts doubt on the store plans, citing the mayor’s campaign statement, which says that the stores “will buy and sell at wholesale prices.”

The institute said, “If you’re selling at the same price you paid, you’re going to lose money on every item.”

Mamdani said that “some will insist that city-owned businesses do not work, that government cannot keep up with corporations.

“My answer to them is simple: I look forward to the competition. May the most affordable grocery store win.”

The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for additional details about the plans for the stores.

Mamdani also announced plans to expand the city’s covered trash bin program, promising to cover the entire city by the end of 2031.

“Say goodbye to black bags and say hello to the bins,” the mayor said.

Additionally, he highlighted his plan to make buses free and faster than ever, though he did not specify how he plans to eliminate bus fares. Mamdani said he is working with Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state legislature.

“Tonight, we’re delivering the fast, and we’re excited to keep working with Albany to deliver the free,” he said.

The 34-year-old mayor has also vowed to focus on renters’ plight in the crowded city and push for expanded child care programs.

From The Epoch Times