NYC Mayor Mamdani Selects La Marqueta in East Harlem as First of Five City-Owned Grocery Stores

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced La Marqueta in East Harlem as the first of five New York City-owned grocery stores during his 100 Days address, aiming to open by 2027 with roughly $30 million in capital funding.

NYC Mayor Mamdani Selects La Marqueta in East Harlem as First of Five City-Owned Grocery Stores Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced La Marqueta in East Harlem as the first of five New York City-owned grocery stores during his 100 Days address, aiming to open by 2027 with roughly $30 million in capital funding. Aaron Rafferty April 12, 2026 Key Takeaways: During his April 12 "100 Days" address in Queens, Mayor Zohran Mamdani selected La Marqueta, a city-owned marketplace under the Park Avenue viaduct in East Harlem, as the site for the first of five planned municipal grocery stores. The administration plans to spend roughly $30 million on the La Marqueta location alone, with a target opening by the end of 2027 and all five stores, one in each borough, by the end of his first term in 2029. East Harlem was chosen based on need: nearly 38% of households in the neighborhood received SNAP in the past year and 59% cannot afford basic needs, according to the mayor's office. Mamdani announced the La Marqueta selection Sunday evening during his 100 Days celebration in Queens. Senator Bernie Sanders made a surprise appearance, walking on to "Back in Black" and praising the plan. The city will renovate the existing La Marqueta structure rather than build from scratch, using capital funds. The store is expected to open by end of 2027, with the remaining four to follow by end of term. "When corporations control every part of the food supply chain, prices go up, wages stay flat, and workers and customers both lose," Mamdani said. "That is why we are advancing a public option. One rooted in the belief that our city can and must intervene where the market has failed." La Marqueta was established by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in 1936 as a permanent home for pushcart vendors. At its peak it