New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s city-owned grocery store is coming with a hefty price tag.
The store will be built in East Harlem’s longstanding La Marqueta, costing taxpayers a whopping $30 million as it will need to be built from the ground up. This is one of Mamdani’s campaign promises, and the location will operate under a rent- and tax-free agreement. This will allow the store to offer groceries at a lower price than privately-owned competitors in the area, who fear the establishment may affect their businesses.
Abdul Shaher is one such neighbor, according to The New York Post, and he’s already concerned about the proposed store’s efficiency, given its massive price tag.
“How can they manage something like that? A small supermarket?” he laughed.
Manhattan Institute’s Adam Lehodey noted that a store of the proposed size, 25,000 square feet, should cost about half of the amount announced.
“Thirty million dollars for one store is exceptionally high, considering land prices are a significant part of the capital costs of new construction, and the city has announced that rents will be waived,” he pointed out.
This is just one of five city-owned stores that Mamdani has proposed, which is believed will cost taxpayers $70 million. While the La Marqueta location is the first to be announced, officials clarified that other grocers will be opened earlier.
“Another grocery will be opened by the end of this year, with all five ready for shoppers by the end of Mamdani’s first term in 2029, the officials said,” The Post reported. “Mamdani’s administration is currently scouring the city for locations that don’t require a full ground-up build, officials said.”
Muslim Democrat NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is planning to open the first of his “Free” city-owned grocery stores in East Harlem next year.
The communist takeover of NYC is in full swing pic.twitter.com/yeCH6lW5oY
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 13, 2026
X users weighed in:
This guy has ZERO IDEA what the F he’s doing
-The city will run out of money after stocking the shelves for a month
-If EBT users were bitching about losing the right to buy junk food
-Imagine the uproar of freeloading mooches who can no longer get free groceries— Fish-Flash70817 (@FFlash70817) April 13, 2026
Soviet state run grocery store.
pic.twitter.com/tVnTumk7j7
— MAGA Oldguy_54 (@oldestguy72) April 13, 2026
I give it losing money the first year, and shut down by the second unless they put a huge influx of cash, which will happen every year until is no longer viable because the fraud will strip it of any self sustaining ability.
— Phantom Velocity Vortex (@AFalkenhau27784) April 13, 2026
Get ready for bread lines!
I think I’ll sell tickets to watch
— Pat Buchanimal (@Churchjack_) April 13, 2026
Like the old saying goes, ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.
— Clifford D Cat
(@manch_david) April 13, 2026
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