Press Statement

Statement from Economic Security Project on Mayor Mamdani’s plan to open a city-owned grocery store

04. 13. 2026

“By opening the city’s first public grocery store, NYC has taken a powerful step toward making life more affordable for New Yorkers. We’ve seen local leaders experiment with this model to bring fresh, affordable food to neighborhoods in St. Paul, KS, Atlanta, GA and Venice, IL, and we are excited for its promise. 

We applaud Mayor Mamdani for revitalizing this idea, which has long history in NYC. His plan to engage a private vendor builds on the city’s successful Public Retail Markets that anchor commercial development and revitalization: creating jobs, generating tax revenue, and capturing local dollars. 

The investment in La Marqueta in our nation’s largest city is a reminder of what’s possible, both for NYC and for localities across the country. It’s also a fresh alternative to the playbook of providing tax breaks to corporations that often abandon communities after the dollars dry up. As a public option and direct investment in local infrastructure, municipal grocery stores like East Harlem’s, St. Paul’s, Venice’s and Atlanta’s can guarantee communities have the basic essentials: fresh groceries, cost savings for families, and sustained investment in the neighborhood.”