New York Loses Supermarkets to Gentrification

This sort of thing makes me stinkin' mad and pushes me ever closer to socialism (mostly joking). It seems that all of these new condos that few can afford are destroying yet another key aspect of city living, the locally-owned supermarket. Not every neighborhood can attract Whole Foods, but it seems like every neighborhood can attract the bulldozers, leaving the poorer residents without anywhere to shop, as the fancy-schmancy well-to-do order Freshdirect.com online.

This follows news of the slow-but-steady demise of the laundromat as well - at least in Manhattan. All these negative changes seem to send the message, "you are not welcome" unless you make seven figures and have millions to spend on a new condo. I cannot even imagine what fate will befall Sunnyside, Queens, my neighborhood. Condos are appearing here and there, but the neighborhood remains decidedly old world. I have more than four laundries within five minutes of my house, as well as a Key Food, Associated, and Foodtown. Just 15 minutes away is a large Stop & Shop along with a Pathmark. Not the fanciest neighborhood, but at least neighborhood amenities are still available to me.

This brings to mind something that used to be inherently American: competition breeds vitality. Without competition, New York will become a very dull place, with some bodegas hanging on, plus a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's every few blocks. At least the Freshdirect.com trucks will have to pay congestion pricing. This all makes me wonder: in a few decades, what kind of "city" will New York even be?