Associated Supermarket

After picking out items to buy, in spite of how over crowded and less than spotless this dirty dive was, I noticed a man following me from aisle to aisle… while at the front. When I got on line to pay, he wedged himself between the wall and the cashier. He noticed my intense glare and asked me «what? «I said that’s what I’d like to know what? He then says oh no I’m just watching. I said yes I’m watching you watching me. I paid and left, but it didn’t sit well, so I doubled back in and asked for my money back. I refuse to feel uncomfortable and spend money at the same time. Shame shame shame.
Need I add that I believe I was profiled?

I live a block away so it’s convenient and its easier on the pocketbook versus Whole Foods… Okay, so you can see from the pictures that I would never, EVER buy meat here… Of course there are people who do, and I’ve seen them do it repeatedly (neighbors and such) and obviously they didn’t die from consuming it, but I personally wouldn’t touch it.
Additionally the back right corner of the store has a really awful chemical odor… I don’t know if it’s the cleaner they use (the smell is limited only to that area but it doesn’t make sense because that would mean they only clean that area, eww). It’s like bleach, ammonia, and something overripe all at once. The freezer contains a lot of old, expired ice cream (be cautious and always check the expiration date) and other frozen sweets/​food with bad freezer burn… So I don’t buy my ice cream from them anymore.
Aside from that, their dry and canned goods are decent, the fruits a veggies are pretty cheap, through you have to dig around for ones that are fresh and not so bruised up. Since I live so close, it’s not really a problem since I can see when their delivery guy arrives and I’ll do my shopping as soon as they unload to get the good stuff. With bruised fruit comes fruit flies so in the summer it gets really annoying. Their rice, canned goods, some refrigerated items, and a few cleaning supplies cost less versus the nearby Duane Reade or Whole Foods.
All in all, I can’t complain. Once I bought Greek yogurt and noticed that it had already expired the day before I bought it and they didn’t give me any fuss when I came back to exchange it. Perfect place to get some snacks and last minute stuff.

This is more of a glorified bodega than «supermarket.» But I will go here before I go to the one on Amsterdam for most things. If only because it’s never crowded. And I’ll give you that bleach smell in the chicken end of the meat «department» is disturbing, but I haven’t gotten sick yet!
But f.y.i. — cans of beans and chick peas are cheaper at Whole Foods. Crazy, right? The more you know…

Ratty fruit and veggie stand line the sidewalk, marginally clean, icecream that has melted and been refrozen, dry goods with bugs in them, bad smelling odors from butchery, overripe and bad produce, old tattered Easter etc. banners, an eyesore on W.100^th Street, pigeon poop in the underside of the awning. We deserve better.
We are held hostage to it being the only traditional supermarket in the neighborhood.

Fantastic grocery store! Well-​stocked, fresh inexpensive produce, and great weekly specials. You can really come here with your entire grocery list (produce, dry goods, cleaning supplies) and get everything. I was looking for several specific things for a recipe, and a wonderful employee helped me track down every last item.
And MAJOR PLUS: they had all my favorite flavors of my Greek yogurt brand and on sale!