A new grocery store opened on Sunday in the former home of Saigon Grill on 90th street and Amsterdam Avenue.
Key Fresh & Natural, part of the Key Food family (the freshest Key Food of all), has a full range of produce, a beer case, a deli counter and packaged goods. It’s opening in an area that has several markets, from Food Emporium on Broadway and 90th, to D’Agostino on 91st and Columbus, to Barzini’s on 91st and Broadway (not to mention the other Key Foods on 86th and Amsterdam). But it’s a pretty dense area and can probably support another supermarket.
Philip, who shopped there on opening day, said that they were still setting up the beer case and fish counter, but the produce and deli items were more impressive than the Key on 86th (although the prices appear to be higher).
The Key Foods on 86th is an absoulute dump.
I have seen roaches crawling in the bread bins in the key food on 86th and Amsterdam
well, three cheers for affordable food.
no?
Is this not a good thing?
Great news for the neighborhood. Welcome!
Yikes, another glorified bodega. Hey Wegman’s, when you comin’ to the city?
Higher prices…that’s all the information I needed to know!!!
I will be spending my money at Trader Joes thank you.
There is NOTHING like spending $60 and coming out with 3 Full Grocery Bags!!!!
Trader Joe’s a major multinational (actually German owned) company.. they also own Aldi – there is one in East Harlem and Queens.
Just saying’
I find it interesting that the City Govt allows certain big boxes while the politically incorrect Walmart is barred – which denies jobs and affordable food (super walmart) to our residents who need them both the most.
It is interesting how they consider some corporations to be “good” and others “bad” for no apparent reason. Inconsistent at best and hypocritical at worst.
There are lots of supermarkets, but there aren’t any reasonably-priced ones! We don’t need another expensive place that justifies high prices with the fact that it’s “fresh and natural.” Hell, even their unfresh and regular stuff at the 86th & Amsterdam Key Foods is overpriced.
I was there this afternoon and there’s not much that impressed me. No different than Food Emporium for the most part.
Their produce section is very nice however there is a lack of anything organic for those that are looking for that sort of selection.
The meat department has a run of the mill selection, the beef didn’t look especially appealing, however this is only day 2, they’re not fully setup yet. Same goes for the fish, they only had a few fillets of salmon and some raw shrimp.
I’ll give it a few weeks until they’re setup before going back.
They Key Foods on 85th Street is great. When I go to the supermarket, I want low prices, and the Key Foods on 85th regularly provides. Their sales are frequent and substantial. The staff is friendly and the place feels like a family. I really hope it does not close.
I agree, Brock.
I’m glad for the new store, across from an area where many seniors live, by the way, who can get fresh food for (hopefully) good prices. But I also shop at the Key Food on Amsterdam and 85th/86th because of the low prices. It is typically clogged with people who are older (slower) or using walkers, but its produce is good (where nearby can you get plantains?) and there are often good specials on staples like Fage yogurt. They lack organic meat for the most part, which is too bad.
But to save money, for me it’s been Fairway or Key Food.
We shop at Key Food on 86th pretty often. I am not interested in paying for a nice view when I shop. As long as the merchandise is fresh, clean, and uncontaminated, I am good. Even with the sales, they are overpriced, but better than most others around here. Western Beef has the best prices in Manhattan for me–it’s just a bit out of the way. I started using Peapod.com until I found out the Shoprite in New Rochelle delivered here. Their prices (and selection) are much better than Peapod, and are identical to the circular and store prices. If they are out of something, they will call and ask what you want them to do, which is so much better than planning a meal and discovering that you don’t have your main ingredient upon delivery. They did jack up the delivery fees, but occasionally send a promo code for $20 off my order, which makes it more cost effective.
I stopped by the “new Key Foods” on 90th and Amsterdam today and was pretty impressed. It was a bit tricky to navigate (chalk it up mostly to unfamiliarity), but the prices appeared to be fair and there was a good selection of products, especially the produce.
It seemed like a more fairly priced Westside Market; I’m happy for this addition to the neighborhood.
Have to agree with you. I was skeptical given the number of supermarkets right near by (and frankly would much rather welcome the return of Saigon Grill, perhaps with a dash of worker’s rights this time), but there is a thorough selection and the prices are (relatively) reasonable. It’ll be interesting to see how it performs.
Can’t you people ever be happy for anything. It’s a food store. If you don’t like it don’t go.
All fine and good. But we need a supermarket in the 60’s!
Dream on, asking for a supermarket in the West 60’s. How do you think any grocery store could pay those rents. The profit margin on supermarkets is dismal, something like 1/2 of 1% in the best circumstances.
On a related note, every time I walk from my home on 74th St. to City Diner, Manhattan Diner, or Metro Diner (far and away the best diners on the UWS), I ask the managers when they might find another space on the West 70s. (They used to be on 77th and Broadway until about 5 years ago.) Every time I ask, the manager laments, that they would love to be back in the West 60’s or West 70s, but cannot possibly see where they could afford the rent.
They need to fine tune, Organic bell peppers were priced higher than Whole Foods and my favorite was the $18.00 (not organic) 4 pound uncooked whole chicken. Then again, maybe they know what they are doing. People clearly do their complete weekly shopping that hell-hole of expired food and owner- rudeness known as, Barzini of so this can only be a step-up.
Interesting on the price comparison with Whole Foods. I’ve done the same thing – looking at price at the shit holes like Gristedes and then WF. Very little difference. And the quality at WF is always better.
I don’t know how big a difference it makes but I believe that many of Gristedes’ employees are unionized whereas Whole Foods’ are not (as far as I know)….WF probably also has a much lower cost of capital (interest rates other sources of funding) than Gristedes…and can use their non-NY stores to help support the NY stores. It is amazing how much less expensive WF generally is on dairy for example.
I have been living on the UWS for over 26 years and still CAN NOT afford the D’Agostino’s or Gristides’ prices! I usually end up shopping in the East side and cabbing it over, or go to Associated on 97 and Amsterdam and drag myself through the tiny lanes. As a Latina, you can’t find certain products we like to use to make some traditional dishes, and I am hoping that this new Key Food will sell more variety for different nationalities. Everything keeps going up, except the wages, and I certainly need to stretch that dollar!
I avoid the 97th st associated like the plague..first off if you compare their sales with the ones posted in the newspaper or on associated web site,this stores sales price is always higher..the associated on 100th st and manh ave always has honest sales price posted from newpaper or web site….also I wouldnt but any meat from them unless you like brown meat…..
Every Friday morning I gather up all the new circulars posted on line to see the weeks sales. Pathmark on 125th is great, but not a place to go for 1 or 2 items, good for bulk shopping. Food Emporiums & Gristedes on B/way 96th has ridiculous prices, Dag’s 91st on Amsterdam I think is a little better with their sales. I’m hoping Key Foods has US “fresh fish” (not frozen/pre-packaged) at reasonable prices. I’m hoping.
I like the logistics. I live at 94th/Columbus, where we still mourn our closed Food City that was just steps away. Best all-round substitute is Associated 97th/Amsterdam. But it is a long uphill slog with a full cart. This Key Food is about the same distance but a gentler slope up to Columbus. I will try it.
Agree about the 86th street Key…I occasionally have a look, but leave wanting to de-lice. I live closest to D’ags, but their prepared foods are a disgrace and I always seem to get stuck for twenty minutes behind some woman arguing over whether or not her bag of Sun Chips are on sale…they just can’t seem to move the check out line at a reasonable speed. I was looking forward to this new Key, but, so far, I’m underwhelmed. Color me jaded from years of food shopping outside of NYC…AKA America….ginormous Wegmans where you need a golf cart.
I shopped there today. Staff seems very eager to please which was sweet (some of them are clearly new to this, but I’ll be patient given their positive attitude). Hope the place stays as clean as it is. Definitely a positive, needed add to this nabe. I wouldn’t walk into Associated or Food City and try to avoid Dag and FE.
I loved! the produce is fresh!so happy is already open
I tested this place out today and I was somewhat surprised how nice it was, this place is clearly not a regular Key Food.They had a descent selection of Organic products and surprisingly they had a Great Kosher selection, they had more Kosher products then most of the Kosher Markets in the area.They still seem to be bringing in new products and they even had free delivery for me. I must say I do miss Saigon Grill, but at least it was replaced with a nice Market. I believe one of the owners actually walked me around the store, that was definitely a nice touch.
We have been waiting for months for this store to open…right across the street on Amsterdam and 90th St. Boy, is this Key Foods worth the wait! The customer service is superb. If they don’t have what we’re looking for, they order it…and it’s there in a few days. Everything is fresh. The store manager David and deli manager Chris make our lives so much easier. We are in heaven.
9/26/14 Just got home this evening to find a stack of dumped plastic bagged KEY promotion flyers on my stoop!
I can’t think of any way of alienating a community more than littering on our brownstones! If anything, it’s a manner of lighting the boycott fuse in our area.
Apparently, KEY is clueless when it comes to responsible marketing, like direct mail or ad placements in our local community newspaper(s).
If you’re a responsible UWS resident you’ll avoid KEY and their litter dumping marketing.
Do not shop here!! My husband was pushed out by a bunch of Grocery Thugs out of the store because he wanted a price adjustment on a juice that was on sale. From the Managers (spanish guys) to the Cashier girls (most), to the girl behind the Customer Service desk, all rude. I tried calling the corporate office and the owner of the store never returned my call.
I noticed the store closed down already, what happened?