The Fairway elevator is getting rebuilt, ending years of slow, crowded ascents and descents to and from the organic food, cafe and soap on the second floor. But what of the friendships made in those tight quarters?
“Holy cow! That elevator is an opportunity for conversation-it’s so slow. I’ll miss that,” Lisa Gurley exclaimed.
Thanks to Tim Daniel Bernard for the photo.
I actually enjoyed the ride — it was a time-out from Fairway chaos — and extremely quiet!!
Does Fairway’s own the two buildings that it occupies at B’way and 74th?
Yes
So that gives them a real competitive edge. They’re not vitims to sky-rocketing rents.
Fairway is a descent into hell.
Slow and creaky it may be, BUT it beats the Trader Joe’s elevator hands-down, viz.:
1) It is user-controlled and has an indicator telling the user which floor it is on (or stuck at), unlike TJ’s which is operator-controlled, has no indicator so you never know how long your wait will be, AND is always filled with at least 4 nannies and/or mommies pushing double-wide strollers plus seniors pushing walkers/folding grocery-carriers.
2) Fairway NEVER makes users wait as does Trader Joe’s, where every so often some “team-member” has to wrestle a string of 10 to 15 shopping carts THROUGH the elevator on the middle level while shoppers watch and fume (actually they are luckier as they can SEE why they’re being delayed, which is NOT true for their counterparts on the floors above or below).
3) Fairway is cute, old-school, and offers an amazing and surprising variety while Trader Joe’s is beginning to feel like a Costco.
I avoid Fairway at all costs. TJ employees are FAR more friendly in my experience and much quicker to help me out and pack bags incredibly efficiently. The lines at both stores can be insane but I choose TJ hands down for price and atmosphere.
By like Costco I take it you mean 1/3 to 1/2 the price of Fairway or Westside Market. Or perhaps you mean that the employees don’t bark at you like you are cheating spouse. Or you might mean that there is not a thick layer of industrial grime covering everything. Please clarify.
The employees at Fairway are not jerks, why do people say that? They are among the best service providers in this city, especially when you consider that they have to deal with jerks all day long.
WATCHA BACK!! WATCHA BACK!!
Sometimes — those rare times I’ll even go into Fairway — I think that’s their official sound system.
But it’s also true that the patrons are almost uniformly horrible (“jerks”) as well. Pushy, hostile, seemingly the worst of the “Me First”ers who have taken over this neighborhood. What in heaven’s name is so important about that container of milk?
All in all it is an arena of the rude, by the rude and for the rude. I avoid it at all costs; it just isn’t worth the hassle.
You say such funny things, Cato!
Huh?
I dislike the “Me Firsters” because of their attitude, regardless of age, regardless of income.
I’m not sure about your generational counting, but I’ve lived here a bunch of years. “Above” something? No, I just respect others, and unfortunately there’s just not much of that around anymore.
Why am I not surprised you don’t understand that?
HA – that’s even more funny, Cato! So you have even less reason to complain about the “Me Firsters” (less of an age gap, less of an earnings gap) and yet you still do. So I guess you are one of the second (third, fourth? fifth?) waves of “original” Upper West Siders that are just above all of this, right?
Leeza — not sure what set your imagination off, but I’ve never mentioned (and didn’t do so here) any age limit. Not sure who you’re confusing me with, but in fact I’m under 65 and work for a living. I just prefer to buy milk for my family *outside* the battle zone.
Want to try another, different ad hominem response?
OH CATO, always complaining about how awful people below the age of 65 are (how dare we live here and not be on fixed incomes)…
How about this? The rudest people in the store – in my approximation – are those OVER 65! I’ve never been pushed and hissed at so many times in my life! But I’m sure it’s my fault for just entering the dingy, yet hallowed halls of the original Fairway to pick up some milk for my family…
Are you kidding? Have you been to the fish counter?
I resent that comparison 🙂
Costco is so much better than TJs.
Any estimate of when it will be done?
Wow, Fairway management actually putting money back into the business. Someone buy me a lotto ticket. Somehow I have a feeling some Fairway bigwig got stuck in the thing. I can’t imagine any other reason they would ever actually do something for their customers.
Maybe the rats demanded it.
I never minded the Fairway elevator.
I never got into the whole Trader Joes mindset. You can find some bargains here and there but the quality and selection is much inferior to Fairway.
Take the stairs
Where is the elevator anyway? I’ve been in that store a few times but have never noticed an elevator or staircase.
I had a man almost punch me in the face on that tight elevator because I asked him not to pin my child against the wall as he backed into the elevator, he didn’t like that. This is needed.
Our fairway was the first. They then went on to build CLEAN Spacious new stores everywhere else. No attention was ever paid to us-THEN fairway went public. The prices went up-the quality went down (awful rolls +odd recipes-greasy chicken) and still the store is chaos
And unpleasant. Sorry but a new elevator doesn’t even begin to solve all the problems. We Love the Westside Market-great rolls-great food-good service.
Is it not just perhaps the mindset of the typical Fairway customer in this neighborhood which greatly adds to the chaos? There is a sense of entitlement that is beyond belief and the older they are the more them come into the store to go to war. Plus all the fruit is huge. What’s up with dat?
Shock and awe!
They’re not rebuilding the existing elevator – they’re adding a brand new one that will be BIG and faster, they told me. But the old one will remain for backup. Thank goodness! sd
Can the elevator be widened? Probably not.
Instead of fixing the elevator, how about putting in an escalator! That would make it much faster to get up and down.
It would be bad for business to put in an escalator. In this neighborhood, if they had a power failure they’d have too many customers stranded on the escalator waiting to be rescued.
That’s something I never thought would happen! Happily it is. What a blessing to the waiting mob!
An escalator easier with a cart???
Yes, similar to Trader Joe’s! Works perfectly and much quicker then the elevator!!!
If you have a basket, please take the stairs. It’s lazy and inconsiderate sans a medical reason.
Please be prepared to present your medical documentation before boarding the elevator.
Good one.Don’t judge, not every disability is obvious. I’m not a senior but I have Rheumatoid Arthritis which is very painful, but it’s not visible to the naked eye. I had a woman on the bus tell me I shouldn’t be sitting because it was for seniors & the disabled. Next time I’ll carry a note from my doctor.
The new one will probably be just as slow, if not slower. They have to maintain their image of “the customer always comes last, and we mean last.”
Just have to defend Fairway. Even with the changes after they went public, it’s the best damn market in the city.