Photos by Elizabeth.
The supply of food and other goods at the D’Agostino on 91st Street and Columbus Avenue has been pretty sparse at various times over the past couple of months. Several readers have written in to ask what’s going on and show us pictures of the strange stocking patterns and bare shelves — “the shelves are emptying out, and are replaced on delivery day with brands that are not known in New York,” wrote one shopper.
D’Agostino is reportedly looking to sell its remaining stores, and it’s not yet clear if the company has found a buyer. The store on 110th street and Broadway did close earlier this year. But the one on Columbus isn’t going to close, D’Agostino Headquarters tells us. They had no explanation for the empty shelves, however: “The only thing you need to know is we’re not closing.”
A tenant who lives in the building above the store worries that an affordable supermarket won’t be able to stay in the space in the longer term. “We are a Mitchell-Lama, so they had a very good rent deal for a long time, it will be very difficult to get another supermarket to replace that store.”
“D’Agostino Headquarters tells us. They had no [sic] explanation for the empty shelves, however: ‘The only thing you need to know is we’re not closing.'”.
…they’re closing.
I went into the store today, and oh boy I don’t understand why they are not being more honest with the shopper’s. The staff is very
sparse and depressed, they are not being told
anything. Even the manager seems confused &
shell shocked. It is really gross, the products that they have are cheap and bad quality. At least Key Foods & Food Emporiam were more honest. The West Side Rag should do an article on the disappearing supermarkets on the UWS, so many seniors & no place to shop in the nabs.
Love the irony of the text on the sign in the mayo pic:
“Connect the dots!”
…and scene.
*end scene
Good riddance overpriced 80s store
there is a place for people to shop… online. That is the way of life in this day and city sorry if you don’t want to accept it.
Shopping online generates increased delivery traffic and pollution. Wouldn’t this be a significant problem?
The disappearance of neighborhood stores also has negative impact on the viability of the community in general. Hard to fathom lack of appreciation of one of Manhattan’s unique strengths – its walkable neighborhoods.
“…sorry if you don’t want to accept it.”
online or starve?
@Dannyboy: Do you actually shop at that D’Agostino’s? I can’t believe that you do.
I actually do, and have for 15 years. It’s the closest supermarket to where I live. But it is no bargain for shoppers on a budget, or necessarily for seniors. It’s not a great alternative for disabled persons either, as it is small and cramped, with displays often impeding the aisles.
It is poorly and inconsistently stocked, and always has been. They will carry a brand for a few weeks, and the POOF!… disappears, never to be seen again.
It is not competitively priced, save for the occasional manager’s special. Though I didn’t expect this to be the case, Whole Foods up the street has always consistently beaten D’Agostinos for price on a core of staple goods, and by a long shot. I have seen D’Agostino’s be triple the price, TRIPLE, on comparable items. That ain’t no bargain, Dannyboy.
There are and always have been some really nice employees there, and I hate to see anyone lose their job. At the same time, they have really high turnover among stockers and checkers, many of whom have poor attitudes and an absent sense of customer service. In recent years, they seem to have been chronically UNDERSTAFFED at peak busy times, making for long lines and impatience on both sides of the register. For years the store had a stomach-churning stench emanating from the meat department, and a haphazard sense of cleanliness overall, though this has improved somewhat in the last couple of years.
In short, the mere presence of a high-priced, poorly-stocked, intermittently hygienic grocery store with poor customer service does NOT serve the elderly, the disabled, or the budget-conscious. In fact, these are the very clientele who should and do want ‘something better’– something better that serves and meets their needs.
D’Agostino’s isn’t some one-store mom-and-pop operation either. They were a small, regional chain, who seem to have been overtaken by bigger players or out-competed by boutique and specialty grocers, and they have been slowly strangled out of existence over the last 7-10 years. This isn’t a yuppy conspiracy or a matter of indifference either. It is a failure (or an inability) to adapt to market forces and changing consumer behavior. The chain has run its course.
Yes, I hope something better comes into that space. No one should have to depend on a struggling chain as their primary source of groceries.
My brother and sister-in-law shop there. You have made a clear arguement for why closing D’Agistino is not a problem for you.
Yes. Starve or walk to the 15 other markets within walking distance to this Dags. Better make the right decision.
Unless they lived inside dags to begin with, they already had to walk.
Unless you want something to come to you, you have to walk. Hasn’t that always been the case since you moved here in 1954?
@UWS
It sounds like your all good with Jay’s commentaries on our elders:
“15 markets at are within easy walking/motorized scooter/crawling range of the dags.”
Jay, you are breaking my heart with your false accusations.
not
but you should try being truthful for your own good. Just helpin’
Ugh… UWS is right. You’re a complete and utter troll.
I will heed the advice and stop feeding you and your ridiculous, non-sensensical statements. You and your multiple-pseudonym posts make this site hard to stand. Thankfully, there are others that have the capacity to have a conversation.
Jay, is that your new low standard for impacting people that are dependent on neighborhood resources, that if they ain’t dead when it’s done, then go ahead?
I have noticed that you used similar arguements to dismiss supporters of the Church. And again for supporters of trees in Roosevelt Park.
Time to stop feeding the troll, Jay
danny,
As has been said three times now, anyone can walk to one of the 15 markets at are within easy walking/motorized scooter/crawling range of the dags.
Did anyone die from Food City closing? That should be easy to answer, even for you.
@Jay,
Sorry to hear of your numb mind, but it is your heart that I am trying to appeal to.
Read the 10 Comments about why people need supermarkets (and why you don’t). Here’s one for starters from iris Agar:
“But, we still have many, many
seniors in the nab… in their
80’s & 90’s on walkers and canes & are used to a store near by.”
“How about the needs of the elderly, disabled, not-so-rich & not-so-much-time or paid staff at their disposal.”
They can walk to the 15 other markets within walking distance, just like they walked to D’ags! Why so obtuse?
Your concern-trolling is mind-numbing.
@Jay
You need to follow along: The convention used here is Comment, Reply,Reply…newComment (numbered for ease of use).
In this thread the Comment and Reply were:
5.there is a place for people to shop… online. That is the way of life in this day and city sorry if you don’t want to accept it.
Reply
dannyboy says:
July 14, 2016 at 8:15 am
“…sorry if you don’t want to accept it.”
online or starve?
Another “Boys Boys” who wants something BETTER. How about the needs of the elderly, disabled, not-so-rich & not-so-much-time or paid staff at their disposal.
When you write: “Grocery stores come and go. Something else will replace it, probably something better.” You must know that there will be NO replacement supermarket for the people who depend on one.
Better for you, perhaps?
@Jay and Danny: Boys, boys….you’re BOTH pretty!
But my concern would indeed be for anyone dependent on that D’Agostino’s: high prices, poor service, questionable hygiene.
Grocery stores come and go. Something else will replace it, probably something better. Difficult to be worse.
So, did people starve when Food City or any other grocery store closed?
Take responsibility for your rhetoric, danny.
@Jay, No ” inability to adapt ” here. As I have Commented repeatedly, my food mostly comes from Farmer’s Markets and often farms (last weekend I visited an eco-farm in Hudson and stocked up on things from organic fig olive oil to raw milk). Tomorrow, I will do my marketing at the 97 Street Greenmarket).
Believe it or not (and I know it is a stretch for you to imagine concern for others) my concern is for those dependent on the supermarket.
I’m well aware of that. I’m also well aware that there are many other markets within easy walking distance.
Things change. Businesses come and go. Those who have lived here a long time know that better than most. Food City closed a few years back. Did people starve then?
Your hyperbolic statement makes it seem like people don’t have any choices, when in fact there are many. Your inability to adapt isn’t the norm for anyone.
I do walk everywhere, because I am fit and healthy. You must know that others are less mobile than we. Be considerate and give them a chance.
Make ’em walk!
That’s the neighborhood spirit!
The employees at Essentials Plus told me emphatically that they weren’t closing, three weeks before they held their closing sale.
They have to say that. Otherwise you’d stop shopping there and what merch is left would go unsold.
Couldn’t they just announce a final clearance sale?
I live right across the street and every time I go in that store, it’s a frustrating experience.Even before the obvious issues that you see now, they always seemed to have a problem with consistent stocking of shelves. I can’t count the number of times I walked out having found none of the items on my list muttering to myself “just close already”.
They had the best deals and discounts especially for the Spanish familiea who shopped there on 110th in Manhattan Valley. The higher end stores were always mobbed with Columbia students and no discounts.
The few times I shopped at Dag at 110, the regular prices, at least, seemed higher than even Gristedes (!)
Don’t know about the sales.
It’s not just the West Side stores. I couldn’t buy salt at the one on 76 Street and Lexington Avenue. The shelves were just as empty.
Exact same happening at their York Ave/ E 80th location. I agree with you @Colcircle to some degree. In the York/E 79 area there are a lot of older folks who really need a local place to shop. I feel bad that they’ll now need to walk two Avenues to get to Morton Williams. We’ve already lost the East End Gristedes due to high rent. Hopefully another grocer will move in fast. It’s been months and the shelves get more and more empty.
I lived on 78th and York for 10 years and know that Dag’s well. Sorry to hear it’s closing. I know there’s a large senior population there and they were having a tough time with all the changes in the neighborhood. Is the Cherokee post office still open?
“I agree with you @Colcircle to some degree.”
But, as Mark and others have pointed out, many rely on an “80s store” for the grocery shopping.
This is a problem created by inflated real estate prices, not a change in the online.
I miss their old advertising jingle “Please Mr. D’Agostino move closer to me!” – it was very catchy
“Love that D’Agostino with that Dag, Dag bag, Love that D’Agostino…Love those apples, love those peaches…So please, Mr. D’Agostino, move closer to me!”
Anyone remember more of the words?
I went up to the Manager and was like are you closing? He said he was sorry for the shelves being so empty and that there was a problem with the shipments they are receiving. They are only receiving smaller shipments which makes you wonder why?
I hear that Key Foods might be interested in buying the D’Agostino remaining stores & the
name. Morton Williams & Key Foods are the
last supermarket chains of that type that are very solvent. The box stores are killing neighborhood stores even in Manhattan.
Key Foods did a horrible job with their store on Amsterdam and 90th…it closed in a matter of months.
Living on 92nd, Dag is a good bet when I do not want to walk up to Whole Foods, which I’m liking less and less because of their insanely high prices. Recently after seeing very empty shelves in D’agostino I blew it off and went to one of my favorite shops; The Corner Book Store on 93rd and Madison, and then just walked south coming up somewhat surprised at Morton Williams on Mad and 87th. Went in, found a mostly empty of customers, found all my products at fairer prices, and some nice surprises including a freshly prepared Cornish Hen for $4.99. Enjoyed the stroll around the Reservoir on the walk back to the UWS. May have found my new place till Trader Joe’s opens on 93rd and Columbus…
You walked across the park with your groceries?
I scrolled down and read all the comments posted by nabs – “tis true that times are changing. But, we still have many, many
seniors in the nab, and they are not all
tech savvy – some don’t even own a computer.
Online shopping is foreign to them – in their
80’s & 90’s on walkers and canes & are used to a store near by.
less seniors & supermarkets…..more bike lanes & Jacob pickles
Not only are the shelves empty at the 91st street location, but it’s more soulless than usual. They need to cut the cord and close already. Can’t wait for TJ’s to open!
Gristedes at 40-42 East End Avenue and 81st is open until the 16 July. However they are closing not due to high rents but because the building was sold and new owners are tearing it down for redevelopment. Luxury condos are the plan.
East End Kitchen will soon close as well for that same reason as they are in same building.
As for DAG both UES (York and Lexington Avenues) stores are nearly devoid of stock and have been so for weeks. You also no longer see bales of cardboard shipping boxes awaiting collection each night either. That means these stores are not receiving regular deliveries of goods.
Couple of theories:
To avoid potential political involvement and or community backlash the D’agostino family is waiting until plans are firm for either a sale, takeover or bankruptcy before making any announcements.
This or they are attempting to line up financing and until that happens things are going to be rather tight. For some time now many vendors have been refusing to ship to DAG stores without payment before or at delivery due to a prolonged history of late/slow payments on invoices.
The shelves are just as bare at the D’Agostino store on 54th and 10th Avenue. It’s definitely a wrap.
BB or JellyBelly, who’s got it figured?
As I see it, BB’s lays out 4 ways it’ll go, that makes for a real detailed analysis. JellyBelly’s got one: curtains(‘it’s definitely a wrap’).
5 possible outcomes. Who’s betting?
I miss the Dag’s on 110th street terribly…always enjoyed shopping there. We are losing important grocers.
“Cherokee post office still open?”
Yes, it is still there. Not much has changed on York Avenue below 86th Street *yet*. OTOH East End is a hot bed of new construction. As is many other parts of the UES/Yorkville. Blame it on the Second Avenue Subway..
The D’Agostino family is quite large, but you wonder if any of the grand-kids or great-grand kids have the belly to run what is left of the once great supermarket chain.
What was once 26 stores is now down to about nine. Costs are going up while margins are down all this against a backdrop of changing New York City demographics.
BB, thanks for the update! Good to know that Cherokee is still there. That part of the neighborhood, with the park/pool, and library as well, is like a private haven for some people. I’ve been over to 84th and 2nd a few times I but got so frustrated with the subway construction that I didn’t go any further. Will definitely have to take a look at EEA.
“The only thing you need to know is . . .?”
Who exactly does their PR?
Sounds like a financially distressed company, struggling to pay vendors. No credit, no inventory. No inventory, no customers. No customers, no business. No business, no tenant. No tenant —–> New tenant.
The best things D’Agostinos are the Amazon lockers. The most overpriced supermarket in NYC.