Do It Anyway

In yet another unsolicited campaign mailing at $.46.5, Mr Feiner bemoaned the vacant store fronts throughout our Town on our commercial streets in Fairview. He continues on that that’s why many are pleased with the economic development on Rt 119 in the Fairview section of the Town. What he doesn’t mention is that his policies have helped to create the suburban blight we see in many sections of the Unincorporated portions of Greenburgh. And, in particular to the Fairview section of Town, he has purposely created a specific area within the Town that will always remain depressed by being choked with an over-abundance of those requiring assistance for the homeless, DSS, prison release re-entry, and others in distress and need. And, while we feel compassion for these people, perhaps Mr Feiner has avoided putting them in more affluent neighborhoods as a means to control votes?

The former Greenburgh Health Center on Rt 119, actually owned and run by a Mount Vernon, NY, based agency, has remained closed and unoccupied for several years now after moving into their newer and larger facility on Knollwood Road. The building remains just as lifeless in appearance as it had when it was being used. The difference now is there are fewer women with strollers and kids-in-tow trying to cross Rt 119 in a suicidal attempt to get to the other side as well as dodging vans pulling in and out with patients.

The Greenburgh Planning Board, with all its appointees approved by Mr Feiner and his Board, recently granted site approval to demolish three existing buildings in the area, including the Greenburgh Health Center in October 2016. Demolition of the site should begin in October 2016 and building construction completed in July 2017, when a new store, Harbor Freight plans to open. Apparently, with all of these vacant stores in our commercial areas, Mr Feiner was unable or unwilling to provide Harbor Freight with a suitable alternative and recycle/reuse existing buildings. And, while the former Joyce Lesley facility has been vacant for some time, they will be getting a facelift without a new or confirmed tenant. Might this have been a viable site for Harbor Freight?

Next in this campaign mailing was his confession that he has been unable to convince supermarkets to move into the area, while ABG believes he has been successful in making them leave. How? When Pathmark, owned by the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P) closed its doors, we spoke with a representative who said it was about the high cost of union personnel and the lowest of margins on their products coupled with high rates of theft. He continued that other stores in their chain had success with non-grocery items such as picnic sets, beach chairs etc., but that this particular store’s clientele did not have the spendable cash from which the others benefitted. Consequently, their low profits, theft, utility costs, taxes and fees made it impossible for them to continue at that location. As an aside and blame not cast on Mr Feiner, in the 1970’s the A&P Distribution Center on Warehouse Lane was closed in the north Elmsford section of Unincorporated Greenburgh with that operation transferred to a New Jersey facility in an effort to break the union. 

Now there are also discussions to raze the current housing off of Manhattan Avenue and create a new senior housing facility in its place if the Housing Authority can acquire the necessary funding. So, in classic Feiner-speak, this is not something that is going to happen, just be talked about. He also speaks of this housing being incorporated into a mixed-use development which would include a small supermarket. Not a bad idea, but with rents, taxes, fees, permits and health codes in abundance, anything small would probably not survive.

Another suggestion he made in tandem with creating a small supermarket is to have the Theodore Young Community Center create a training program for young people and out of work residents as to how to start and manage a business. This is also a good idea and need not be dependent on any of the above taking place. Although, Mr Feiner only suggests starting the program if there is a supermarket built with this senior housing. We are concerned that there are already too many programs run at the TYCC and they may be hard pressed to be able to accommodate another, no matter how good an idea it may be. Also at issue is what is required to start a business. There is a lot of paperwork involved and the need for money to proceed with permit fees, applications, incorporation, attorney and accounting services to name a few – can be staggering. While we understand that Mr Feiner is hoping to throw out many ideas in this campaign mailing and hope something “sticks”, his sincerity to create any of these is suspect if past performance is an indicator of future results. Start the business start-up program now and help those people before worrying about future funding, demolition and construction. Once we do, we’ll begin to see A Better Greenburgh.

Best Market Opens To Favorable Crowds

Mega supermarkets seem to be today’s norm. The Super Stop and Shop on Rt 119 near the borders of Elmsford and Tarrytown is the latest testimony of this. While it is certainly huge and offers a tremendous selection, there are days when you just need a few basics or just a bit “more”. The Apple Farm, also on Rt 119 nearer White Plains, is focused primarily on produce, fish and deli items, and always seems to be busy. H-Mart offers a more specified focus to the Asian community and it too is usually busy.

Sustaining what could be termed “regular” supermarkets in our area has proven to be a challenge at the very least for the A&P. Fraught with issues of sustainability and viability for years, the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company again filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for its Westchester (and then some) based stores. The A&P franchise included the brand names A&P, Food Emporium, Pathmark, Waldbaums and others. However, the stores at the crux of this bankruptcy were popular in our area and impacted many people when they were closed.

Smaller food retailers seem to thrive when focusing on a specific market. Turco’s in Hartsdale did well for years. After they decided to close and focus on the northern demographic, Morton Williams took over the space. Owned by ShopRite, with several stores of the same name in NYC, they never seemed to catch on as Turco’s had. Having a limited run, they soon closed as well. Finally, Mrs Green’s, a natural and health food store closed their smaller Scarsdale location and opened in this location. Alas, their fate was predetermined as the health food market was not a viable one at this new location.

After a quick makeover of the store, the new owner of the space, Best Market, stocked shelves, cleaned and put their touch onto the facade. They have not only moved into the same space as the previous food retailers, but they’ve made a great first impression! Visiting the store has seen lines at the cash registers as their new employees master the checkout systems. Assisted with senior personnel, the lines kept moving. Walking through the store found a good mix of reasonable prices as well as somewhat higher, although not prohibitive prices for certain items.

Everyone in the store seemed to enjoy that the staff was friendly and seemed interested in helping those looking for assistance. ABG staffers visited the deli department and were asked by a younger employee how we liked the store? Whether this was instructed to the staff or he was genuinely interested didn’t really matter. He came across as sincere and sparked a bit of a longer conversation. Regardless of why the conversation took place, he represented the store and his employer well!

Judging on the crowds, the positive chatter throughout the store and a varied selection with good pricing that should engage the neighborhood, we are hopeful for a long and prosperous run for Best Markets. It’s helping to make A Better Greenburgh.

Greenburgh Supermarket To Close In Hartsdale

There is no good news in Greenburgh when it comes to supermarkets. Predictably, we await Mr Feiner's daily GBList email stating there’s "Good News!" to deflect away from the declining supermarket population from the Town. We’ve written previously about businesses that find it difficult to operate in Greenburgh and of the mounting anti-business environment fostered by Mr Feiner and his Town Board. All of the various taxes, imposed under the guise of fees, registrations, permits, applications, etc., along with ordinances, regulations, and more during the 24 years of Mr Feiner's failed financial incompetence, it’s no wonder businesses cannot survive here. It’s paralleled by the residents’ exodus as well.

ABG has also written extensively about the disappearance of food stores throughout the Town. While some loss may certainly be attributed to internet sales as Mr Feiner will have you believe, most of the loss cannot. When ABG spoke to a Greenburgh A&P store manager under the promise of anonymity, he said that the increased and growing competition has forced smaller margins, the high cost of union labor in Westchester in general and the cost of doing business in Greenburgh with its regulations, fees, fines and intrusions, was forcing not only his store, but others in the same strip malls to close.

Based in Irvington, NY, the Mrs Green's chain of natural and health food supermarkets found a difficult time of it after closing their Central park Avenue store and moving into the former Turco's store. When Turco's closed, it created an area void in the Town for a slightly more upscale supermarket with attractive prices, high quality foods, pleasant employees and a seemingly genuine goal of providing excellent customer service. Primarily featuring Italian foods, they too closed based on a shifting demographic as well as increased costs.

After Turco’s closed, Pathmark on Central Park Avenue and Waldbaums in the Crossroads Shopping Center on Rt 119 followed suit. The A&P had only two stores left in the area: the one on Dobbs Ferry Road and the one on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. The Dobbs Ferry Road A&P has been purchased and reopened within two days as an Acme Supermarket. Soon, the Scarsdale A&P will be shuttered. Never known to miss an opportunity for publicity, Mr Feiner insisted he and his 24 years of increased fees and costs of doing business in Greenburgh had nothing to do with these stores’ demise. Once it was learned back then that Mrs Green would be taking over the former Turco’s, his media blitz began.

The final day of operation for Mrs Green's is November 12, 2015. Right from the beginning they have seemed to have a rough time of making the store successful. As a niche store, with what could only be seen as a limited offering and generally higher prices, they were competing with other area stores for the sales of some similar products at lower prices. While we're not trying to be critical of their business model, apparently their slight shift from the Scarsdale area to the current location, and the direct competition of H-Mart right next door, was too much to endure. Sadly, while the store’s management says it will try to find positions for its workers in their other locations, we're sure it’ll be a difficult time for many and wish them all well.

It has also been reported that Mrs Green’s was in arrears for approximately $900k with numerous outstanding advertising invoices as reported by the Journal News in 2014. In fact, the Journal News had a substantial amount of money owed to them for advertising. Perhaps if advertising in the Journal News was cost-effective, Mrs Green's might be staying. 

We hope there will be another food-related store to move into the soon to be vacated space. The area needs supermarkets and other retail business along Central Avenue in particular and the Town in general. It’s funny in a sad way. Mr Feiner continually green lights plans for his developer friends for carbon copy developments throughout the Town. Yet, these plans never include ideas that would help the Town’s residents, such as supermarkets. This has to change. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.