Homage to E&I Deli, the sole grocer at Vernon/Jackson
E & I Deli, Vernon Blvd @ 50th Ave, Hunters Point
If you’ve been reading this blog for five minutes, you know that there’s a grocery store issue… as in we don’t have one. And I’m tired of hearing that C-town counts as a grocery store. Fine, technically C-town is in Hunters Point, but if you live in Queenswest or Vernon/Jackson, two of the other sub-neighborhoods of HP (which is a sub-nabe in and of itself), that C-town is as far away, if not further than The Garden in Greenpoint. Or really, let’s just leave it at that it’s far away. And my question is: is it a good grocery store? It’s too far for me - I just go to The Garden, lug my groceries from the city, or I go to the E&I Deli, aka the Korean deli on Vernon.
Surprisingly, E&I has a really savvy buyer. The deli is definitely stocked with some ‘yuppie’ vittles. You know, overpriced and organic. It also has a great selection of Asian foods as well… which is very much in line with the theme of our burgeoning restaurant scene.
Thank you E&I deli. If it weren’t for you, we’d have to walk the 5000 miles to C-town (aka 15 minutes).
GIDS=Grocery immune deficiency syndrome
I have been living in this area for over a year. and there have been so much talk about having a grocery store. there are still rumors about Amish market or whole food in east coast 2 . but wishes not always come true.
Last night after I walked 4 blocks to c town to my dismay it was closed at 7:30pm.
I should know better and I should have called before.
The E&I Deli is over priced and you have no other choice but to buy from them. Of course you can do Fresh direct with their minimum selections and high$$$.
It is a major issue and not sure if something will be done about it soon.
Maybe some of the prices will go down when we get a grocery store for real. Healthy competition, you know? I’m not holding my breath (for the new store or the lower prices) and I agree that it’s overpriced… but still it saves my ass in a pinch on a regular basis. Oy.
C-Town 4eva. I am taking up their cause because of the myth that there’s “no grocery store” in LIC when that place has pretty much everything (and a oddly huge selection of weird European grainy bread products). A whole 15 minutes? Oh boo hoo. I walk to Vern-Jax for nightlife, you can walk this way if you want a bigger food selection.
Actually, if you live at Vern-Jax and want swank food, why not go one stop to Grand Central Market? That place is posh as hell… a lot easier than walking/biking to Greenpoint (way further than C-Town, come on).
I been to E&I once and found it way tiny. A lot better than Y&K or whatever it’s called now (seriously, that place is nasty)… the “salad bar” that smells like flies?
Where or what is Y&K?
And C-Town or the place in Greenpoint are such a short walk it’s not even funny how lazy people are these days. No wonder there’s an obesity epidemic!
This is New York…EVERYONE loves to walk, except the newbie Midwestern hipsters wannabe-NY’ers .
Oh and E&I are pricey b/c their rent is insane. Because their landlord charges an arm and a leg because the area is finally getting developed. And just like the overpriced condos that people buy, the groceries are overpriced b/c people are willing to pay that price.
Y&K is that real gross bodega that’s open all night at 45 Av and 21 St.
“c-town 4eva” hahaha - I have to admit I’ve never been to that c-town. I’ve been to *other* c-towns and that’s why I never bother with the one at 21st St. I’ve also been to the Trade Fair out in As(t)lic, at 24th St & 36th Ave, and that’s about on par with the c-town.
15 mins is a long walk with groceries. It’s not a long walk without - definitely not by NYC standards.. and maybe the solution is a luggable cart. NO. The solution is an actual, real grocery store in Vernon/Jackson or Queenswest. How’s that for being more specific?
Fair enough. Depending on how much you buy at one time, it could be quite a lug. I’ve only got a block, admittedly, but yeah, I’d be using my cart if I went all the way to Vern-Jax for groceries and was buying a decent amount. You could always take the 7. But if you are on the train anyway, may as well ride it to somewhere bigger/fancier I suppose?
I’m just glad we’ve established what is/isn’t Hunters Point!
I like the name Vern-Jax. It’s better than writing Vernon/Jackson.
I’m not sure why no one else is getting into the E+ I business. They do it well for a captive audience. We just had the reopening of the corner deli…not much changed just the absence of the porn from the widows. Do They really think that will make the difference? I live half way between E+I and C-town. I use them both. C town has greatly improved since it’s last ownership. It just doesn’t have that yuppie shine that newcomers seem to crave. Although I have stormed out once or twice from C town because of an apple that doesn’t have any apple smell to it. I use E+I a little more because I’m on my way to Yoga.
I would like to see Fairway…..Not whole foods, not Trader Joe’s. The plain simple economic fact is the populace is not here to sustain a glamor grocery on the water front yet. Just wait for the 45,000 more folks they plan to cram in here. What you thought you liked about this neighborhood….will be gone.
I generally shop the garden or schlep Fairway from the West side. Been doing so for 18 years. It’s improved my upper body strength.
Then Garden is a fine alternative. How about a big Garden instead of glamor grocery store?
Diane
I work nearby and recently one of our workers ordered a Turkey Burger. She got a burger with turkey on it and was treated horribly by the counterperson/owner (he refued to make another one and called her a pain in the a**) He then said he would not make her anything anymore.
Well, maybe he didnt realize that we purchased a large breakfast order every day and went in there for lunches quite often. An easy 100-200 bucks every day he has now lost from one of the largest entities in the neighborhood. As far as I am concerned, the butcher next door is much nicer and enjoys your business. I am sure he appreciates E&I’s capriciousness as it is now putting more coin in his pocket. Nothing would make me happier than seeing their doors close forever.
you guys for the most part have a lot in common. A bunch of arrogant pricks. E&I staff are rude and mega arrogant. The butcher next door is equally as dirty, but at least pleasant.
What other retail does the neighborhood need aside from a grocery store? I have been looking to open up somthing on vernon for a while. I heard that Amish market is coming to EC II in May. Would a grocery on Vernon be needed as well?
You have to be kidding. This place may have everything, but it is the most unfriendly, overpriced, and generally terrible place to go. The guys who make the sandwiches are great, but come on, I’ve been robbed blind (and treated like a chump) here for two years.
Yeah, but with their prices, Whole foods is cheaper! *gasp*. It’s really robbery, some of the prices they are charging.