Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A coalition representing hundreds of independent grocers is suing New York City over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to open five city owned grocery stores, arguing the taxpayer backed stores could put neighborhood businesses at a disadvantage. WNYC and Gothamist reporter Karen Yi looks at what the lawsuits challenge, how the city is defending the plan and whether the experiment could ultimately help lower costs for both shoppers and small grocers.
Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org (mailto:NYCNow@WNYC.org) .
Photo by Kendall Rodriguez/Newsday RM via Getty Images
Additional Notes:
Mamdani’s plan for cheaper groceries could hurt minority grocers, lawsuit says (gothamist.com/news/mamdanis-plan-for-cheaper-groceries-could-hurt-minority-grocers-lawsuit-says)
TikTok is the new 311: New Yorkers tag Mayor Mamdani on social media for help (gothamist.com/news/tiktok-is-the-new-311-new-yorkers-tag-mayor-mamdani-on-social-media-for-help)
Late start to school year puts NYC parents in a childcare crunch (gothamist.com/news/late-start-to-school-year-puts-nyc-parents-in-a-childcare-crunch)
NJ, NY cosmetology schools to teach twists and turns of Black hair, to root out bias (gothamist.com/news/nj-ny-cosmetology-schools-to-teach-twists-and-turns-of-black-hair-to-root-out-bias)
A coalition representing hundreds of independent grocers is suing New York City over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to open five city owned grocery stores, arguing the taxpayer backed stores could put neighborhood businesses at a disadvantage. WNYC and Gothamist reporter Karen Yi looks at what the lawsuits challenge, how the city is defending the plan and whether the experiment could ultimately help lower costs for both shoppers and small grocers.
Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org (mailto:NYCNow@WNYC.org) .
Photo by Kendall Rodriguez/Newsday RM via Getty Images
Additional Notes:
Mamdani’s plan for cheaper groceries could hurt minority grocers, lawsuit says (gothamist.com/news/mamdanis-plan-for-cheaper-groceries-could-hurt-minority-grocers-lawsuit-says)
TikTok is the new 311: New Yorkers tag Mayor Mamdani on social media for help (gothamist.com/news/tiktok-is-the-new-311-new-yorkers-tag-mayor-mamdani-on-social-media-for-help)
Late start to school year puts NYC parents in a childcare crunch (gothamist.com/news/late-start-to-school-year-puts-nyc-parents-in-a-childcare-crunch)
NJ, NY cosmetology schools to teach twists and turns of Black hair, to root out bias (gothamist.com/news/nj-ny-cosmetology-schools-to-teach-twists-and-turns-of-black-hair-to-root-out-bias)
