Zohran Mamdanni has big plans to turn New York City into his socialist utopia but it seems his government-run grocery store project will take some time to get off the ground.

And, instead of “free” groceries, Mayor Mamdani admitted that there will only be a “basket of goods” that will be offered at these stores for a fraction of the prices one may see at their neighborhood Gristedes.

When it comes to the products that we will be selling at the city-run grocery stores, there will be an essential basket of goods that will be guaranteed a cheaper price, and cheaper than what they’re being sold at currently”-Zohran Mamdani

The store at La Marqueta is planned to be a 9,000-square-foot market erected on a nearby vacant lot, officials said.

The project will cost roughly half the $70 million Mamdani’s administration expects to spend to get the city-owned grocery stores off the ground in all five boroughs by the end of his first term.”-Hannah Fierick and Matt Troutman, The NY Post

$70 million for Zohran Mamdani to solve the unsolvable equation of providing “affordable” groceries to New Yorkers. Hey, genius? $70 million coming from where? Coming from who? Oh, where is Margaret Thatcher?! We need her quote about other people’s money right about now…

Money grab NYC
$30 million just to build one city-owned grocery store?
Where's the detailed cost breakdown on that?

— Linda Santangelo (@Lindasantangel1) April 14, 2026

Grocery executives were gobsmacked by the La Marqueta project’s $30 million price tag, with some pointing out a typical, 15,000-square-foot store without elevators or escalators costs under $10 million to build.

And at least two existing properties – one with 33,000 square feet of retail space, the other with 15,000 square feet – are currently up for sale down the block from La Marqueta for roughly $15 million and $7 million, listings show.”-Hannah Fierick and Matt Troutman, The NY Post

Gobsmacked is one way to word it. No doubt someone’s pockets will be lined. Speaking of which, who are the contractors that got this sweetheart of a deal? More unsolvable equations here, me thinks.

Remember when Mamdani ran his campaign by visiting the people and the places that quintessentially made up New York City, to include the corner bodegas?

It seems the United Bodegas of America are not impressed with this plan at all. The group says that these city-run grocery stores will hurt small businesses.

You can’t serve eight million people with five locations. You can serve eight million people if you work out a deal with the existing businesses.”-Fernando Mateo, United Bodegas of America

But, all will be great. Because Mamdani is a god, a savior in his own delusional mind, and he wills it to be so.

What it’s going to allow people to do is it’s going to allow them to budget, and it’s going to allow it to feel the predictability of price.”-Zohran Mamdani

While most New Yorkers will feel the pain of higher taxes. There’s some predictability in that, for sure.

Mamdani and his team did not specify what the discounted “core basket of goods” would be at this $30 million-dollar grocery store. No cigarettes or Lotto tickets, though.

Because cigarettes and the “lotto” are not allowed in islam.

Its haram to do that, but not haram to marry a little innocent girl.

— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForUSA) November 5, 2025

New Yorkers may want to stock up on pork. Just saying.

Julie Su, the deputy mayor for economic justice, vaguely promised the city will subsidize the “things that families actually need every week.” Su also mentioned that they will “listen to the community” and stock the shelves with what people in the neighborhood eat”.

Time is a flat circle pic.twitter.com/1Cmgt9yXhS

— Douglas MechArthur ☭⃠ (@Kicksbuttson) April 15, 2026

While NYC residents come in to Mamdani’s grocery stores to get their basket of eggs and “fresh” produce because, let’s be real, we all saw those videos of communist grocery stores, shoplifters will also waltz in and take what they want with no penalty.

so they will subsidize specific products (which will probably be mostly sold out, consistently), claim it's competitive (while losing money) and then claim victory.

check back in a year.

— Thomas Jefferson (@BasedDetails) April 15, 2026

Sounds about right. There may not be Monster energy drinks and Cheetos in that “basket of goods” but those eggs may come with a cool $30 million-dollar price tag. Oh, New Yorkers who voted for this train wreck, this is so on ALL of you. Every. Single. One. Of. You.

Turn the volume up. Next Mamdani Scavenger Hunt will be “finding reasonably priced food” in these “food deserts”. The warm, fuzzy, collectivism of bread lines are coming to a city block near you. There will be years of clean up on Aisle 5 Boroughs to come.

Featured Photo: Original Artwork by VG, Darleen Click