By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER EAST SIDE — Residents soon may not have to schlep down to Union Square to visit a trendy grocery store — Fairway Market is reportedly eyeing a location on the Upper East Side.
Fairway is in negotiations over a space at 240 E. 86th Street between Second and Third avenues left vacant by Barnes & Noble and Circuit City, Crain's New York Business reported.
The addition of a large supermarket would save trips to other outlets like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, said Sherie Kora, a resident who said she usually avoids neighborhood stores because they're too expensive.
"If they have good prices, I'll shop there," Kora said. "I'm not going to go all the way to Trader Joe's for fruits and vegetables."
A Fairway spokesperson would not confirm the deal.
Management at Food Emporium, which has a store on the northeast corner of 86th Street and Second Avenue, across from the proposed site, said they were not aware of the possible deal.
The 60,000-square-foot space became available when Barnes & Noble moved to Lexington and First avenues on 86th Street and Circuit City closed.
The supermarket has two other Manhattan locations: in Harlem at 130th Street and Twelfth Avenue and on the Upper West Side at 74th Street and Broadway.
The deal will be finalized withing 40 days, Crain's reported.
For now, the busiest spot on the sidewalk is a Halal cart frequented by Jay Aponte. Mulling over the possibility of a new food outlet, Aponte reassured Halal cart vendor friend about the business.
"I tell him, 'as long as it's not a Halal place, you'll be ok'," Aponte said.
