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Forget Slurpees and Cigarettes — Manhattan 7-Elevens Go Vegan

By DNAinfo Staff on January 31, 2011 9:35am

By Olivia Scheck

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

UPPER EAST SIDE — As 7-Elevens continue to spring up around Manhattan, the Slurpee and cigarette chain is now filling an unlikely role — neighborhood grocer.

Manhattanites are turning to the convenience store for fresh foods, upscale snacks (think wasabi roasted seaweed strips and gluten-free rice cakes) and even ready-to-eat vegan meals, according to 7-Eleven public relations director Margaret Chabris.

The vegan meals are flying off the shelves, said Das Sudhir, manager of the 7-Eleven on East 84th Street and York Avenue.

"At first I was scared that no one would buy it, but we’ve been selling a lot," Sudhir explained. "We have extras in the back so we don’t run out."

7-Eleven is now offering pre-prepared vegan meals at its 10 Manhattan locations.
7-Eleven is now offering pre-prepared vegan meals at its 10 Manhattan locations.
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DNAinfo/Olivia Scheck

The vegan offerings, which include artichoke spinach noodles, pad thai, vegetable lo mein and Hunan dumplings, are exclusive to stores in Manhattan and Philadelphia. The York Avenue location has also begun carrying a line of fresh, gourmet cheeses, at the request of local shoppers, Sudhir said.

The Upper East Side store was bustling on a recent afternoon, with residents stopping by to pick up jugs of milk and local workers getting lunch.

Carlos Sosa, 29, an electrician who works on East 82nd Street, was enthusiastic about 7-Eleven’s prepared food options, noting that he buys his lunch there almost every weekday.

"It feels fresh — it is fresh — and it’s tasty!" Sosa said, referring to the smoked turkey sandwich he’d just purchased. Sosa also noted that he likes the store’s selection of "nut clusters" — bags of granola mixed with nuts and dried fruit.

But several frustrated shoppers who live in the area said they are forced to buy basic grocery items from 7-Eleven because of the lack of desirable supermarket alternatives.

"Most supermarkets [around here] are disgusting," said Upper East Sider Adam Garfinkle, 46, as he left the York Avenue 7-Eleven on Friday.

Neighbor Mitchell Lewis, 63, echoed Garfinkle’s dissatisfaction with nearby supermarkets, saying that he thought the 7-Eleven was only good for basic items like milk and bread.

"We do all our bulk shopping outside Manhattan … [usually] at Stop & Shop in the Bronx," Lewis said.

Both men were excited about the arrival of an Upper East Side Fairway Supermarket, which is expected to open in February on East 86th Street.

There are currently 10 7-Elevens in Manhattan, and the chain plans to open as many as 100 more locations in coming years.