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Hudson Heights Locals Distraught at Closure of 30-Year-Old Grocery Store

By Carla Zanoni | January 3, 2012 9:05am
Residents of Hudson Heights were saddened to learn that Ahn's Vegetable & Fruit Store closed on Mon., Jan. 3, 2012.
Residents of Hudson Heights were saddened to learn that Ahn's Vegetable & Fruit Store closed on Mon., Jan. 3, 2012.
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WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Hudson Heights residents are scrambling to find a new place to buy their fruits and vegetables while mourning the loss of a mom-and-pop shop grocery store many say was a staple in the neighborhood. 

Ahn's Vegetable & Fruit Store, located at 814 W 187th Street, between Cabrini Boulevard and Fort Washington Avenue, sold its last produce Monday night after more than 30 years in the neighborhood. 

Owner Daniel Ahn said he closed because he feared his landlord would double his rent after his lease expired in April. 

“I knew now was the time to get out,” he said, adding that he will take the next few weeks to decide whether to start another business or find a new job. 

“I need time to figure out what to do next." 

Ahn's landlord did not immediately respond to a reqest for comment.

Known throughout the neighborhood as Mr. Ahn, he and his family, who also live nearby, had become familiar faces in the community and knew many of their customers by name. 

“Having this kind of store in the neighborhood is something that just can’t be replaced,” said Washington Heights resident Marjorie Britton. “My kids grew up with Ahn. This is a great disappointment.”

Notes from distraught locals also flooded a local parenting email list.

“We are losing the presence of such a decent human being in our neighborhood, the most profound loss we could have,” one local wrote on the listserv, which was created by a Washington Heights resident and counts thousands of subscribers.

“I personally saw him tell customers who clearly could not afford to pay for all that they brought to his counter, 'don't worry about it,' and the customer left with what they needed, and with their dignity and friendship with Ahn intact.”

Longtime residents said the closure is yet another example of the fast-changing neighborhood and voiced frustration that there was little to do to keep the store open.

“I was born in Washington Heights and there were mostly mom and pop operations (butchers, fish stores, candy stores, etc.),” wrote another local on the email list. “I feel that by having the little guy pushed out, we're definitely losing something precious that makes our little haven so special.” 

Others said the closure was inevitable in the age of grocery delivery services and urged residents to shop locally. 

“Well, I'd guess that people ordering from Fresh Direct and shopping at Fairway also had an impact,” Julia Johnson Attaway wrote on Facebook. “It's not just greedy landlords at work here. Some of it’s us, too.”

The sentiment was echoed by other residents. 

“As I saw the throngs in the shop today,” wrote another resident on a parenting email list, “I couldn’t help but think that as much as the condolences were a comfort, it must have crossed Ahn’s mind at least once that if everyone who showed support today had shopped there 10% more frequently, it wouldn’t have been necessary to close.”