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7-Eleven Plans to Open First Harlem Franchise

By Gustavo Solis | November 7, 2014 4:35pm | Updated on November 10, 2014 8:41am
 The new 7-Eleven, which will replace a restaurant at 256 W. 116th St., is expected to open by mid-2015.
The new 7-Eleven, which will replace a restaurant at 256 W. 116th St., is expected to open by mid-2015.
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DNAinfo/Gustavo Solis

HARLEM — Slurpees are coming.

The first 7-Eleven in Harlem will open on West 116th Street in 2015, and it may not be the last, according to the global chain.

“We see growth opportunities for 7-Eleven in the Harlem area,” spokeswoman Margaret Chabris said in a statement.

The news was first reported by HarlemGal.

The convenience store, which will replace a restaurant at 256 W. 116th St., is expected to open by mid-2015, Chabris added.

Some Harlem residents did not think the global chain was a good fit for the neighborhood.

“It’s news to me,” said Howard Jackson, 60. “What do they think we need a 7-Eleven for? This ain’t the suburbs.”

Others had more mixed reactions.

“It’s good and it’s bad,” said Torino Washington, 21. “They have a lot of the same things other delis have but a little cheaper. On the other hand, some of the stores around here might be in trouble.”

The nearest 7-Elevens are on West 96th Street in Manhattan and on East 149th Street in The Bronx, according to 7-Eleven's website.