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Organic Grocery To Open on Hudson Street After Year-Long Delay

By Danielle Tcholakian | August 6, 2015 11:06am | Updated on August 7, 2015 6:28pm
 Mrs. Green's is set to open a new West Village store on Aug. 19.
Mrs. Green's is set to open a new West Village store on Aug. 19.
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Facebook/Mrs. Green's Natural Grocery

WEST VILLAGE — A long awaited organic grocery store is set to open on Hudson Street on Aug. 19.

Mrs. Green's Natural Market at 585 Hudson St. will be the company's first store in the New York City area. The company specifically sought out a space in the West Village, according to the CEO.

"The West Village community takes a lot of pride in living healthy, sustainable lives," CEO Pat Brown said.

The business will "provide families with organic and locally-sourced groceries and seasonal produce," Brown said.

The 12,800-square-foot, two-story market will include a coffee bar with Stumptown coffee and switchel — a kombucha-like drink — on tap, as well as a juice bar pouring freshly pressed drinks.

A bakery and desserts section will be stocked with treats for people with the most restrictive of dietary habits, including paleo cheesecakes from city-based bakery This Pie Is Nuts.

Mrs. Green's has tried to source as much of its goods as possible from small, local vendors such as Salty Road Taffy, a business started in a woman's Brooklyn kitchen and now exporting all over the country.

Hot Bread Kitchens — also a local company — will supply bread for purchase and for the grocery's freshly-made, hot pressed sandwiches.

Much of the artisanal products hail from Brooklyn — doughnuts from Bed-Stuy's Dough bakery, Brooklyn Cure's salami and fresh sausages, Brooklyn Brine pickles, Brooklyn Dark hemp vegan chocolate and Sohha yogurt, with a selection of add-ins.

But some vendors are a little farther afield — vegan paleo chocolate from Get Sweet Eats in New Jersey, sausages from Piggery farm upstate in Ithaca and Ladle of Love Soups from Mt. Kisco.

An anticipated "huge" cheese selection will be packed with produce from farms around the state.

The store is opening a year later than originally planned, which Brown attributed to the complexities of "the development of the space — including the creation of new juice and coffee bars."

Local residents and elected officials threatened protests last summer, however, because of a union fight the company was in with employees at their Mt. Kisco location.

According to a company spokesman, the protesters "decided to withdraw their complaints" and "allow [Mrs. Green's] associates to determine for themselves, in a secure, confidential vote" whether they wanted union representation.

The union did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mrs. Green's has long touted that the new store will create jobs in the neighborhood and Brown said the company still plans to deliver on that promise.

"Mrs. Green’s is proud to help create an estimated 200 good-paying, neighborhood jobs and to invest in our associates with health care and industry-leading benefits," Brown said.

"In addition, we will work with vendors and merchants across the West Village and New York City to source groceries and healthy-living products locally."

Brown said those jobs will be a mix of full- and part-time positions. People interested in working for the company can text "ORGANIC" to 313131.