You Told Us is a regular feature where we highlight comments from users in the communities DNAinfo covers.
UPPER EAST SIDE — When the owner of Gristedes and residents expressed concern that fruit carts parked outside supermarkets were undercutting business, readers took to social media to give their two cents on the matter.
The owner of Gristedes told DNAinfo New York last week that fruit carts set up outside of their doors are losing the chain $7,000 in produce sales, forcing some stores to lay off workers.
Readers took to Neighborhood Square and Facebook to voice their opinion on whether vendors should be restricted from setting up shop close to brick-and-mortar stores — many believe said the street vendors have the right to operate anywhere, especially if the grocery store's quality or prices are unsatisfactory.
► "I've never seen any problem with litter around the vegetable carts. That's just Gristedes, desperately trying to come up with reasons to put an end to competition," said one Neighborhood Square user.
► "Limiting the number of street vendors is against the principles of free enterprise. If Catsimatidis doesn't like it, he should work on gaining a competitive advantage over them, rather than trying to get rid of competition. I hate it when business owners behave like communists," another Neighborhood Square user said.
► "Keeps good old American free enterprise working great and competition healthy for everyone, right all you republicans? We democrats can agree on this lol," a reader on Facebook said.
Others denied the fruit carts were responsible for the loss of business at the markets:
► "If Morton Williams or Gristedes are being undercut by fruit vendors, maybe they should consider improving their produce and lowering their prices. It's the supermarkets' unreasonable prices compared to street vendors and the low quality of their produce compared to Whole Foods and Westside Market," someone wrote on Neighborhood Square.
► "Being a chef and savvy shopper for the same onions I would rather get at a street vendor than a supermarket for price purpose if the supermarkets like Gristedes would lower their prices to match the vendors there wouldn't be a problem. People in this city think just because you pay more for something it's a better quality sorry to burst your bubble but it's not," another wrote.
► "The day that Gristedes can offer me fruit and vegetables that are as fresh and at the same cost I would say yes [there should be a limit]. The problem is a lot of times the Gristedes at 32nd and 3rd produce is not always fresh and they don't carry the same things as the street vendor. When I can buy a package of mushrooms for a dollar a package from the street vendor yet that same package of mushrooms cost over $3.00. So if Gristedes want to have as a good a product for the same prices maybe I would agree with this request. I am forced to shop at Gristedes because their isn't a decent grocery any where in the Murray Hill neighborhood."
Some agreed with supermarkets that there should be a limit in how many vendors are out there, and where they can set up:
► "Anyone who buys food or coffee from a street vendor is taking a risk. Remember, stores pay city tax and are responsible for clearing sidewalks in front of their stores. It's a slap in the face that carts and trucks are allowed to park outside the stores and lure customers. If the city allows it to continue, we will see fewer stores and our neighborhoods will lose services and character," one reader wrote.
► "Brick-and-mortar stores are cleaner, refrigerated and safer. How can you trace any food borne illness to a food cart? Where do street vendors wash their hands? Where do they go to the bathroom? Disgusting. Get rid of them all," another said.
► "My neighborhood at 50th and 8th avenue has two fruit carts within 2 blocks on 8th avenue. Why? One is across the street from a Food Emporium/Key Foods and one a block from Gristedes. Food desert? Hardly. Why do we have two? Food carts should not be next to a food store. There should not be one where the sidewalks are narrow….most of the city. Food stores charge too much for their produce. Sometimes it is better than the carts. Catch as catch can," one reader said on Neighborhood Square.
► "They're in competition with each other. The big chain stores like Walmart wouldn't be threatened by vendors, but most of the places in NYC that sell groceries are mom-and-pop stores like you used to find all over the US," another said on Facebook.
► "The sidewalk congestion is my complaint. I don't shop from the vendors or the supermarkets in Manhattan, but with sidewalks more crowded than ever, people are also more stressed rude, and aggressive too," another wrote on Neighborhood Square.
