A New Option for Fresh Produce in Bushwick
Late last month I noticed a new awning going up on a long-vacant building at the corner of Broadway and Myrtle Avenue. The green, orange and white signage, borrowing heavily from FreshDirect’s logo, indicated this new business was a market selling fresh produce and organic items, among other things. My husband and I finally got a chance to head over and check things out on Sunday, and I must say Mr. Kiwi’s is probably the most exciting new business to open in our little corner of Bushwick in the three years we’ve been here.
The store is big and bright, and while it appears they are not yet fully stocked (lots of empty space in the coolers and a few empty shelves here and there), I was really impressed with what they did have available – a good selection of dry goods and pantry items, the ubiquitous selection of Goya products, dried chiles, herbs and spices, and, most importantly a very nice selection of fresh fruits and vegetables.
One of my biggest complaints about living here has been the lack of good produce in our immediate area, and from what I’ve seen, Mr. Kiwi’s goes a long way toward fixing that problem. They have a nice selection of the basics – loose and bagged (and non-moldering) onions and potatoes, citrus, bananas, stem tomatoes – but they surprised me with their selection of things I previously had to look elsewhere for: leeks, endive, beautiful blood oranges, fresh cranberry beans and watercress, to name just a few. They also had a variety of cut flowers available for purchase just inside the entrance.
Prices are comparable to what you’d find at most produce markets or Korean groceries in other parts of the city, and I’ve been very happy with the quality and freshness of produce purchased there. The awning indicates they have beer and cigarettes available, though we didn’t see either when we were there (a licensing issue, perhaps?), and they also indicate they have free delivery, though its location makes it an easy enough stop for those of us who commute along the J/M/Z lines. In any event, this is a very welcome addition to the area, and a business which will hopefully thrive.
Mr. Kiwi’s | 957 Broadway (at Myrtle Avenue) | 718-453-2640
January 15th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
sweet. i gotta stop off and check that out. did they have tofu?
January 15th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
You know, I didn’t see tofu, but I wasn’t looking for it either, so that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there…
January 15th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
i feel that the presence of tofu is a barometer of sorts. i don’t even want to buy it, but if they have it then that means they will have other things of use to the lazy vegetarian!
January 15th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
If that’s the building I’m thinking it is, I’m psyched anything opened there! It’s one of many great buildings on that crossroads that have been sitting empty for far too long.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:47 am
JL - like, perhaps, vegetables?
Armstrong - I can never figure out N/S/E/W around here, but if you get off the train in front of the Dunkin’ Donuts/Popeye’s corner and cross Broadway, you’ll be right in front of it. I *think* that building was a 99 cent store for about 3 minutes when we first moved in, and has been vacant since… but yeah, I’m happy to see something moving into that space, particularly since it’s something good!
January 16th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I know. how about that martial arts school that hasn’t been open in the 7 years I’ve been out here? another great building. that area really has some nice potential. it’s frustrating because that, along with its superior transportation, always led me to believe it would transform more quickly than it is.
January 16th, 2008 at 10:05 am
i am so happy this place opened.. ive been going there rather than food dimensions. i was happy to see the amount of good cereals they stock, as well as the variety of produce. they need to carry arugula.. but maybe that’s asking too much
January 16th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Jimmy, i agree with the idea of ‘tofu as barometer’.
Our closest store, the Associated on knickybocky, was pretty lame in ‘04. Bad veggies, etc. The veggie section eventually improved (still just the basics, but no longer sad and depressing) And about a year ago I noticed they started carrying organic milk AND tofu.
Glad to see it, and glad to hear about Mr. Kiwis. And Jen, you say prices are ‘comparable’, but are they generally affordable? As in, will the general populace be able to make use of their services?
January 16th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Matt - I found them to be very reasonable as far as the fresh produce goes. I have to admit I didn’t look at the prices for cereals and such, but with big, fresh lemons at 3 for a buck, one of those big clamshells of mesclun for $1.99, potatoes and onions in the 59-99 cent per pound range, I think they’re going to be an affordable option for most people in the community. In fact, there was a very mixed crowd shopping there when I was there to take these photos, which was great to see.
January 16th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
This place is pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised. Grabbed some produce there recently. Although the Food Dimensions across the street isn’t really that bad.
And with the local evangelicals doing their weekend, sidewalk speaker thing by that corner, you’ve got yourself a TRUE experience.
January 17th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
This is a great little shop, nice owners and reasonable prices. Yes, they have tofu.
January 19th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
This is the best news I’ve heard all week! Just finding *basic* fresh produce at the C-Town and Associated is difficult!
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:04 am
I went in there last week and spoke to them. Apparently they are only just getting started building up their inventory. They are looking for ideas of things to stock, so if you want anything I would encourage everyone to go in there and write it down for them. I suggested they stock hummous and olives and other whole foods type produce and they seemed open to that. So let’s go in there and get these guys stocked up with the produce the new neighborhood demands! This could become a great store.
January 25th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Mr. Kiwi is brilliant and a god-send. The old ladies in there when it opened where almost literally singing the praises of the (lovely) owners, wishing them luck and telling them that they’d make a fortune. Good luck to them.
On a strip with so many abandoned store-fronts, it also takes you from ‘Jesus, this can bring you down after a while…’ to ‘ah…it’s alright really…’
They also appear to have a startling array of Japanese sex potions behind the counter.
February 13th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
50 cents for a 4.4oz carton of blueberries. That is all I have to say. They were perfect, not a mushy one in the bunch. I got 4 of them. I also, for the first time ever, found pure lard in the refrigerator case — not “lard and hydrogenated lard,” not a lard-crisco mix, but flat out lard. Mr. Kiwi’s is great!
February 14th, 2008 at 11:51 am
ha, i saw that lard and thought of you.
the prices are suspiciously good, nearly half of what i expect to pay at places close to my house.
March 16th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Man, can I just repeat that I *love* this place? We just walked up there and came home with a few pounds of Yukon Golds, a bunch of celery, a bag of leeks, swiss chard, Italian parsley, chives, two bunches of watercress, a bunch of stem tomatoes and a couple of big cans of cat food for the outdoor cats. Sixteen bucks. The stem tomatoes were a punt after discovering they didn’t have canned whole or diced tomatoes (we need them for dinner tonight, so I’ll blanch, peel and chop the fresh ones), but seriously, that’s a pretty minor complaint. It’s just awesome to be able to get the stuff we need in one convenient location.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Mr. Kiwi’s is the best. I’ve been buying my fruits and veggies here for a few months and I swear by this place now. The produce is fresh and reasonably priced, selection is great, staff is super-friendly and the old Asian man has jumped on my skateboard on two separate occasions. It definitely beats the traditional grocery stores in the area.