East Williamsburg and Bushwick residents will be stoked to learn that a newly opened natural market, called, well, Natural Market, now occupies the same building as Syndicated, on the corner of Bogart Stret at Moore Street.
The new grocery is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and is without a doubt the largest grocery store within the Morgan L train stop vicinity.
The store officially opened at 5 p.m. this past Wednesday. Store manager Ray Schmidt tells Bushwick Daily that “the customers are amazing!”
The new store was in works for more than a year. Schmidt is really excited about the particular location of Natural Market (and so are we). The store is close to area’s favorites such as Roberta’s, Swallow Cafe, Syndicated, or MoMo Sushi Shack, and the sleek new grocery store is bound to have a steady stream of foot traffic.
Housed in a vast, formerly industrial space, the store’s tall ceiling is illuminated with beautiful faux vines to brighten the shopping experience. Because the store sits higher than street level, customers enter via ramp or tiny stairwell.
“I have a lot of things on sale and it’s not just for the grand opening – this is the price that we’re going to go with and continue on,” Schmidt explains.
Management plans to bring affordable prices to the area and aspires to transparency: Schmidt says that Natural Market doesn’t plan on inflating prices. “Whatever I get cheap, I sell it cheap. That’s how we run business.”
In addition to produce, dry goods and plenty of other delicious eats, Natural Market will also soon have several designated shelves just for beauty aid and supplement products.
With many adored markets such as Mr. Kiwi’s and newly opened Mr. Lemon already well established nearby, Natural Market is “trying to be as close to them as possible, as far as prices.” When Bushwick Daily stopped in, heads of broccoli were on sale for a dollar apiece and stem tomatoes were going for 99 cents a pound.
Natural Market plans on carrying roughly 80 percent organics and 20 percent conventional products. The store isn’t at 100 percent capacity yet: within two weeks Natural Market will be in full form, with a deli, hot food items, rotisserie chicken, fresh squeezed juice, and housemade smoothies in addition to the produce and other grocery items.
Additionally, a sushi chef who specializes in grocery store sushi is renting a spot at Natural Market and will be making sushi on location.
Natural Market will soon have plenty of outdoor seating — for now, customers are already making themselves comfortable on the wooden benches.
Come check it out and see for yourself, Bushwick!
All photos by Cristin Noonan for Bushwick Daily