Dispatch: Brown Opens Price Rite on Elmwood
We couldn’t stop by the grand opening of Price-Rite on Sunday, but John Duke of the First Amendment Club sent us this account:
Shopping for groceries became a lot less expensive on Sunday. As a matter of fact, for the first time in a long while, food was being sold at the Rite Price in the Stuyvesant Plaza, 250 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo.
After reviewing how the city was able to bring Price Rite into what is unquestionably the Rite Location, Mayor Brown cut the ribbon to ceremoniously open the supermarket to throngs of eager shoppers, who were assisted by 130 of their friends and neighbors who are now employed by the store.
125 of the employees live within four sides of a city block. “Price Rite is environmentally friendly,” according to State Senator Antoine Thompson, “and their employees do not need automobiles to travel back and forth to work.” Price Rite also encourages the use of reusable totes. There is a charge of 10 cents per plastic bag for non-tote users.
I put two items in my tote, 17 pounds of meat, and took it to the check out line. There I handed the cashier a $10 bill and received change back. I purchased a 12.77 lb. kosher turkey (I was surprised to find out that turkeys are religious, but then again they probably do a lot of praying around the Holidays) and a 3.48 lb. corned beef (I always wake up praying after Saint Patrick’s Day). Some how I felt I had done my Sabbath Duty.
The corned beef at $1.79 per lb. came to $6.23 and the turkey at $0.29 cents per lb. came to $3.70. On the way out I was handed a complimentary 8oz bottle of Tropical Energia and 2 cans of Pepsi. Once home, after a tiring morning, I drank the energy drink and quickly wrote this column while doing my Spring cleaning and cooking the turkey…
I’m not big on energy drinks; I think I’ll stick to not being able to handle coffee. I’d write more, but I gotta run, I think I’m about to take up jogging. I sure hope the turkey doesn’t burn before I get back.
I just drove past Price Rite. The stored is packed. They’re backing up traffic.
Comment by Twixt — March 24, 2009 @ 3:40 pm
Stay away from drinks like Tropical Energia. It has 600 mg of Guarana (12 % Caffine) 300 mg of Ginseng Root Power, 90 mg of Ginkgo Biloba added to 30 Fat Calories mixed in the active yogurt cultures: S. Thermophilus and L. Bulgaricus.
Drinking it could give new meaning to the word: running.
Comment by Mary Ayoungin — March 25, 2009 @ 1:18 am
hope to get there before it all goes out.
Comment by koshertravelers — March 25, 2009 @ 8:52 am
I’m glad the Mayor brought a Price Rite to 250 Elmwood. I had to drive down Elmwood past Hertel to get to Aldi’s. Another addition of either of these outlets will force Tops and Wegmans to bring their prices down to Earth.
Comment by Mr. Bumble — March 26, 2009 @ 12:27 am
The food prices supposedly doubled because the price of gas doubled. Now the price of gas has been cut in half. What happened to the food prices?
Tell Thompson and Delano to investigate that!
Are the Higgins/Schumer sound bites over already? (Will we have to wait 2 years for some more?)
Comment by Pomeroy — March 26, 2009 @ 9:01 am
I’m surprised Higgens/Schumer weren’t there. They must not have known there would be cameras.
Comment by Twixt — March 26, 2009 @ 11:04 am
Brown finally does something right and the “News” doesn’t print it. When he finally cleans up city hall, they probably won’t show the after photos.
Comment by Simon Magus — March 26, 2009 @ 11:10 am
Hello Mr. Koshertravelers,
I went to a First Amendment Club Holiday Party in December. It was the first time I was there. My drink was served with a dradle swizzle stick on a Chanukkah cocktail napkin. I think they tried to have something for everyone.
So I asked the Bartender, “Farshtayn Yiddish?” The man answers, “Yes, Ich Farshtay.” I then say, “Vot Time is It?” He told me, “Time to stop trinken…”
Long story short: They give it their best!
Comment by Lancey Howard — March 26, 2009 @ 2:15 pm
The mayor had nothing to do with PriceRite opening this store. Zero, zip, nada. Well, except for City Hall issuing permits.
PriceRite did NOT ask for any government “help”. There were no incentives, no subsidies, no tax breaks, and no loands from BERC or ECIDA.
Probably just to be polite and keep good relations with the city government, PriceRite did interview and hire some people who participated in the city’s job registry program, and of course they allowed politicians to attend media events. But that’s it.
Comment by Reality Check — March 26, 2009 @ 4:31 pm
The store is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Receipt today in the mail of a postcard from unions asking me to boycott PriceRite and shop at Tops will make me all the more frequent a PriceRite customer.
Comment by Reality Check — March 26, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
In response to Simon Magus’ comments…I can’t believe that Artvoice allows such blatantly racist comments on its site. Its disgusting and offensive. To make matters worse, seven more comments were made since his comment and not one even acknowledges this hate-laced language. I know you hate the Mayor, but do you really condone and allow comments like that?
Comment by Bart — March 26, 2009 @ 7:23 pm