Eagle: Gristedes Reopening in Six to Eight Weeks

By on April 9, 2008 9:56 pm in Brooklyn Heights, News

BHB photo by Marc A. HermannThe Brooklyn Eagle caught up with Gristedes chain owner/NYC Mayor wannabe John Catsimatidis to talk about the fire that hit its Brooklyn Heights store last week. He confirmed that, as BHB reported, the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction in the store’s deli section. He tells the paper that employees valiantly tried to stop the blaze using fire extinguishers but couldn’t prevent a “minor problem” from becoming a “major problem.” The pharmacy re-opened last weekend and Catsimatidis thinks the entire store will be back in action in 6 – 8 weeks. Total cost of the damage: $5 million.

Photo: Marc Hermann

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  • nabeguy

    I hope their insurance covers the loss, because given how high their prices were before the fire, it’s going to be hard to try to pass it on along when they re-open. BTW, I bought milk the other day at Peas & Pickles and was rather stunned by the $1.59 per quart price. Does anyone know if that’s their normal price, or just post-fire gouging? And their lines are definitely longer now.

  • Poulenc

    Am I out of touch with financial realities, or does $5 million sound like a lot of moolah to bring G. back to where it was?

    I am of course assuming that no improvements will be made–that two months hence we will find the store in precisely the same state as we left it before the fire.

    Of course, what we’re REALLY dealing with here is insurance claims….

  • Poulenc

    Ooops–sorry! $5 million in DAMAGE, not expected restoration cost.

  • Curmudgeon

    I only wish the Brooklyn Eagle asked Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis what, specifically, he is going to do to improve the dirty pre-fire terrible conditions, the nasty attitudes of the staff and high prices that make Gristedes such an awful place to shop.

  • Jonas Von Groucheau

    The writers at the Eagle have to depend on Gristedes for their old age medication so they probably were afraid to bring it up.

  • nabeguy

    You got it Poulenc. $5 million in damage…they’ll probably only spend $5 thou to restore it.

  • Kris

    they should’ve taken the opportunity to just close the store for good.

  • Andrew Porter

    Reopening in 6-8 weeks. Lessee, hese comments are from early April — so apparently Gristede’s reopened sometime in June! Nice to know…

    But absolutely nothing is happening with the store, two months later.

    Remember, vote for John C for Mayor. He’ll make the streets safe for procrastination!

  • JGM

    Maybe they can time it for the same weekend that Trader Joe’s will open…supermarket cage match