East New Yorkers say cinema turned supermarket fills huge gap in the community
Food Bazaar saved one of the old movie theaters from the original cinema, which will now be used for community meetings.
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A beloved movie theater in East New York has taken on a new role in the community. The former Linden boulevard Multiplex Cinemas is now home to a Food Bazaar Supermarket.
"I think it's super great,” said customer Loretta Fisher. “They got everything in this store you could name of."
This is where the past meets the present. Food Bazaar saved one of the old movie theaters from the original cinema, which will now be used for community meetings. It's not just about preserving memories, it's about creating a new story for East New York, where access to fresh food has been a challenge.
"I had to travel way in Long Island or Queens to get this variety of stuff,” said Fisher.
Since the opening, neighbors say it's already making a difference.
"You got little convenience stores but they not meeting everybody's needs,” said customer Repal Cook.
"It's the best thing that's happened in this community in a long time,” another customer said.
City Councilman Chris Banks said the Food Bazaar has already created 200 union jobs for people in the community.
"We're talking about building wealth in our community,” Banks said. “This is how you do it and giving folks, you know, a job that is union, it gives them benefits."
The store will also open a food hall featuring local vendors.
"We also started a little chef school where we're going to invite the community youth all free of charge and have them learn how to shop in a healthy manner and also cook,” said Edward Suh, executive vice president for Food Bazaar Supermarket.
The former theater may be gone, but its new chapter brings hope for a stronger community.
The hope is for the food hall to open in the next three to six months. The little chef’s school will launch sometime this summer.
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