Senator Golden Seeks Compromise For Walgreen's Supermarket Take Over

SENATOR GOLDEN SEEKS COMPROMISE SUITABLE FOR COMMUNITY AS WALGREEN’S PLANS SUPERMARKET TAKE OVER

Brooklyn- State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C, Brooklyn) gathered with over one hundred fifty people this past Saturday, outside Key Food at 95th Street and 3rd Avenue, highlighting the need for supermarkets, not drugstores, to open in the Brooklyn community. Plans were recently announced that the Key Food was sold to Walgreen’s and a 40 year lease, 20 years with an option for an additional 20 years, was agreed upon earlier this Spring.

Senator Golden announced that conversations have been had between his office and Walgreen’s Corporate Office in which Walgreen’s has agreed to meet with a committee of local leaders and residents, to discuss the plans for the store and the community’s needs. Walgreen’s, at the same time in discussions with Golden, indicated their willingness to incorporate the sale of produce, in addition to two thousand food/supermarket items, for sale in this store.

Senator Golden stated, "A lease has been signed between the property owner and Walgreen’s for forty years and so it is official that Walgreen’s will open at this location. I remember when Bay Ridge was home to a great number of supermarkets, including the A & P where I worked as a teenager. The closing of the Key Food is just the most recent example of how supermarkets are leaving this neighborhood, but in that notion, I thank Walgreen’s for recognizing the need to have much more than just a drugstore open here. We have plenty of drug stores."

Senator Golden continued, "Purchasing the most basic of necessities, has become a challenge to many people, including our seniors, who are forced to walk great distances to a supermarket. That is why it is important that we will have the opportunity to have a dialogue with Walgreen’s and see that this store sells to a great degree what we are lacking. I look forward to organizing these meetings and this dialogue and getting the best possible arrangement for the community. We could have just another pharmacy open at this location but we will get better than that. This is progress and we are heading in the right direction."