Monday, January 3, 2011

What Happened To The Roosevelt Island Fruit Stand By The Subway?

Image of Missing Roosevelt Island Fruit Stand

What's missing from this picture of the area between the Roosevelt Island subway station entrance and the Duane Reade? A reader asks:
Does anyone know what happened to the fruit stand near the subway entrance/exit? Was it the owner's decision to close it down or RIOC's, or Southtown management? I miss having a bit of real New York City on the island.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. (RIOC) Vice President of Operations Fernando Martinez explains:
The permit for the fruit stand expired today.  The vendor is planning on returning in March 2011. 
The answer from Mr. Martinez was received on Friday, December 31 which was the expiration date for the fruit seller's permit. Hopefully, we will see the Fruit Stand return in March.

Image of Roosevelt Island Fruit Stand

8 comments :

Anonymous said...

And we look forward to his (or her) speedy return. And that RIOC does not make this return impossible to comply with.

Anonymous said...

To poster above, I believe RIOC brought him here... don't be such a cynic.

Anonymous said...

How much is the permit? We can raise the money to keep him here if it is a budget issue, it's the best thing on the island.

Anonymous said...

Why is that cynical? Have you looked at Main Street? All we get from RIOC is excuses.

Anonymous said...

I agree - it's the best thing on the island except on Saturdays when we also have the Farmer's Market.

Also - the fruit stand seller is always nice and caring. It was always a pleasure doing business with him (or them - not sure if there were additional clerks at the stand).

Anonymous said...

The space currently occupied by the broken-down escalator on the first floor of Motorgate would make a brilliant all-season area for the farmer's market.

Anonymous said...

The farmer's market was originally insider Motorgate, but, if memory services, Gristede's found a clause in its lease that said that no other food vendors would be allowed within a certain distance of the store, and the farmer's market had to move farther away.

Anonymous said...

How do the Gristede restrictions affect revival of the Main Street stores ?

Whatever happened with the RFP for stores on Main Street ?

Do we have to resort to a couple of open air markets ?