Purchase of Meat Market by BC Causes Upset

BY TYESHA ALLEN

Neighbors mourned the closing of the largest supermarket in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, after hearing that their neighborhood meat market will be no more.

The property where The Meat Barn and Western Produce Market now stands was bought for $5.85 million by the Brooklyn College Foundation, leaving neighbors and shoppers with nowhere to get fresh groceries.

“I don’t know where else I can go to get my onions and peppers,” said Patricia Johnson, air jordan 11 femmes 72-year-old woman who said, she has been shopping there for over five years since she moved to the area. “This is the only place I can come and be satisfied with my purchase. It’s the closest to home,” said Johnson.

The Meat Barn and Western Produce have been a part of the FRESH (Food Retail Expansion to Support Health) program for many years, selling a large number of fresh meats and vegetables to many in and outside the community.

Although it was said that the public were given the opportunity to provide feedback, nearby neighbors and shoppers were unaware that a couple of months from now their fresh meats and vegetables would be no more.

At least, not from the neighborhood Meat Barn.

“Didn’t they just buy up a lot on Flatbush?” said Joy Sanders to her neighbors, in the lobby of their building¾located just three blocks from the market.

“Yeah, so why do they need to take down the supermarket? Why not take down the Canal Jeans? It’s not making any business, plus it had to shut up shop anyway,” said Pam Charles.

“Every time we get something good around here, the city finds ways to take it up. The only other supermarket I know you can get good meat from is Pathmark,” said Judy Thompson.

“That’s a long walk, and I can’t walk over there with my bad knee,” objected Sanders.

Residents of Flatbush said they are going to miss the Meat Barn and Western Produce market.

“I feel like it is going to be the end of the world,” said Sherley Desmaret, who lives just across the street behind the Target, across from The Meat Barn market. “I mean how do I get my meat? Where would I get my meat?”

“I’ve been coming to this store for years, and never had any complaints about it,” said Diane Ortiz “I can’t believe they really gone close the store down.”

Brooklyn College plans to use the newly acquired property to serve more than 3,000 business students. “In all likelihood the use will ultimately include a new home for the School of Business, and perhaps some retail space on the ground floor,” air jordan 12 femmes said Andrew Sillen, vice president for institutional advancement/executive director of the Brooklyn College Foundation. “New space for the School of Business will provide a vast improvement in its capacity to serve our students, and enhance the likelihood of ultimate accreditation,” said Sillen.

According to Sillen, the market will be out in 2013. “I cannot answer the question of the ultimate fate of the existing tenant, except to say that they will vacate that location in August 12, 2013.”

Attempts to reach the owner of the meat market to ascertain his plans were not successful.