Fight to save Associated Supermarket in Crown Heights
By Nelson A. King
A group calling itself Save
Associated is appealing to the
public to assist with legal costs
in preventing the closure of the
Associated Supermarket at 975
Nostrand Ave. in Crown Heights,
Brooklyn.
“Please consider making a
donation to help raise funds,” Alicia
Boyd, main organizer of Save
Associated, told Caribbean Life
on Tuesday. “We are trying to
raise $25,000 for a legal fund to
help with legal costs in saving the
Associated Supermarket, because
there is no lease and no rent protections.”
Boyd said Save Associated also
wants the public to sign a petition
to save the supermarket.
She said, since 1970, the
Crown Heights/Flatbush community
has had a supermarket at
975 Nostrand Ave., near Empire
Boulevard and Sullivan Place.
On Feb. 1, 2021, Boyd said the
store owners were given a 90-day
notice to leave.
“The property is actually
owned by a real estate investment
firm in Manhattan, who
is planning on building a large
luxury tower in its place,” she
said. “Residents in the community
are now organizing to save this
supermarket by putting pressure
on the local elected officials, raising
money for a legal defense and
engaging in a political campaign
to save this vital supermarket.
“Associated Supermarket, at
975 Nostrand Ave., has 90 days to
vacate the premises by big time
real estate investors/developers
who want to build another luxury
tower to price us out of our communities
Apply today for the City's
Construction Site Safety
Grant Program.
You pick the training
provider and cover upfront
costs; we'll reimburse
you for up to 100% of the
training cost.
Learn more and apply:
Caribbean Life, F 8 ebruary 19-25, 2021
and increase our health
risk during a global pandemic,”
Boyd stressed. “This is unacceptable,
and we will not stand for it.
“Now is the time for you to
meet with Save Associated action
group to talk about how we can
work together to stop the eviction
of Associated Supermarket,” she
continued.
Assemblywoman Diana Richardson,
the daughter of Aruban
and St. Martin immigrants, who
represents the area, said in a
statement that she was “aware of
the notice to vacate given to the
Associated Supermarket.
“My office was contacted by
the management team at the
supermarket earlier this week,”
said Richardson, representative
for the 43rd Assembly District.
“We have been in regular communication
with them to find a
solution to the matter.
The Associated Supermarket at 975 Nostrand Ave. in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
“This Associated and its workers
have been our neighbors,
friends and strong community
partners for over 30 years,” she
added. “As leaders, we value this
essential business and will make
every effort to ensure this vital
business remains in the community.”
Community activist Anthony
Beck, the Jamaican American
president of Black Lives Matter
Brooklyn, told Caribbean Life that
“the community is being targeted
by developers and is in the middle
of a housing war against them.
“The fact that Associated is
being targeted shows that not
only are developers and greedy
landlords willing to just displace
community members, they are
willing to starve them out as well
by creating food deserts or implementing
plans to bring in highcost
food market chains that
community members will not be
able to afford,” said Beckford, who
is also an elected Kings County
Democratic County Committee
member and a progressive Democratic
City Council candidate for
District 45 in Brooklyn.
Beckford said he has joined
community advocates from Save
Associated, his fellow Council
candidate, Michael Hollingsworth,
who is running for the
35th District seat, and community
members “to save the supermarket
and the jobs of the workers
as well.
“We must stop this massive
plan to displace and starve the
people,” he demanded. “We must
put in representation in local government
that will help stop these
injustices and save our communities.”
Manuel “Manny” Tavares,
manager of the Associated
Supermarket at 975 Nostrand
Ave., declined to comment on
the impasse when contacted by
Caribbean Life.
For more information, go to
www.saveassociated.com or call
(718) 703-3086.
Run.
Serve.
Lead.
Apply for a Seat
on a New York City
Education Council
schools.nyc.gov/elections2021
EDUCATION COUNCILS
Department of
Education
GET SAFE AND
AVOID FINES.
Call: 311
Visit: nyc.gov/sitesafetygrant
/elections2021
/www.saveassociated.com
/www.saveassociated.com
/sitesafetygrant
