Permits were approved this week for alterations for a “new drug store” at the former Natural Garden (750 Manhattan Ave.) building, according to the NYC DOB website.
The independent market had cleared its final stock quickly after announcing the impending closure in September.
The business was open for approximately 17 years on Manhattan Avenue and declining sales and the rise in internet shopping had contributed to the decision to close, a Natural Garden employee told Greenpointers.
What’s next for the space?
Another Walgreens, according to a man moving items out of the shuttered grocery store on Monday who identified himself as, Gurdip Singh, the owner of the building.
Walgreens Pharmacy is imminently moving into space with a lease starting Nov 1st, he said.
Permits approved this week would indicate that to be the case: On October 29, approval was granted for “Building alterations for new drug store to include partitions, ceilings, work on floor(s).”
With another Manhattan Avenue pharmacy under Walgreens ownership, which purchased nearly half of Rite Aid pharmacies in 2018 and owns Duane Reade, the concentration of Walgreens, Rite Aids and Duane Reades in a two-block stretch would increase to four.
There’s also a Walgreens at 823 Manhattan Ave. at the corner of Greenpoint Avenue; the Rite Aid-turned Walgregreens at 723 Manhattan Ave. (with the signature disco ball) and a Rite Aid at 783 Manhattan Ave.
Employees of all three open stores said that they haven’t heard of plans for their stores, and Greenpointers is seeking to confirm the new 750 Manhattan Ave. store with Walgreens.
All the drugstores in Greenpoint are turning into a Walgreens monopoly, and not for the better– except for a few neighborhood Polish customer-based stalwarts that remain.
Be thankful for the independant CVS drugstores on Manhattan Ave
and Kent Ave.