Local Business Enthusiasm

One of the best, best things about New York – and Astoria in particular – is that you don’t have to go to a huge chain store for everything.  Personally, I am a big fan of the more-than-one-stop-shopping experience. Why?  Partly because I am cheap.  And also because of ethics.  But mostly this is due to the fact that I get visually DAZED  in stores with more than 3 aisles, or shops that have identical twin shops on every block, and wind up wandering around for 3 times as long as I would have looking for things, involuntarily listening to smooth jazz or crappy top 40 hits and hating my life. 

 

So here are some alternatives to those pesky franchise situations.  Most of them are in Astoria.  Cause that’s where I do the shoppin, y’all. 

 

Caffeine alternative to Dunkin Donuts: Cyprus Deli, Sai Organics

I’m sure Cyprus Deli has a tremendous selection of cheeses, olives and all the small jarred fish a good Mediterranean could ask for, but what I am fixated on is the coffee.  This is the best freaking deli coffee I’ve ever tasted.  Big ups to Robin for the recommendation.  A small coffee costs 75 cents and will keep you buzzing all morning, and they are very conscientious about how much milk you want.   And I think Sai Organics will be on every item on this list, simply because it’s my favorite store. 3 small aisles of joy. And they have soy creamer.  Delicious.

 

Hippie food alternative to Whole Foods: Sai Organics, Broadway Natural 

Free orange juice, wheatgrass shot or rice dream cookie sandwich with any purchase of $20 or more at Sai!  The owner of Broadway Natural once talked me down from buying an orange in September because they were not in season and, in his words, “too pricey.”  Yep, the man running the store told me I should get a cheaper and more delicious apple instead. That’s lookin out, you know?

 

Chilling out alternative to Starbucks: Sublte Tea and the Himalayan Tea House

Subtle Tea is in Manhattan near my workplace, and it is so much better than a chain for the following reasons: 1. The staff,  2. The tea, 3. The outlets where you can plug in your ipod/laptop and 4. The music.  So you should check it out.

 

Himalayan Tea House is more of a restaurant (an awesome one, actually), but you can go in for a pot of tea and a khapsey cookie and scribble in your journal for several hours unmolested.  Also notable for very nice, though sometimes forgetful staff.   

 

Non-hippie grocery alternative to Key Food: MK Market, Elliniki & United Bros Fruit & Veg Markets.  A big reason I chose to move back to Astoria after living in Manhattan for a year was the availability of 24-hour produce.  Eliniki takes credit cards, but United Brothers has an ATM and is open all night for those late night navel orange or fava bean cravings. Mmmm winter citrus… 

 

MK has fruit and veg of lower prices but also lower quality than the two titans of produce down the street. It touts hand-pressed tofu for like $1 for 3 blocks and cheap, cheap bean sprouts in bulk.  Sweet deal.  You can also procure milk, tea, cereal & eggs there for cheap, along with some Korean stuff. And it still costs less than at C-Town.

 

Hardware alternative to Home Depot: Broadway Hardware

You will probably need to ask for what you need, since this place is crammed to the gills with stuff. But everyone is nice & helpful and you don’t have to carry your purchases 3 miles to a register.

 

I could have a whole other post about the advantages of locally-owned restaurants, but that’s a different issue.  For now I wanted to share my love and enthusiasm for small, easy-to-find-stuff, friendly-staffed local shops.  They need your money and your love!   

 

 

 So what’s your favorite alternative to the big, scary boxes?