Gristedes owner offers to test socialist NYC candidate's ‘Soviet' style plan for city-run grocery stores — but there's a catch
The owner of Gristedes said he'd lend a supermarket to City Hall to test one liberal candidate's 'Soviet'-style plan for government-run grocery stores – if he'll pay for shoplifting losses.
John Catsimatidis, the billionaire mogul behind the Gristedes and D'Agostino food chains, pledged he would be 'helpful' after Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani unveiled a plan to create a network of city-run supermarkets.
'If they want to try an experiment, I will be helpful — as long as the city makes up the shortfall for shoplifting,' Catsimatidis told The Post.
'Will they allow people to shoplift? What will the policy on shoplifting be? I just want to know,' said Catsimatidis, who has previously grabbed headlines for encouraging his in-store staff to tackle shoplifters to hold them until police arrive.
Mamdani, who is currently polling second behind frontrunner Andrew Cuomo ahead of the June Democratic Party primary, has said he'd launch city-owned grocery stores to drive down grocery prices for New Yorkers.
'These stores will operate without profit motive, or having to pay property taxes or rent, and will pass those savings onto you,' Mamdani, who is now serving in the state Assembly, said in a TikTok video.
His plan, which calls for one store in each borough, would cost an estimated $60 million.
It has drawn condemnation from local grocery owners such as Jason Ferraira, a board member of the National Supermarket Association, who said it would create 'Soviet' markets where customers would have limited selection for items like bread and milk.
Catsimatidis, an ally and insider of President Trump, was open to the idea of negotiating with the unabashedly liberal candidate if he were to end up in City Hall.
'It could help the city feed the hungry. There's a deal to be made. We'll help make it happen,' Catsimatidis said, though he will not be voting for Mamdani for mayor.
Mamdani's team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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