Pop Up Grocer’s downtown location (Google Maps)
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Pop Up Grocer, the discovery-driven grocery store and cafe known for its curated selection of better-for-you products from independent makers, is heading to the Upper East Side.
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Founder Emily Schildt presented her plans for the new location — at 1535 Second Avenue, between 79th and 80th streets — before Community Board 8 on Tuesday, alongside her legal representative, Adriana.The concept, which has operated at 205 Bleecker Street for about three years, blends a grocery shopping experience with an in-store cafe offering beverages, bakery items and pre-packaged foods. The cafe area would have roughly 18 seats. The business is applying for a beer and wine license only, with no outdoor seating and background music only.
Operating hours would be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in practice, with a 9 p.m. closing listed on the application to allow time for a gradual wind-down.
“Our desire is, obviously, specifically, to come up to the Upper East Side and really be a staple in the neighborhood for unique better-for-you grocery items, but also as a cafe destination with seating and a really warm, friendly environment,” Schildt told the board.
Before putting down roots downtown, Pop Up Grocer spent years as a true pop-up business, traveling the country and opening for 30 days at a time. In total, the brand has been around for about seven years.
Schildt said the Upper East Side location will be slightly different from the downtown store, offering more depth across product categories — including everyday essentials like razors and toilet paper alongside snacks and specialty items. She noted the store could fill some of the gap left by the former Rite Aid that previously served the area.
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“You will be able to find products in every category that are more essentials,” Schildt said. “We’ll just be sourcing the best options, better-for-you options within each of those categories.”Pop Up Grocer was founded in 2019 with a focus on spotlighting small, independent brands over big-name products, offering items the company describes as hard to find elsewhere.
We’ll provide updates when we learn of a target opening date.
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