Parrot Coffee Market Place 1 — Attraction in New York

I have been a customer of the „Papagalul” (Parrot Coffee etc.) since it was a small Romanian/Eastern European grocery store tucked in Ridgewood. After the business moved to Sunnyside, I have visited (and bought groceries, and other ethnically-identified merchandise, for various events at the university). Most of the former personnel were nice, helpful, affable. Last week I had a rather weird experience: I went to buy some groceries, asked one of the young ladies to weigh me 1/2 pound of some cold cuts, started the checkout for the regular items. Meanwhile, I asked for two $5 Pinless Romania phone cards. The young lady at the cashier's post checked out the "un-weighed" products, while we were waiting for the other one to finally convince the salami to be sacrificed and weighed(although the store was almost empty). Another gentleman came, I stepped to the side, the young lady at the cashier told me `step aside, step aside, I have to help this gentleman". Which I had already done, supposing that I was not requested to crawl on my all fours while waiting for my 1/2 pound of salami to be cut and weighed. My salami finally came, the cashier had cancelled the transaction (apparently, the basic training does not include "how to put a transaction on hold"), and took it up again. When I told the new 'transaction agent' that she added a product 3 times, she told me: "and you should wait for all of your products to come, before the transaction", at which moment I told them: "ok, I am just buying the phone cards, forget the rest". The answer: "no, we won't sell you the phone cards". When I asked to speak to the manager, the answer was: "no, and we have you on camera, and we won't sell you anything in this store anymore". Wow! One would think that the time of Socialist nostalgia has passed, that time when people would tremble in front of the mighty grocery store sellers! Then again, one may be wrong! I wonder what the owner of the stores have to say...then I wonder what the Better Business Bureau has to say, as I intend to file a complaint...on which occasion they may want to look into the legal status of the workers, as well as into the possible violations of the workers' and customers' safety, with heavy products piled up and very narrow aisles. As for myself...well, Eastern European grocery items can be found at the European Market (former Picioane, around the corner), at Fresh n Save, and, of course, at all Russian stores in Queens and at Brighton Beach where the pleasure of being served with care and professionalism is worth the trip. Romanian phone cards? there is always the internet, the Parrot does not have to sell their own, for that matter. But, all in all, nice work! I wonder how many other customers have been chased away by the ladies who menaced them with the camera? I also wonder where, in the NY city and NY state grocery business laws, I can find the stipulation of "we don't sell less than 1/2 pound of cold cuts/cheese/etc", also where does it say, printed in large case "you break it, you buy it". Nice nostalgic Socialist business! I am waiting for the Better Business Bureau...

When I went home to finish cooking I realized that the sour cream that I had bought night maybe 10 minutes prior was bad, gone off even though the expiration date was good. I walked back to the store to request an exchange and was told no can do since the date is good. I told the lady at the register that it’s bad, clumpy and sour and she can taste if she likes, but I cannot use it. She said they have rules set by the owner and cannot exchange or even give me a refund. I asked to speak to manager or owner and they told me to come back Monday at 10. I told her it was not fair to the customer and made no sense. It doesn’t. Really disappointed. This experience is on top of them charging me a different, higher price for an item before and said oh the price listed doesn’t match cause it probably wasn’t changed yet. Wouldn’t honor the price that was listed, said no do. Lovely...

Good selection of Turkish and Eastern European products. They even carry organic nut flours and Bob’s Red Mill. I’ve actually started shopping here more since prices can be better than the big chain supermarkets like the Key Food across the street. The deli at the back has a good selection of quality fetas & Kayseri cheeses (among others), deli meats & fresh sausages, and a variety of savory/sweet phyllo pastries + other prepared dishes. They also have a wide range of nuts & dried fruits as well as a great olive bar, all very reasonably priced. But my favorite thing is that in the summer they have fresh ripe local tomatoes that taste like they’re right from the garden. It can get crowded during the evening rush and at holiday time but nothing I can't handle. The cashiers...