Pioneer Supermarket — Local services in New York

Pioneer Supermarkets is a chain of more than 50 independently owned and operated stores in New York City and 1 store in New Jersey.

So this particular one is presently unrelated to the 16 other ones (1 Downtown, 2 in Harlem, 9 in the Bronx, 1 in Queens, 4 in Brooklyn, & 1 in NJ).

This Pioneer Supermarket at 289 Columbus Ave on the UWS was established in 1959 and is still owned and operated by the same family —a rarity in New York City.

It's notable for how large it is —I'd say this is a very large and « full » (so to speak) supermarket for its UWS location. It's larger than the TJ's on 93rd or the D'Agostino on 91st or the Gristedes on 84th, of comparable size to the Key Foods on 86th, but it's not larger than the TJ's of 72nd or Fairway.

Pricing is consistent with current New York grocery store pricing —which is to say overpriced— hence why we all shop at Trader Joe's instead of all of the old school New York grocery stores named above (except Fairway —Fairway has somehow managed to keep somewhat reasonable pricing).

This Pioneer is reportedly noted for its expansive beer selection (over 500 kinds of beer). If you're a beer aficionado this definitely seems to be an appropriate store for you.

If you have the means to support local long-standing (overpriced) businesses that’s awesome. If your budget does not afford you that luxury, who can blame you for shopping at Trader Joe’s? My heart would love to support the longevity of this place but my...

Pioneer is a survivor in an environment roiled by every kind of e-shopping and ever larger supermarkets. It helps that they have more than 200 brands of beer in stock. At this point in their life they are upgrading the shopping experience with new fixtures and displays as well as checkout semi-automation. They used to cater to an aging-out blue collar clientele.

With the physical renovation and extended prepared food (MRE!) choices and generally higher quality offeringsI see more and more younger white collar shoppers picking up dinner on the way home from what passes for work nowadays. My first after-school paying job was in 1942 in a small supermarket near the Coliseum in wartime Los Angeles. The layouts of contemporary Columbus Ave. Pioneer and (I forget the name) Supermarket 75 years ago are virtually interchangeable. Obviously not much choice laying out a rectangular store with the registers in front.

More to why you are reading this review. The management in this Pioneer is truly hands-on and solves any issues (or really tries) immediately. The stockers working all the time and all over the store are extremely helpful. For many decades they have operated six days a week, but this year they are now open seven closing an hour early Sunday night.

With all the compliments I am showering on Pioneer, if Fairway for some reason decided to open on Columbus nearby, Pioneer would be...

An amazing store operated and staffed by the most remarkable group of people. We loved the place from the time we first moved to the neighborhood a few years ago but the effort the managers made to stay open and safe during the pandemic cemented the relationship for eternity. The managers work hard to keep up with the neighborhoods ever changing population and its tastes. The prices are fair. They can't be as low on every single item as Amazon or Trader Joes. Remember it is an independent business, not a national or international corporation. Nonetheless: Before and during Passover I noticed the OPPOSITE of price gouging: several essential ingredients, including walnuts and Concord grape juice, were on sale. The men working in the produce section regularly tap me on the shoulder to point me to a more perfect pineapple or bunch of bananas than the pineapple or bananas I've chosen. The women who work the registers are among the most intelligent, the friendliest, and the most good humored -- you can see their smiles right through their masks -- New Yorkers you will ever meet. Pioneer...