NYC’s First Ever Free Grocery Store Opens Next Week—It’s Open To ‘All New Yorkers’

If you thought Westside Market casually giving away $50K in free groceries was generous, New York City is going even bigger. NYC’s first-ever free grocery store is opening Thursday, February 12, and yes–it’s exactly what it sounds like. NYC’s first free grocery store opens February 12 ------------------------------------------------ In a city where our grocery bills feel like a personal attack on our bank accounts, the words “free groceries” are literally enough to get New Yorkers to drop everything–except the iced coffee they just spent $9 on–and get in line. And though it sounds too good to be true, it’s not. Polymarket, a New York-founded prediction market company, announced it signed a lease to open what it calls the first free grocery store in New York City. The five-day pop-up, named The Polymarket, opens February 12 at noon and will run through February 16. According to the company, the store is open to “all New Yorkers,” requires no purchase and no sign-up, and is “built for the people who power New York.” The exact location has not yet been announced, but Polymarket says construction began last month and confirmed on social media that the project is legitimate after online skepticism. A $1 million donation to fight hunger in NYC -------------------------------------------- Polymarket says the store is supported by a $1 million donation to Food Bank For NYC to help fight food insecurity across all five boroughs. More than one million New Yorkers are classified as food insecure, according to recent city data. The announcement arrives amid growing debate over grocery affordability in New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has proposed opening city-run grocery stores in every borough to lower food costs, with the city covering rent and operating expenses while offering groceries at wholesale prices. Polymarket described its pop-up as a direct investment in the city, with company leaders calling the project a way to give back to New Yorkers. Know before you go ------------------ * 🛒 The Polymarket * 📍 Location TBD * 🗓️ February 12 – February 16, 2026 * ⏰ Opens February 12 at noon * 💲 Free groceries, no purchase required Source: https://secretnyc.co/nyc-first-ever-free-grocery-store-the-polymarket-opens-february-2026/