After learning that Kingsbridge Armory plans include a new supermarket, Avi Kaner, owner of Morton Williams, threatened to close both of his Bronx stores. Both stores, still called “Associated” by most neighborhood residents, are located on Jerome Avenue. 

One is near Fordham Road and the other is on Kingsbridge Road extending directly in front of the Armory.

The closing of these two stores would be a community disaster. There are few other supermarkets in the area and none of them come even close to the high quality of Morton Williams. Both stores are immaculately clean, have a large variety of fresh merchandise (no camouflaged expiration dates) and a very friendly and efficient staff.  Those who campaigned for a supermarket on 204th Street a few years ago should be particularly sensitive to not having a supermarket in your neighborhood.

Not only would the community suffer but so would the nearly 75 people employed by the Kingsbridge store alone. This store provides the types of jobs that three pastors who authored a Norwood News op-ed in the last issue [June 25–July 8] are campaigning for.  Morton Williams employees have union jobs (Local 338), with excellent health benefits including dental and optical. Due to the enlightened and caring management of Andrew Acosta and Patricia Torres, they have far more than monetary benefits.

Work schedules are incredibly flexible and accommodating to college students.  Many of the young women doing the checkout also go to college and don’t have to worry about a school/job conflict.  At Morton Williams, education comes first.  Likewise, single mothers are able to pick up their children after school, saving money on childcare and having the joy of taking care of their children themselves.  It’s no accident that the Morton Williams cashiers have such an upbeat and infectious spirit which gives so many customers a lift.  Indeed, many customers regularly go to the same cashier and are greeted by their names in the finest “mom & pop” store fashion!  It’s no surprise that the “Save Morton Williams Supermarket” petition is garnering signatures in large numbers.

Ms. Torres, in particular, is extremely dedicated to nurturing a team spirit among her charges.  The camaraderie among the cashiers is a wonder:  If one has an emergency, another is always willing to shorten her lunch hour or extend her work time to fill in the gap.  A number of cashiers are in their upper teens and this is their first job.  Ms. Torres sees to it that they perform various tasks in addition to manning the cash register so that the young women who emerge learn to be versatile, cooperative and flexible, an attitude which will serve them well in the years ahead.

Bronx Community Board 7 will be voting on the Kingsbridge Armory project on July 14.  As part of the ULURP process, a community board can vote for a project with conditions. The addition of an amendment banning a supermarket within the Armory will protect the jobs of the Morton Williams employees, preserve a long time neighborhood institution and please legions of satisfied customers. Economic development should create new jobs and not put a dedicated and major community employer out of business!

On a personal note, my mother was a regular shopper in the store for almost 40 years and I have been a customer since 1998!

John Rozankowski
Bedford Park