protests continue against grocery store closing

For the second straight week, residents of Chelsea and Greenwich Village joined elected officials for a demonstration against the planned closing of a local grocery store.

The group picketed outside of 18 E. 50th St, the corporate offices of Pan Am Equities, the store’s landlord.

The West 14th Street Associated Supermarket is scheduled to close in May due to a dramatic rent increase -- from $32,000 a month to more than $100,000 a month -- demanded by Pan Am Equities.

The company has not responded to attempts by elected officials to discuss the store’s future.

“Pan Am Equities is demanding a truly unreasonable rent increase, leaving the store owners no choice but to close,” said Council Member Corey Johnson. “We are asking them to come to the table and negotiate a new lease with the store owner in good faith. No one should be forced to travel long distances to buy food, particularly seniors who are living on fixed incomes.”