But it's still a cool store.
Is this the Pioneer on Columbus Ave. at 70-something street? If so, I was actually in this place a few times back in the late 2000's during trips into the city. I thought it was a neat store, and I agree, it was really old. I still have a bag I saved from here.
You got it, Columbus and 74th. As you can see, not much has changed in the past few...um, decades, I guess!
I can say it hasn't changed much since 2008, although I'm sure this place was considered dated even back in 1978! The exterior just has a 40's/50's vibe to it.
You're probably right. I don't think there's all that much competition in this immediate neighborhood, so I think it does all right.
As a Pioneer, it was part of the now-defunct White Rose group, and in the bankruptcy about 2-3 years ago, Associated Supermarket Group bought out the retail cooperative end of White Rose. So now Pioneer and Met Foods (another outdated group) are under a subgroup of ASG, called Metropolitan City Foods. I doubt MCF will make it much longer as a group, but the owners could always switch to another group.