Known for offering premium brands at competitive prices, Lincoln Market is preparing to open its largest and most ambitious concept to date in the former Lucky Strike bowling alley in the River Place building at 660 W 42nd St. The 35,800-square-foot flagship location in Hell’s Kitchen is set to open in late summer and will be more than just a grocery store, with a full-scale food hall to complement traditional supermarket offerings. For River Place residents and area visitors, the new store will fill a major void in neighborhood grocery options.
“It will be a one-stop shop,” said Ayman Innab, who oversees day-to-day operations. “You could grab lunch, you could grab dinner, you could grab some ice cream, you could grab some coffee. We have a coffee shop opening up in here, too.”
The food hall will feature a curated selection of popular New York vendors, including the viral hit Pizza Loves Sauce and Julietta’s Gelato Cafe, which has built a following at its Bleecker Street and Hoboken locations. Innab said a Mediterranean concept is also slated for the space, though the specific partner has not yet been announced.
The move into Hell’s Kitchen comes as Lincoln Market continues its expansion across the city. While he new flagship might feel upscale, Innab emphasizes that the company remains committed to its core mission of affordability at a time when prices are top of mind.
“We pride ourselves on our pricing being fair,” he stressed. “For instance, Graza olive oil went viral a couple of years ago, and some stores were charging $30 a bottle. We worked it out with the vendors so we could sell Graza olive oil for better pricing than anybody else.”
The goal, he added, is to compete directly with Whole Foods and high-end local grocers by leveraging vendor relationships to keep costs down for consumers. “Our pricing compared to other supermarkets in the city — we blow them out of the box,” Innab said.
While the project has faced its share of construction roadblocks since the lease was signed, the interior — including coolers and flooring — is now complete. Final interior design touches are currently underway, and the market is on track to welcome the community by August, Innab said.
