Local Shopping

Image via Wikipedia

Whether you frequent “Lady Love” (yes, there really is a store called that on Austin!), Barnes & Noble, or Natural, we all have our favorite local retailers we can’t live without.

I will be gradually updating this page with some of my own local favorites, but feel free to pitch in and help out while it’s “under construction” by commenting about your own favorites below.

Oh, and information about local service providers will also be included here. I think the tornado ravaged my air conditioner, for instance. Anyone know of a good place to get it fixed? I hope this will be a great resource for everyone to share their experiences and recommendations about local businesses to patronize, and those we maybe should avoid!

Food Stores

Natural

7256 Austin St.

(718) 268-4477

The owners of Natural usually keep the line, which can get pretty long sometimes, moving very fast.

The closest thing Forest Hills has to Whole Foods. Natural is the type of store you take for granted — until, that is, you spend some time in a place that doesn’t have a store like it! Aisles and aisles of fresh fruits and vegetables and natural foods.

If I’m going to buy any meat or poultry in Forest Hills, about 99 percent of the time I do it here – it can be somewhat more expensive than a traditional supermarket, but I trust this store’s fresh, quality meat and usually pick the organic brands like Applegate Farms, which, by the way, also offers excellent hot dogs. Natural’s beer selection is also one of the best locally, with a nice selection of craft brews.

The lines at Natural can be deceivingly long – they keep them moving very fast. I think the longest I have ever seen are right before Thanksgiving, when they wrap around the entire store, and right before a Blizzard Warning!

Organic Market

107-14 71st Rd

(718) 575-0082

Yes, the name is BORING! They couldn’t think up anything else? But this is indeed, an ORGANIC MARKET. And it is very clean, and it is pretty small so you can get in and out pretty fast. And it has a much better selection — at least I think so — of all-natural drinks than the much bigger Natural does.

For instance, it carries several brands of excellent natural iced teas, and a very large selection of all-natural, artisanal sodas, a big, up-and-coming thing, in case you haven’t heard!

When I stop by, aside from the all-natural oreo-like cookies, and the aforementioned sodas and teas, I head to the back for really good freshly made sandwiches, soups and salads.

Give this newcomer a try!