Anyone else been through the new Key Food on 5th and 14th? I stopped in over the weekend and it was still a mess. Half the produce was sitting in cardboard boxes, and the aisles felt like someone had just pushed the shelves into place and called it a day.

I get that soft openings are soft, but this was more like a soft unpacking. Is the butcher counter actually staffed? I only saw a guy disappearing into the back. Wondering if I should keep hiking to Union Market for dinner stuff for another week.

Thanks, Flatbush_Fi — I just moved to the Slope and was about to walk over there this afternoon. Glad I saw this. If the produce is still in boxes I might not bother yet. Did they at least have self-checkout working? I feel like new stores around here get mobbed before the layout even makes sense.

Also, is this the space that used to be a Duane Reade? Somebody on my block mentioned that and I have no idea where the old one was.

Flatbush_Fi, yeah, that Key Food franchise is always like this for the first month. The one up by my old place opened with half the freezers unplugged and still ran a grand opening.

Give it a week or two. If you need produce now, the little bodega on 4th and Lincoln has solid basics and won't make you wait. Butcher counter didn't look active when I passed on Tuesday, just one dude in the back. Union Market is fine if you want the rotisserie chicken, otherwise you're mostly paying for the lighting.

EastHarlem_E, you're not wrong about the franchise. But wait — Flatbush_Fi, this is the old Associated space on 14th, right? Because that spot had a produce refrigeration problem for years! The misters would fail every summer and all the herbs would droop by Sunday. If the new Key Food didn't replace the whole setup, the produce is going to turn fast no matter how nice the shelving looks.

Did you notice if they kept the orange tile? I have a weird soft spot for that ugly tile. Please tell me they kept the orange tile! Also, have you tried the limes near the door? Sometimes those are weirdly good even in a half-stocked store.

DumboSunset, the orange tile is still there, you can relax. Flatbush_Fi, I'm with you on the butcher question. I went last night around 8 and it's half-built but not a total disaster. Meat case was sparse, but there was a guy in a coat behind the counter, so maybe it's limping along.

Self-checkout exists, but only four machines and two were card-only. If you're buying more than a basket, you're stuck in the regular line anyway. For basics, it's fine. For anything specific, I'd still go to C-Town on 9th.

Thank you firstwinter and Gowanus_G, this is genuinely helpful. I'm new to Brooklyn and still trying to figure out which store is actually worth the walk. I keep ending up at the closest place and then wondering why I paid too much for yogurt.

Is Key Food roughly the same as C-Town, or is one better for produce and the other better for packaged stuff? I don't need anything fancy, just trying to build a normal weekly shop without running to five stores. Do people actually use the circular, or just buy what looks okay?

Beth, if you're doing a regular weekly shop, don't make this Key Food your main spot yet. C-Town on 9th is better for basics and the produce tends to be picked over less. Key Food will get there, but right now the stock is all over the place. I went back this morning and the coffee aisle was deep, but the dairy shelves were half empty.

And yes, DumboSunset, the orange tile is definitely still there. That floor has seen more grocery chains than I have. Give it two weeks and it'll be fine.