Associated Marketplace

Overpriced. I paid less in a more established area which says plenty. The store is clean for the most part. The staff is «Meh». Some floor staff are helpful, some are … I have to constantly check the things I buy when ringing up because it’s not always matching the sales price however that seemed to happen at the other one I used to go to. I was able to find one or two cashiers friendly and I tended to choose those two.
Depending on where you shopped at before this may seem expensive or fair priced but for the things I routinely get compared to the last place are over priced. Nothing will compare to lets say a Target store but the store should at least be more reasonable.
In my experience the prices for regular items are what you would expect for organic type brands and the organic things there are priced outrageously. For example one of my staples are grapes but I refuse to regularly pay $ 5 a pound for non organic grapes regularly.
I decided to start shop elsewhere.

Best supermarket in town, people complaining about the prices are lying, these are the same people I see yelling and complaining every time I visit here, the prices are very cheep and fair, feel free to check for yourself and If you need something in stock they will provide it for you, the sandwich comes with a free drink or chips I haven’t seen this in any other store, and the cashiers are nice, highly recommended this supermarket

I am outting 1 star because i have to or i cannot place this ad this supermarket is a disgrace the managers owners are allowing illegal towing for kickbacks plain simple. if you go shopping there put your items in the trunk an run across the street say bye bye to your car the tow company has hired people hiding in this parking lot an the tow truck hides in the back of the parking lot an swoops your car, then your car will be held hostage till you pay ranson for your car back. go there during the daytime go an see how correct this Unilocal is go tell the managers doing this is very wrong they usually go after older easier targets, since these people just lookin for fast cash beware to all.

The only reason I even come is when I need a last minute item. They do not have cash exchange. Criminals is what they are. Shop at your own risk!!!

An average grocery store. The produce selection is fine, chicken and pork good as well. The beef looked just ok, but I didn’t buy any so I can’t comment on the quality. Staff was friendly.

A very mediocre, run-​of-​the-​mill grocer. They’re the closest to home so I end up shopping here a lot. There is one small aisle of produce, most of which is fresh, and similar sized aisle of meats, most of what are not so fresh. Dairy options are pretty lame. The floor staff is typically lackadaisical and in the way while the cashiers never (and I mean never) crack a smile.

The store has gotten better over the last year ever since the fame of Crown Heights being deemed an «Up and Coming Neighborhood» The produce went from mostly gross to all «organic» the non-​organic stuff looks prime. The meat department got a makeover as well, better cuts and choices.
Overall its a solid choice for groceries.

A good supermarket when I need groceries in a pinch. Never had issues with the floor staff. But one of the cashiers needs serious attitude training. I’m tired of being polite and friendly only to be treated so rudely.

Came here to check what time they close (about to go grab some groceries!) but decided to stay and drop a few lines about how friendly the staff is, the good sales, and the great selection. Lots of organic items, stuff for «ethnic» cooking, and specialty flours, etc.
Had an issue with meat going bad quickly once or twice before, but nothing major. And they carried my groceries home for me for free when I sprained my ankle! Thanks neighbors :)

Wildly overpriced but way too convenient for me to not shop there. *shrugs* I work in the city and try to buy groceries at other places on the way home but I bike so it limits my carrying capacity.
The produce section is atrocious. The fruit is over ripened or badly bruised but is priced as if it was fresh off the boat at it’s highest quality. I eat a lot of cereal because I’m too lazy to cook proper breakfast and the prices are ridiculous for it. Buy the generic brands if you can stand for them. I have discovered the frosted flakes are frosted flakes no matter how you package them.
If you see a deal, be sure to read the fine print because there’s always a catch. 8 out of 10 (not scientific but probably not far off) who pick up items based on the advertised deals are sent back to the aisle to prove to the cashier that there is a special on the item, and then a manager comes and points out some small print about you got the wrong version or oz size to coincide with the deal and this leads to traditionally long lines even at slow times during the day.
Don’t go here if you can avoid them but they do have a very convenient location.

I love this store. They have a nice variety of items. If they don’t have something they always try getting it for me. This is great supermarket! Manager is very accommodating.

These five stars were are well deserved by the associated mgmt and staff.
I’ve been here a few times and I can safely say it is my favorite spot to pick up what I need for the house. They’ve got a great selection snacks, as well as everything you need to whip up a great meal. And when I’m feeling lazy, those turkey sandwiches are clutch. The owners are cool, fun to talk to — even if I don’t buy anything, I step in to say hello to Hamdy and the girls at the registers.
Definitely the epitome of the friendly neighbourhood supermarket.

I live on Flatbush near an Associated but prefer this store to the one on Flatbush. The prices are good, the variety of items (well-​stocked), the friendly staff, the cleanliness and spaciousness of the store are welcomed. I don’t eat meat but the other cooked items are great! They carry all the alkaline waters that I drink, quality/​imported items. I love the store. It saves me a trip downtown or to the city to purchase certain items. This is one of the best stores in the area.

The only reason why I go to this grocery store is because it’s literally 2 blocks from my apartment building. I don’t get my fruits or vegetables here because the prices are really expensive compared to the fruit stands on the corners, but I get snacks, cereal, meat, etc. from here.
I’ve never had a nice cashier here… in fact, last time I was here, the cashier actually smacked me in the process of handing me my receipt because she wasn’t even looking… she had her full back to me and was silent the entire time. I even said «Hi, how are you?» And she just stared. Um… okay… I understand you might not like your job, but don’t be blatantly rude to customers.
Besides poor customer service, the prices of things are really steep (honestly, who would pay more than $ 5 for a box of cereal?), and it’s always pretty dirty and disorganized. Things move around ALL the time. I do have to say, though, that I’ve never gotten bad meat or dairy products from here — everything I’ve bought has been good quality and never got me sick.
I would much rather travel to Court Street for the Trader Joe’s, but the problems of time and convenience stand in the way. So for now, Associates it is.

Check the expiration dates! This location and it’s sister location on Flatbush need to be inspected or something because they seem ro have expiring or expired foods on its shelfs. Smh I went in here 2 years ago and when I returned lately I was reminded of why I stopped coming in here. If you are trying to catch a Associated sale,. Go over to the one on Franklin Ave. That place is cleaner and more up to par for shoppers.

When you have a corner on the market, you can afford to be meh.
Two points are for friendly employees and general cleanliness.
Almost every time I shop here I find expired produce and the meat always seems to spoil immediately, well before the sell-​by date (which makes me think their deliveries sit unrefrigerated or they’re changing expiration dates). Beyond that, though, their selection is unimpressive, stocking of items they do have is inconsistent, and things aren’t always shelved where you’d expect.
I’ll keep going here… until something else opens nearby.

I used to live in the neighborhood from 1994 – 2002. I have seen this supermarket transform drastically, for the better of course. Not to mention its the most convenient supermarket in the area (unless you want to go all the way to Western Beef). I recently went there and renovation is great especially when I think back to how it used to be in the 90s. I saw a lot of familiar faces. The prices aren’t all that great BUT think of it this way, if you were the only convenient supermarket in area, would you have your products cheap? EXACTLY. Overall its a good business doing what a smart business is supposed to.
Random thought… I wonder how much that African American bag/​delivery guy makes because he used to work there since my time there!

This Associated is only two blocks from our apartment, so we go here somewhat often out of convenience. When we first moved in, we would buy just about anything that looked normal, but our list of acceptable items from this grocery store has slowly dwindled as we’ve experience more and more bad purchases.
First, we stopped buying hot dogs after getting a package of Sabrett (the same kind the carts sell) and opening it to find that there was an extreme amount of goo in the package. We googled the issue and learned that this was caused by the meat being unchilled for a significant period of time. We also learned that this is a common problem with the Sabrett brand, but still, it made us wary.
Then we stopped buying chicken after getting more than one package and opening it to find that large spots on the meat (usually breasts) were discolored. The spots were a lighter color, almost like those parts of the meat had been cooked.
So for awhile, we stuck with the packages of Shady Brook Farms ground turkey and turkey sausages. This was the only meat that we would buy here. Then we got a package that smelled like rotten eggs. Lovely. And you may think, ‘oh, they mishandled it themselves,’ but that’s really not the case. Like I said, the Associated is two blocks from our apartment, and things go immediately into the fridge/​freezer when we get home.
We’ve never purchased pork or beef from here because it has never looked that good. We did purchase a whole Purdue chicken though, and that was totally fine — no discoloration or weird smells.
So, that leaves us with the produce, dairy, and pantry items. Maybe it’s because I’m not buy their herbs or artichoke heart, but unlike Elon said in his review, I find their produce to be really reasonable priced. Lemons are usually six for $ 1 and large packages of organic baby spinach are only $ 4. Potatoes, garlic, carrots and celery are all way cheaper than fancier groceries or the small corner markets. You just have to check things carefully because usually 60% of an item will be wilting or weird looking and the other 40% will be good.
We have never had any issues with eggs, cheese, or yogurt. They even have cage free eggs for nearly the same price as the regular eggs. Yogurt can be kind of pricy, but nothing outrageous.
Canned and dried goods are usually pretty cheap — especially if you get them on sale. I never even bother looking in the cereal isle, though. Brand name cereal is never on sale and it all costs about $ 5 a box.
One thing that this Associated is good for is weird spices and canned goods. They cater to the Caribbean and Hispanic population in the neighborhood, so they have a lot of spices and specialty items that you don’t find a lot of other places — this is awesome if you like to experiment with new cuisines and cooking, like us. We have never had any issue with the cashier, but it always is crazy busy in the evenings, so be prepared to wait.

Do not leave your bags in the front like they demand.
My bag «walked» away and the store manager refused to reimburse me even when I showed him the receipt of the store I just left! An old man at the door takes your bags when you walk in, he then leaves the bag unattended, and then they refuses to reimburse you for your losses.
Oh an the cashiers would rather listen to their ipods than acknowledge your presence in the checkout line.

This is my local hood-​market, and NO they don’t sell sluts – not sure that would be a good thing.
Its reliable, dirty, ran by Armenians, and there is always a stench in the air. The fruit is bruised but if you’re despondent edible. I usually go here for staple items that could be bought at any other store like soy milk, OJ, and chips. You can’t ruin these Associated!
Thanks for being the crap store that closes at 8, and carrying semi-​edible items!
PS. I once saw a homeless person sleeping in the middle of an isle or maybe there was something wrong medically – either way I don’t care.