New Organic Store Celebrates Opening on Myrtle

A new organic grocery store celebrated its grand opening on Thursday, bringing a needed fresh produce vendor to Myrtle Avenue.

The new store, called Greene-Ville Garden, marks the expansion of a seven-business empire owned by Kay and Bruce Lee, who also run the sushi restaurant , the frozen yogurt joint Silver Spoon, the produce stores Greene Farm and Fresh Garden and the salons Mirai Nail and Mirai Skin & Body.

“I was looking at opening a grocery store on Myrtle Avenue five years ago,” said Kay Lee. “I actually wanted to open a bigger one — but this is good enough.”

Indeed, grocery stores — especially one like Greene-Ville Gardens, which caters to the organic, locally-grown food crowd — are in short supply on Myrtle Avenue.

“There are plenty of bodegas [nearby],” Kay Lee said. “But not many grocery stores…I’m looking for quality food for health-conscious people.”

The Lees’ store between Clermont Avenue and Adelphi Street has been open since mid-January,  but the store celebrated its “grand opening” on Thursday with a ribbon cutting and loads of free food.

Kay Lee said that she didn't want to compete with big organic grocers like Whole Foods, but her prices were comparable; a pound of organic ground beef cost $8.29.

Soon, the Lees will face some more competition beside the Bravo Supermarket at Carlton Avenue.

A new Red Apple supermarket is also planned at Ashland Place, meaning that many fresh food options are on the way for an area that has been singled out as sorely lacking in grocery stores in the past.

“In terms of organic and local options, there’s the green [farmer’s] market but not many others [near Myrtle Avenue],” said Meredith Phillips Almeida, the director of community development at the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership. “Having more options is a good thing.”