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Artisanal food vendors move into Falchi Building’s ‘Food Box’

Nov. 15, 2013 By Christian Murray

The first steps toward creating a Long Island City food market near Queens Boulevard took place last Monday.

Four independent artisanal food makers moved into the ground floor of the Falchi Building on 47th Ave. near LaGuardia Community College.

The vendors—some participants in the LIC Flea– were invited to join by Jamestown Properties, which bought the building last year and has plans to create a food market. Jamestown is best known among foodies for operating the Chelsea Market.

Jamestown started the market with the opening of the “Food Box at Falchi” on Monday, which is located on the ground floor, near the main lobby to the building.

So far, Peruvian, Jamaican, Thai and Texas-baked goods are for sale. A fifth vendor is expected to come next week.

Meanwhile, construction workers are still creating space for a cheese vendor, called Artisanal Premium Cheese, which is known for buying and selling curds from all over the world.

The Food Box at Falchi is open Monday through Friday, 6:30am until 5 pm. It is not open on weekends.

“We were part of the LICFlea and got correspondence about this market from Jamestown,” said David Wisdom, who opened his ‘Real Caribbean Food’ kiosk on Monday, which sells jerk chicken, beef patties, juices and more.

He said that Jamestown will be painting the “Food Box” , and there will be a lot of branding. If all goes well, Jamestown has plans to grow the market.

The owner of Jamestown, however, told the Queens Chronicle earlier this month that he does not plan to create a Long Island City version of Chelsea Market. That market has more than thirty-five vendors purveying everything from nuts, coffee and cheese.

Jessey Nahmias, who runs a Peruvian kiosk called Jessey’s Pastries, said business was slow on Monday when the Food Box opened. However, people are starting to learn we are here. Furthermore, “there are not a lot of lunch choices around the area,” she said, expressing confidence that the concept will succeed.

Nahmias sells empanadas and Alfajores, a Peruvian-style cookie.

Meanwhile, Eric Henshaw, who operates Khao Man Gai NY with his wife Emorn, said he decided to open a kiosk here, since “Jamestown Properties is the operator, Long Island City is the location and it’s a chance to share our food.”

Henshaw offers Khao Man Gai, noodle soup and Thai teas.

The owner of the fourth vendor—The Kolache Co–was not available for comment. However, a worker said that the owner plans to bring Texas-style pastries to the North East.