Meadow Lane, the gourmet grocery store created by TikTok personality Sammy Nussdorf, opened in New York City on Friday and immediately attracted long queues snaking around the block. The store, which has been billed as the East Coast's answer to Los Angeles' Erewhon, drew shoppers braving freezing temperatures to sample its signature meatballs and chicken nuggets.
Once inside, customers were confronted with ultra-premium goods and steep prices: £14 tortilla chips, £12 bunches of grapes, £65 bottles of extra-virgin olive oil from 150-year-old trees, £74 matcha powder and £625 Siberian caviar. The most sought-after items, however, were behind the prepared foods counter, including £12 pots of chicken salad and six oversized nuggets for £15.
Despite high demand, Meadow Lane closed at around 3:30pm on its opening day—just four hours after opening—and has since continued to close early, closing entirely on Monday. The early closures appear to have affected quality, with food blogger Sabrina Carey posting a poll on Instagram asking whether the chicken nuggets she received looked raw. 'I don't know if they're just like, juicy chicken nuggets, but I'm like, this looks pink,' she said.
Mr Nussdorf quickly responded to the claim, calling what Ms Carey received 'unacceptable' and saying she was later compensated with a new pack. Meanwhile, critics have mocked the enthusiasm for the store, with one person on X calling those waiting in line 'all time freaks' and another joking about the high prices. A customer told Business Insider that the store felt like 'the new Erewhon of New York'.
Mr Nussdorf, a former venture capitalist, has also faced accusations of being a 'nepo-baby' after claiming he was 'self-made', given his family's reported net worth of $1.6 billion. He has defended himself by noting that no one else in his family owns a grocery store. In a recent TikTok video, he assured followers that the day off would be spent 'reorganizing' to ensure everyone gets the experience he wants them to have.
