Mama’s Empanadas at 42-18 Greenpoint Ave. (Photo: Queens Post)
May 21, 2018 By Nathaly Pesantez
Yet another Sunnyside staple will be closing its doors.
Mama’s Empanadas, the small yet popular eatery known for its dozens of empanada varieties, will be closing its Greenpoint Avenue location at the end of June, according to Javier Garcia, who owns the Queens-based chain.
Garcia said running the 42-18 Greenpoint Ave. site, which opened almost 15 years ago, has become difficult in recent times. Rent, employee wages, and its relatively distant location from the train are all contributing factors to its closing, he said.
“It’s getting a lot tougher to do,” Garcia said.
He noted, however, that a return to Sunnyside could be in the works down the line.
“We would like to come back on Queens Boulevard,” Garcia said, adding that he’d rather have a location near the 7 train.
In the meantime, an existing Mama’s Empanadas location at 32-41 Steinway St. will deliver to Sunnyside, Garcia said, and can be reached by using the same phone number as the Sunnyside location.
Mama’s Empanadas is the latest store to close on the same Greenpoint Avenue block as Sunnyside Taco and Green Point Farm. The grocer was unable to make rent, while the taco joint has been sold to a new owner. It is unclear if the new owner will retain the Sunnyside Taco name.
Featured Events
33 Comments
The Steinway location DOES NOT deliver to Sunnyside.
They abandoned the neighborhood.
Their empanadas are terrible, just filled with an indiscernible mush that all tastes the same. I Love Paraguay has much better empanadas albeit a very limited selection.
Dear change is good
if you think you getting living in dump why not move from there it. You have choice so stop complaining about the quality of living which you can go somewhere else.
So happy these stores are leaving and condo/co-ops will be availible. Hopefully a real high end restaurant , not these greasy , dirty , little dumps. Bring some class into this area to justify the high rent/high purchase prices. Why pay $3000-a month and there’s dirt, crime, and no good restaurants ? This area will be better off in the long run.
You must really love gentrification, don’t you? Things being more expensive to a point where it’s impossible to enjoy life for a reasonable price must be your thing.
Dear floores, I’m sorry if I like to get my moneys worth. If I’m going to pay top dollar I expect top bang for my buck. I live in an over priced sub par neighborhood. I’m hoping the neighborhood gets a little more upscale ,not just money wise, quality of life wise. You want to raise prices fine, justify it. We live in a slum over here and pay top dollar. Fix the area up. I Dont mind paying . you sound like you enjoy living cheap and like crap
70% of sunnyside residents own – we care about the people who owns the business around our homes. You can take your rent somewhere “nicer” I’m sure 3K goes far somewhere else.
None of you are are looking at the big pitcher .this was a long rang plan.
A Relastate comp using different names buys the block over a periord of time waits until what he thinks is a fair amount time and then rises the rents higher then the stores owners can afford they move out and he don’t
Have to go to court with each one.
Now in six months to a year down will come the old buildings and up Go’s
A 6 to 8 to story buildings with the ground level being all stores.
Mama’s Empanadas is literally amazing. I hit up the Steinway location whenever possible!
Probably more apartments. That whole block is closing.
WTF you and Conforto get hurt swinging? 3-0 changeups? Pull your head out of your a$$
Aww, Sad To See Them Go. I Love Their Broccoli Cheese Empanadas 🙁
Please Do Not Replace With another Coffee Shop or Cell Phone Store.
Already a coffee shop on that block. Those places were only gonna block your arteries. There are better choices to be made.
Ask Nelson and Jimmy
Nelson is the biggest fool in Sunnyside history. His defunct Christmas Store was anti-customer service.
Nelson’s response was “Ha Ha!”
Ho Ho.
There must some plan in the works for that building as all of those stores are closing at the same time.
https://sunnysidepost.com/green-point-farm-sunnyside-taco-on-greenpoint-avenue-close
Yeah, knock it all down and make something worthwhile that people want and care about.
Yes the plan is the Mayor to use it as another shelter.
Curiously, the longtime fruit & vegetable store in the same block on Greenpoint Avenue closed down several weeks ago, without any announcement of why.
Let’s put a Trader Joe’s there
Exactly what we need in Sunnyside, YES!!!! If you don’t like it, MOVE!!!!
Why don’t YOU move? You obviously have an issue with how Sunnyside is now.
When will a reporter ask the obvious question after businesses continue to close? Why isn’t the local lawmaker taking action to stop the closing?
We need to ask JVB about this. Its been happening for years now. The rents are scaring businesses big time.
The empanadas aren’t that good and there are several other places that make empanadas in the neighborhood. If a good place opens up location won’t matter. Senso unico is in a desolate area and it draws people because the food is good.
Please offer recommendations on good places for empanadas nearby.
Yo Loose:
There are many South American restaurants in Sunnyside. They all have empanadas. You have to leave your house once in a while and walk around.
This blows.
What next? Another stupid cell phone shop? Chain Fro-yo?
A TD Bank that serves overpriced cupcakes.
So sad to see Mama’s Empanadas go; it’s a family favorite. Wishing the owner and staff all the best. You will be missed!
I use “so sad” when it comes to war, poverty, disease not a greasy empanada store closing. Get a life Leslie.