This RD/jetro location opened in 2012 and it is simply massive inside. The inside is 1 and a 1/2 subway trains long. It is cleaner (no black and white dusts and grime on all the products) and has less beaten up (unbuyable) products than the College Point RD/Jetro. It has slightly different mix of products than CP RD/Jetro, I can get 1% Parmalat Milk at Bronx RD/Jetro, but not at CP RD/Jetro. I can get Kontos Spanakopita at Bronx RD/Jetro but not at CP. At CP RD/Jetro, they stock Adirondack 1L Seltzer but I can't get that at Bronx RD/Jetro. Bronx has a fish monger in the fridge, and a larger refridgerater/freezer section than CP. RD/Jetro Bronx and RD (no Jetro) Port Chester, has FPI brand Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, but CP's RD doesn't. Bronx has unique operating hours. Bronx opens at 2 AM on weekdays. All other RDs/Jetros in NYC open at 6 or 7 AM. Bronx's early morning opening time makes up for the horribly early closing times of 2 PM to 6 PM of ALL NYC RDs (including Bronx). This Bronx location, and its much better selection are probably because this building doubles as a 2nd business. When Bronx closes to the public every day, Hyco Restaurant Supply takes over the building and assembles their delivery orders at night. This building never sleeps.
Tip: both ends of the building have cashiers (early morning/2 AM, only Jetro side door/cashier is open), and you can pay at either end regardless of what your membership card says or what kind of products you have on your U boat. Have your friend walk to the other end of the building and call you on how long the lines are looking.
This location has 2 driveways. The less known, and quieter/less traffic entrance is on E 149th street. You have to drive past Manhattan Beverage (former Jetro building) and past Coke Cola place, make a left when you reach the oil distributor and drive along the shore road. The road along the shore doesn't look like a public road, but it legally is one (Oak Point Avenue), eventually the shore road makes you make left, and then very quickly, before the guard booth, you make a right, and go up the ramp to RD/Jetro.
This RD/Jetro was built ontop of a "reclaimed" illegal landfill consisting of demolished rubble of arsoned bronx buildings in the 70s. In some places at the edge of the property you can see the crushed red bricks sticking out of the dirt. The former landfill is why the RD/Jetro is high up on a hill above everything else around it and you have to drive up ramps to get to the RD/Jetro. Before the illegal landfill, the site was a rail yard with docks (you can see their remains today ) that was abandoned, and then foreclosed and auctioned by NYC govt for delinquent taxes in the 70s. There is a nice view of the east river if you goto the southern edge of the parking lot after shopping since your standing high on a hill. Hurricane Sandy caused some serious errosion and damage in the artificial planted wetlands infront of the abandoned docks. read more