By COLlive reporter
Photos by Baruch Ezagui
Another kosher supermarket is joining the upscale shopping experience offered to New York area Jews – but this one is closer to home.
Opening Tuesday will be the new Crown Heights food destination, The Market Place Supermarket, located on the corner of Kingston and East New York Avenues.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars were invested to build a state-of-the-art store that is promising to bring quality and variety offered until now only outside the neighborhood.
Owner Itsik Benabou was seen Monday overseeing the buzzing activity of dozens of employees, department managers and food distributors hard at work stocking the shelves.
“This is something Crown Heights has never seen,” said the store manager Shloimy Gelbstein while giving COLlive an exclusive preview tour of the supermarket.
Walking through the wide and well lit aisles, Gelbstein said there will be an emphasis on fresh and specialty items.
The produce department, for example, carries “the finest produce and has an automatic sprinkler system to keep it all fresh,” he said.
Glick’s Bakery, which runs a department in Benabou’s nearby Empire Kosher supermarket, has a fully operational kitchen here, where all goods are prepared and baked on site.
With Chanukah coming up, the addictive scent of freshly baked doughnuts is expected to fill the store in the coming week.
Competing with that smell will be the in-house catering which boasts a cutting-edge kitchen, capable of catering small or large events.
The kitchen staff will also be responsible for stocking the store’s shelves with meats, poultry and take-out, including deli and salads.
Also in-house will be the sushi department, labeled “26 Rolls,” where a sushi chef will prepare gourmet and exotic sushi rolls to order.
A parking lot is planned for across the street in the near future.
Benabou, who is relying on Gelbstein for running the day to day operation, said he has been preparing for the opening day for 3 years now.
His Kol Tuv Grocery on Kingston Avenue is expected to continue its activity and his Empire Kosher Supermarket will now be a more affordable venue.
The Market Place opens for the first time tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 2:00 pm.
The Marketplace
Hours:
Sunday – Tuesday: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wednesday: 8:00 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday: 8:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am – Hour and half before Shabbos
really great looking store. most of the hoi polloi will continue shopping at the now less overcrowded empire kosher, while the feinshmekker will begin to shop at this slightly higher priced but ritzier market. this should result in a more enjoyable shopping experience for all concerned. One caveat: Hope Marketplace does not turn into a wanna be’s haven ( a.k.a. keeping up with the Joneses). there’s nothing admirable about that and we should avoid letting it creep in to our shchunah- just one man’s opinion…
and for many of us, with big families, BARUCH HASHEM, on food stamps or not- THAT is the deciding factor of where we shop. At the end of the day…we need to save where we can- that’s how we survive, no shame involved!
that said, it is a stunning store, and we definitely wish them lots of luck- but lower prices will bring lots more customers….!
hatzlacha rabba!
It’s the same stuff…in a more beautiful building…geez
It’s a beautiful store! The prices are exactly the same as Empire, store is pleasant, has yummy looking things and I may just make it my new store….
I wish that they have affordable prices for low income families to shop………. as we know we have lots of new weds or young couples with kids that head of the family learning in kollel and they only incom is from kolel source/ or lots of israelian families or singles live in neighborhood that they dont have any benefits like foodstamp to shop with….. please consider low income people also that they can shop there happily,,,,,,,,, thanx and lots of brachots in the new place , we all proud of mr. benabou and wish him and his family all the… Read more »
so exciting
i remember when i was a little girl living in Crown Heights.
we had a tiny little fruit store around the corner.
oh how times have changed.
beautiful….
like them on facebook and you’ll probably see if they run any sales – The Marketplace – Crown Heights
no matter what the sign says it will still be called..oh you mean the shuk……good luck
Looks Gourg. Cant wait to eat Sushi!!!
I hope that aside from fresh organic fruits and vegetables you will have organic beef and chicken- hope you will be able to get grase fed cows that contain no antibiotics, hormons and preservatives!!!!!!better to buy less and organic than alot and not healthy.
B’H
Hatzlacha to Mr. Benabou and his staff! Please remember to make a world class market for healthy and organic products to compete with places like Whole Foods. The frum community desperately needs to step up the game in this area. Consumers please educate yourselves about what you eat and what you are feeding your families.
It would be nice to see a juice bar in this beautiful place!
wow! good luck!! can’t wait to check it out!! — love the fact that there are visible price tags everywhere… (unlike most ch stores) … but it might be a bit much to put them on each and every separate veggie..
Itzick i hope that you are reading this please ignore all the negative comments most of these complainers i would say had favors from you in the past directly or indirectly!!! PLEASE itzick do not stop with your good deeds as until now (you are one of the biggest baal tzedukah in ch) dont let yourself being intimadated from negative comments
CHAZACK V’AMATZ
I am ashamed of our own negative poeple here in crown heights, u didnt even check prices and u r bragging, and lets say if we do compare this to pomegranate that the poeple who shop there only go there cause they want to and are not forced, same here that i think the prices are much lower then pomegranate as to my shopping experiance from today, BH i dont have to go to flatbush shopping anymore cause we have now a beutifull store in our neighborhood. its mamesh a shame as i see poeple that cant FARGIN someone else… Read more »
tov moad
When will you make good on your promise to bring a Kollel-Store-priced supermarket to CH? You were going to do that with Empire Kosher, remember? But now that you have a monopoly on CH, and charge astronomical prices, just remember there are some hard working families here – who are proud to avoid government handouts – who actually pay taxes and tuition, and would rather buy bread for our children than hay for our produce! Gevalt! I’m a proud shopper of the Kollel store, spending about $300 each time I shop there. I fax in my order, and even with… Read more »
איציק תמשיך בתמיכה לנזקקים כמו שרואים זה מביא ברכה בשפע
זלמן
wow for 1`ce a normle shop
How about those of us who live on the other side of CH? The absurdity — so many grocery stores on Kingston practically cannibalizing each other. Yet there is nothing on Nostrand. I have a hard time getting to Kingston during the week & often run out of cholov yisroel or other products only available at kosher shops. With so many yuppies moving into the area, a store on Nostrand could bring in a lot of profit (also opportunities for kiruv).
I think your better off not shopping there but continue to shlep to shnorer park to the kolel store, which by the way is NOT cheaper on most items, and wear yourselves ragged in the process. and have in mind that the owners of the kolel store love Lubavitch like “feffer in noz”! whilst Itzik Benabou (the one your all so jealous of) is a tremendous supporter and contributor to anything and everything the Rebbe holds dear. NO, I’m not related to him, just a customer of his since the beginning of kol Tuv, where he not only treated me… Read more »
yay! i won’t have to cook any more! hatzlocho raboh
Wow! Hatzlacha Raba, for a person who is such a big baal tzedakah,especially where shluchim are concerned he deserves all the success in the world! NOW it will be easier to shop in Empire Kosher as there will be this other store to share the load. At long last!!!
It’s the same prices.
most likely those snobby comments like “if you dont like it go shop somewhere else”, u most likely busy getting your manicures while your hispanic cleaning lady drops off and picks up your kids from school, u never and will never understand what it means to sweat for your money! enjoy all your money but dont throw your nasty comments to hard working people!
I live in New Orleans and I wish we had a store with as wide a selection of kosher items this store will have.
just wanted to let eveyone whos freaking out know that the prices are the same if not even slightly cheaper than other stores in crown heights
Chilax its just a grocery store! Its beyond me that people are playing the victim card and asking for handouts.
If you want a kollel store open one up yourself. Be happy for your fellow jews who are successful and stop hating them for it. remember no ones forcing you to shop there, you have other options in ch
That’s an unfair comment just because you probably have tons of money you don’t have to be nasty. If you can get past your snobbiness, try to think about those of us who don’t have the money and who don’t get food stamps or any other kind of help except what we get by the sweat of our brow and for which food shopping is another financial stressor.
Is that Yoely Shonefeld by register 2?!?
Think ive seen him in Chestnut (in Williamsburg) a year ago!
calm down everyone. the grocery prices are the same. bigger fruit and vegie display. beautiful and bright store. hatzlacha. if you feel you can’t afford to shop there, don’t. keep your negativity to yourselves.
The bigger question is: will it be like pomegranate where people are polite and helpful? Or like empire kosher where the Hispanics are typically rude and obnoxious and doing you a favor by taking your money…
To everyone, I’m sitting and reading all your comments and am truly amazed ! Do you know what some people would do to have such an amazing selection of kosher food! Just enjoy this wonderful treat of a store! Seriously! We pay triple the price for dairy living in Florida let alone such selection!
I m so happy that you open it,it looks gorgeous!!!!!I a lot of atslaha!!!
by the way Mr. Benabou is a big baales Tzedakah and should be blessed among all other Jews he is good exaple to always give and help all!
The stickers are not price tags. They are produce tags. Until the new cashiers can memorize the four (or five for modified or organic) digit code for each item, they need the stickers on the produce to expedite checkout.
what about a kollel like store instead of a pomegrante like store for those of us who are the working poor. who have bills, tuitions and mortgages and are already stretched to the limit with the high cost of food and we aren’t talking about buying steak etc. just basics. HOw about THose of us who dont have businesses, family money or food stamps who need a cheap place to shop. Why isn’t there a fully stocked grocery store in crown heights that thinks of people like us, few as we are, we still count, i think.
I am sorry that you live on a such tight budget… Hashem should give you parnassa bearchava.
I laught about what you said about the potatoes, I had the same reflexion!!
Can’t wait to watch the people in diamonds and Ugg boots using their foodstamps here.
IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING
JASON CANT WAIT TO EAT YOUR FOOD AGAIN
I think the individual stickers are the product number for cashiers to know the number to type in…. if there are two types of apples, the code will be put into the computer to pull up the right code… therefore the right price…
My husband works AND LEARNS, i have the kids and bring them up, cook breakfast lunch and dinner, clean the house, do the laundry, the shopping and even WORK on the side. And we STILL need foodstamps.
CH storeowners just hack up the prices on everything. I NEVER SAW PRICE STICKERS ON EACH INDIVIDUAL POTATO (!) IN MY LIFE!!!! Like hullo its a potato! Thats all our grandparents could AFFORD back “there”!
Is cholev yisroel. This is Crown Heights. Is there even much of a market for cholev stam products in the first place, like there is in other neighborhoods? I’m guessing that, although it’s important to double check hecsherim in any store, the products here will be cholev yisroel.
If you clean the chickens nicer than the usual joint in CH you will have me as a customer… anyone else find the chickens in CH a disgrace???
This is only 5-10 years behind the times. Frum areas have had these places for many years now and it makes the communities much nicer to live in, and something to be proud of. Why still no grill point or other great Shwarma place here yet?
cant wait to go
does he also own pomegrante? it looks like that place
if we do not shop there , what’s the point to open new store.
price is one of the most important reason why people do not shop in CH and go to BP or other places. If Itzik put unbeatable prices then ppl from all over Brooklyn will come to his store, otherwise with high prices he’ll get only 1/3 of CH who has no choice but shop there.
I know the answer to your predicament. Leave Kollel. I did and have never looked back.
This looks like a beautiful store, if you don’t like the prices, don’t shop there!
#43 not offense but if u cant afford it dont go their
also u may consider a job
This place will totally ROCK!
Yes, Pomegrnate comes to CH!
Much success
Ignore the pessimist comments –
like hmm lets see prices? dude, it like whole foods more upscale. what part of that message didntche get? 😉
Seriously, this is a major step up for CH and most of us truly appreciate the hindsight. Thanks Itzik
I am B”H currently on food stamps, I can’t afford to spend an extra penny on food over my amount. That is why I’m on it, I am on a very very tight budget. Most people I know are on food stamps because they don’t have any other money to pay for food. The amount that I get is barely enough to make it through the month on a very tight budget… If the prices are higher in the new store, I will be sticking to Kollel, Empire and the supermarkets… I am sure there are some people on food… Read more »
you are wrong – all food which will be eaten raw requires gloved hands. Cooked food may be cut without gloves and you may wash your hands instead.
kan hamokoim lehaskir….that after coming from Yud Tes Kislev.Rosh Hashana Lechassidus..
Yes ,, Wishing Hatzlocheh zu noch a yidden… but please lets not forget the Holy Sefer Tanya,,, Lekutei Toireh…. “nisht nochgeben Taivos… Hiskafyeh Vehisapcheh…
and the famous Mashpia Reb Nissin… Az Broit iz a guteh Zach.. Putter a guteh zach ober zuzamen befeirsh NIT!!!!!
Sushi like I never saw Before..??
Let the owner make a ton of money…ich fargin em mit a fullen heartzen… BUT this is not what our Holy Rebbes taught us…
Zu azoi ligen in Gahsmious!!!!!
looks so similar
Did you see that customer service counter? Wow! Out-of-town living, also known as . . . normalcy is coming to the jungle, eh, I mean Brooklyn. They don’t even have a customer service counter in any such store in the frum neighborhoods that I’ve been to. Before you know it, the people who work there will be saying “Excuse me” “I’m sorry” and other niceties foreign to the local culture.
First this really looks amazing…. But in one of the pics was Normans yogurt… Is that chalav yisroel?
shehecheyanu v’kiyimanu v’higi’anu laz’man hazeh…
Can the aisles fit multiple shopping carts simultaneously, or is it going to be like Empire Kosher where you can’t walk through the aisles with a shopping cart on a Thursday night?
put the sarcasm aside for a bit and replace it with the belief that there really are people who don’t watch movies
About time. Looking forward!
Pomegranate!!!!!!
Can’t wait for the grand opening
Woo-hoo!!
Mazal Tov
Sure hope the planned parking lot will be big enough! That’s always the problem at Empire Kosher. It takes more time to go in and out of the the lot than the actual shopping!
Shloimy Gelbstein has worked tirelessly on this dream project and takes zero self credit. What a man! Thank you Itzik for caring for ALL CH residents. You have a huge heart! Hatzlocha Raba. Boruch (Energy supplier).
i’m not a professional store manager, but i’m pretty sure you dont need price stamps on all your individual vegetables. just saying, a sign with the price could really make things more efficient. but for reals, nice.
i think the store is abslotuely beautiful! good Job and may you have much hatzlocho! im so glad crown heights is seeing some quality stores coming to town! all we need now is a wolf an lamb or prime grill. and a movie theater thats shaped like a 747 so all the chassidisher lubavitchers can watch movies too – beheter!
No most of CH pay with the GOVT card, so they will not be looking at the prices, and the rich will def not be looking at the prices and the middle class? well they will have to suffer again.
Another reason why to get paid off the books
Mendy G. Bring me a Tempura roll when u come to visit me in FL.
But who care, it looks like a beautiful store!!!
We need Itzik Benamou here in our community! We currently have in the “Lubavitch” area ONE local grocery store that has ONE kosher aisle & ONE kosher bakery which sells items for 3x’s the amount!!!
Much success
The city Department of Health requires cooks by law to wear protective gloves when handling food at all times.
I recently heard that for marketing purposes walmart and others place all kids cereals especially with characters smiling, on kids eye level so they should be smiled at and want there mommies and tottys to buy it, i noticed in the pics that life and other healthy cereal are on bottom shelves no good….kids are going to want to eat healthy…
Please change it 😉
Hatzlacha Rabba
everything so beautiful. What about the prices?
can we get special lower prices for: “Grand Opening”? at least?
It is definitely an upgrade to the neighborhood.
Good luck
Is the point of this to be a knock -off on whole foods?
Hatzlocha Rabba!
what is hashgacha of the meat and the mashgiach temidi for the checking of the vegetables, hope not spanish workers??? btw mazel tov!!!
and what will be the hechsher on the stuff coming out of the kitchen?
thank you and good luk
Please don’t let it get cluttered and messy! It looks
great!! Can’t wait to go shopping! I’m gonna start comparing prices right away! Don’t disappoint us!
is this going to be competition to Empire Kosher? Why 2 stores so similar so close to each other?
You are actually wrong about that, according to the health department, it is safer to just wash your hands before beginning work than to wear gloves (I’ve taken food manager’s courses).
Big supermarket = $800,000. Gloves = $2.00
בהצלחה
only 4 the rich????
much hatzlacha!
go mechyil el chayil look s beautiful hatzlocha rabah
Best of luck, Itzik!