Benabou Purchases House of Glatt

Crown Heights supermarket mogul Itzik Benabou recently completed the purchase of the Kingston Avenue delicatessen and butcher shop, House of Glatt as well as the property. This move consolidates his hold on the beef and poultry supply in the neighborhood, and his taking ownership of the sixth property on one block of the shopping thoroughfare.

by CrownHeights.info

After serving the community for decades, Last week House of Glatt was acquired by Itzik Benabou. The supermarket mogul, and owner of multiple properties on the single block of Crown Heights’s shopping thoroughfare.

Owned by Arkeh Tzivin, House of Glatt, located on the corner of Kingston Avenue and Crown Street, is a staple butcher shop and delicatessen from which neighborhood residents purchase their meat and poultry for decades.

Banabou was purportedly in talks to purchase the business and building for months and sources told CrownHeights.info that the deal was closed on Wednesday last week. The source also noted that Benabou “grossly overpaid.”

With the recent acquisition, Benabou now owns six properties on Kingston Avenue between Montgomery and Crown Streets.

His first purchase was in 2002 where he bought the former Singers Grocery from the Farkash family for $114,000 for each of the two lots. Then in 2013, he purchased both lots from a referee where the Auction Ware store was for $800,000.

Over the course of a number of years, Benabou purchased three buildings on Troy Avenue which housed the Shloime’s grocery store, which would close a short while later.

Then, earlier this year, he purchased the Cell-a-Bration building for $995,000 before buying the House of Glatt business for what sources said was “well above market value.”

Through his Empire Kosher and Marketplace supermarkets and the recent closure of the Crown Kosher butcher shop, Benabou now controls the majority of the kosher/Lubavitch meat and poultry supply in the neighborhood.

59 Comments

    • well..

      can’t be, in Monopoly you can’t buy the corners :-)
      in all Seriousness though I wish him all the best!

    • Yossi

      Go to KRM they sell Shor Habor.
      Much cheaper then HOG on EVERYTHING!!!!!
      Let Itzik do his thing.
      Der Aibishter Firt De Velt!!!!

  • Anonymous

    He will move the JCC and make a supermarket from Montgomery all the way to crown

  • ......

    The source also noted the Benabou “grossly overpaid.”

    This just means we all end up paying for it

    • Yossi

      Not realy.
      He’s planning on making a 6 story condo building.
      As is, Yes he overpaid.
      According to his plan, NO.

  • Resident

    This is sad ! This is a monopoly . There is no where for middle clsss people to buy meat and chicken from . We shlep to kollel store each week just because our dollar stretches more there . There is no room left for the average hardworking honest middle class family .

    • Yossel

      Can’t stand the Kolel Store. It’s a great place to get your car banged, scratched, and abused! And the traffic going in and out of the joint runs your blood pressure up to serious levels!

  • Yankel Todres

    Why don’t the powers that be (especially “our” community council) arrange an affordable food store for crown heights? Something like the Kollel stores in other neighborhoods.

    We see that it only took one man on his own to monopolize our food supply! If so, why can’t they find us even a single businessman who would set up an affordable food store for Crown Heights.

    At one point many years ago the excuse for the Community Council was that all the “Mom and Pop” grocery stores were afraid that it would destroy their business’. Well now they’re all gone, without us ever having gotten a Kollel store. What’s the Councils excuse now?

    • Empire Kosher

      Empire Kosher’s prices are very fair. Not as good as KRM but close enough that there is no reason to shlep there.

  • A concerned community member

    Time for someone else to enter the market, other wise he is going to charge whatever he can and there’s nothing that anyone can do.

    I am calling for the rabbanim to get involved.

    • ahavasyisroel

      so maybe you should be that someone? If this is your passion and something you care about very much then you may be quite successful

  • OY

    Arkeh gave his heart and soul to the community for 40 years.
    Let’s remember that he was here first!

  • Longtime CH resident

    So sorry to see this. Arkeh Tzivin served our community for 40 years, with generosity and kindness. No one will know how many families he helped over the years… A loss to Crown Heights. May Hashem bless Arkeh and his family with good health and great happiness.

    • All the best to Arkeh

      Indeed, served the community with generosity.

      And all the best to Itzik Benabou, who is also known for his generosity, even if people are a little jealous of his success and meteoric growth.

  • Do or Pay

    You can’t just sit behind your keyboard and complain, do something about it, or just keep paying the price. It’s a free country and everyone can buy as many property as he wants without your permission.

  • The is a boss

    I believe the “real story” has yet be reported how much did Arke actually take home & was this forced on him by??

    • Who cares?

      Why would he be forced to sell? Bring in the butchery business is very hard, it was my family’s parnassah for generations. Arke is probably just plain tired. Hatzlacha!

  • 4487

    just set it up so that it has a positive effect on the community, in the Rebbe’s inyonim and his wishes and directives

  • good for him!!

    Good for him! He saw an opportunity and took it! People in this community should take note and learn from him instead of bashing his success! There is nothing stopping you. You think it was all easy for him to do? I’m sure he took risks and faces opposition. get up and follow your dreams

  • CH resident

    Just a contrast to R’ Moshe Binik that just passed away, he pioneered the idea of the kollel store and founder many ways to HELP people afford more for their families

  • Avraham

    He has the drive and he made it so good for him stop being jealous and open your own supermarket he came here to the US without a dollar and Btw he gives back tremendously to our community ask lubavitcher yeshivah ask beis rivka ask evry chosson that comes to him and I’m sure there is more so either compete or sit quite

  • Go-ds right hand man

    Let’s understand this properly !
    The story doesn’t mention juice,bread,cereal,nosh,etc.
    The story mentions fleish!
    I found six ounce packages of (Aaron’s ) pastrami for $3.49 at empire kosher recently !
    I wanted fish heads for Rosh hashana !
    The merchant that has the goods with good prices should run the business !
    Most likely EBT will be accepted soon at house of Glatt again !
    Yes it is said Chachamim should eat enough meat to keep the good wheels well oiled !?!
    Thank You ! Ben Abou ! Thank You 🙏

  • Rubashkin?

    Where is the real story about who sold to who? Was this property/business sold with Arkeh’s intention?

  • DeClasse' Intellectual

    The issue is two fold: one a limited mobile capitvie audience and two who hetshire do you accept

  • What is a monopoly?

    A monopoly is when there is a sole producer of something and there are no close substitutes (McConnell, Brue & Flynn, 2012). There is no competition in a monopoly market due to barrier structure. Most often, start-ups have a very difficult time breaking into a market, leading to a monopoly market. Barriers to entry can include economic barriers such as inadequate or inflated capital, or other barriers that may include social or political barriers. When the cost of a product is inflated, this makes it difficult for competitors to set themselves up in a market, leading to a monopoly where only one seller is creating product in the market. Due to this uneven balance, this one seller is able to become the “price maker” and determine pricing in the market. All other competitors now become “price takers”. To regulate the market and prevent monopolies, the United States government enacted antitrust laws which regulate and promote fair competition for consumers.
    Due to a firm being a monopoly, it is able to sell at an increased cost. The profit that it makes from this is called “supernormal profit” (Economicshelp.org)

    Good for Itzhik for being able to buy this many properties, but the only one who benefits here is him. We, the consumers, pay out of our pockets, and suffer. He will surely increase prices in meat now that he controls it all. He knows that we are more likely to stay within Crown Heights to buy at an increased price rather than travel for a cheaper price. The drive, parking hassle, long lines elsewhere (Kollel Store etc.) all negate the cheaper price you are likely to find elsewhere.
    The bottom line is that something like this should not be allowed from a halachic standpoint, but our Beis Din (both of them!…) will surely not say anything.

  • Let's take a breather and keep in mind...

    Wishing all the best to Mr Benabou who has had tremendous success serving our community, keeping prices low and being a major Baal tzedaka. Thank you to Mr Tzivan for years of providing a local staple and may he enjoy and relax with what comes next for him!
    I am sure the purchase comes as beneficial to all parties involved, and in general, it would serve us all well not to assume negative in every transaction that takes place…

  • Great idea except for 1 thing

    I just hope he will not change the recipes!

    Hatzlocha Rabbo!

  • Anonymous

    Arik May you be gehzunt And enjoy life and naches From the kids and grand kids
    From yr short stay apt mate @ 520 crown street

  • CH Resident

    We love Arkeh, thank you for all the generous support and setvice you gave to our community. Your kindness and authenticity will be missed. We hope youll get some well deserved rest wishing you much success on your next endeavor.

  • Great Dane

    I wish him tons of success. What a hard worker – hard work and the capitalist mindset pays off. On these days when we celebrate our triumph over communism, it’s a fitting time to celebrate the triumphs of capitalism.

  • really

    b4 all comments are made I’m certain that all spoke to reb arke? did somone force him out of business? if so was it benabou? or was it benabou who was really helping in some way?

    All I know is that arke helped many people (including myself). on behalf of our community we that you arke for the years of dedication to us all.

  • Associated...

    Just one question to all, would you prefer Crown Heights still have the Associated store on Empire that sold Arizona ice tea, bleach and single sheet one-roll-at-a-time toilet paper?
    I mean seriously, if we can roll the clock back, would you prefer a 2 isle grocery on Montgomery and kingston?
    Would you prefer having 5 small tiny groceries serving all of crown heights?
    Would you have preferred having the groceries in CH close at 7PM instead of Midnight?
    Rabosai, I know first hand what Itzik went through when he purchased Associated. He made a serious investment that B”H went well. Let us be thankful for his efforts and atthe same time happy that one of our own are successful B”H!
    L’Chaim Itzik!

  • There is a boss 2

    I for 1 i’m not knocking Benabu he is a business man and works hard in fact (like most) i gladly shop in his stores the question and the real ‘story/scoop’ is not that Itzik bought it but who ‘sold it’ and was ‘Arke’ hand forced (not by Itzki).

    I for one will be dropping in and saying hello to Arke i’m sure he can use a smile or two.

    • its a family thing

      I wonder when JLI will do a course on business ethics sponsored and led by Rubashkins

  • Atlas Shrugged

    Interesting to see the book played out in real life. L’chaim to Itzik Taggart may you continue being mekayem the Tachlis hakavana!

  • @ Yossel

    Krm takes email or fax orders and delivers to your home… saves $ on almost every single item!

  • Montreal

    This article and some comments reek of jealousy…. the community should be happy that Yitzik is the one that is successful and not someone else whom wouldn’t be as honest, generous and fair as Yitzik. Hashem blessed him and just on that point he should be respected.

  • cheaper meat

    so now that he owns almost all the fleish, he’ll be able to buy in major bulk and charge everyone a little cheaper.

  • shlichus

    knowing ben abu since he appeared in the neighborhood
    he is honest and very generous
    yes and also humble and modest

  • shlomo

    even today lot of Lubavitchers shopping in boro park Flatbush Williamsburg. .so question did monopolization will help?

  • YB

    Why such a negative article?? Why can’t people have good middos? (what happened to לא תחמודף?). We live in a free country, he is entitled to be successful. If anyone has an issue then open a competitive store and undercut his prices. This is not communist Russia as some of the commenters seem to have that mindset