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“No Deal Yet with the Shuk Sale”

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — With over $400,000 in collections, the Shuk has been struggling to stay afloat. “There have been many bounced checks… We have given credit to customers who have failed to pay their balances,” said the Shuk’s owner, Shloime Ifergan. “It has come to the point where we cannot pay suppliers for new products.”

The Shuk opened its doors for business the summer of 2004 on East New York and Kingston Avenue. The supermarket was the first of its kind in Crown Heights. Recently, Itzik Benabou, the owner of Kol-Tuv, a grocery store on Kingston Avenue known for its extended hours, opened a competing supermarket a few blocks from the Shuk. The competing supermarket, Empire Kosher, is located on Empire Boulevard where there used to be an Associated supermarket.

“There are three prospective buyers, including Friedman’s Grocery from Boro Park and Empire Kosher in Crown Heights… There have not been any contracts signed yet,” said Ifergan, late this afternoon. “Offers were submitted. We are weighing our options and negotiating.”

The price being sought for the Shuk is in the ballpark of 1.3 million, hinted its owner.

Crown Heightsers have raised the concern of a monopoly should the Shuk be purchased by Benabou, the owner of Kol-Tuv as well as Empire Kosher. “Let’s face it, there aren’t many options for grocery shopping as it is, and Kliens isn’t really competition to either the Shuk or Empire [Kosher]” said a resident who requested anonymity, referring to a small grocery also on Empire Boulevard. “With a monopoly, more residents will be inclined to shop in Boro Park’s KRM Kollel store once again.”

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64 Comments

  • An Insider.....

    Oh sure, Ifergan, blame your loyal customers of all these years for the demise of your business. How about recognizing your own mismanagment and disorganization.

  • commUNITY

    Keep the prices the way they should be and we stay to shop in Crown Heights. Raise them, we go elsewhere.

    It’s that simple.

  • Buy By T he Shuk

    Everyone should start buying by the shuk if u dont want B….. to buy it ,B/c if he does there wont be any more sales,and the price’s will just get higher.

    p.s solution is to buy by the shuk

  • what... ever

    I thought I heard from another site its sold already. some one is behind in their reporting and research or the other is just full of it trying to be bet on the possoble out come of the deal to later say we told u so…
    the issue is the legitimacy and acurasy gets questioned on the downside when the sale doesn’t work out the way the headline says.

    I was wondering why is it that they will put up a headline. only to flip flop the whole thing in the same article.

  • esther

    Why would anyone want to shop at the Kollel store when there is perfectly good, fast, efficient, well priced shopping available in Crown Heights? It makes no sense to choose to spend our money in a non Luavitcher establishment, rather than right here at home…

  • customer

    Shlomy Ur an amazing guy, I love the way u treat us ( my family)! may have much success in whatever you do.

  • Curious

    Ch is awash with food stamps and other welfare benefits why should “customers” have to run up bills?

    Something smells and it’s not the fish.

  • a mother

    please don’t close Shuk!! i DO NOT like shopping at Empire Kosher and don’t want to be forced to. The fruits and veggies are much cheaper by the shuk, and at empire kosher there is no room.

    not to mention, that competition is always good-otherwise we’ll be paying thru the roof and it’s back to Boro Park for me.

  • Weekly custommer

    It’s a pity .I was a weekly customer who really enjoyed shopping there because they had good sales every week. they would also email their specials to us .

  • oh no

    i dont like the idea of a monopoly – the prices are high enough as it is – and fast service and late hours should not justify such high prices.

    A monopoly would be terrible especially when they were well known for their price fluctuation on the same item on the same day, cough cough

  • yeh uhu

    you get what you pay for
    empire kosher is a clean store and it is a pleasure to shop in.
    plus i might ad that itzic is a very kind person with a big pocket when it comes to giving out money to new shluchim moving out and so on…

    ever asked shloimy????

  • R.M.

    NO ONE should be allowed to have bills in a grocery store! You buy what you can afford and that’s it.

  • P.O.

    you guys need to stop reporting false news. i bought it already, and im turning it into a bowling alley! crown heights needs more entertainment.

  • shopper

    Aren’t monopolies illegal, or just immoral? He’s going to force small groceries out of business. I haven’t shopped at the Shuk for a long time & I have my reasons, nothing to do with the integrity of the owners (they are nice people.)

    Still, i hope they can stay open. Prices in CH are much higher than in BP (maybe Pomegranate has higher prices!!) & competition means the customer wins.

  • A clean world

    A. I don’t understand why shopping out of CH should be an option. Why can’t we have a kollel store here? There are many people who don’t rely on “the system” who struggle to buy groceries each week. Why not turn the shuk into something that caters to those in kollel as well?

    B. One thing you can say about the competition, is he knows what he is doing. His stores are always clean and up kept well. Sadly i can’t say the same for the shuk. It started of as a beautiful clean option, but lost that appeal too fast.

    C. If it is indeed the consumers who are at fault for not paying their dues, I hope they are reading this and are inclined to do so now. The world today has a problem with living above their means, and that includes groceries. What happened to the days where fish and a few salads where enough for shabbos. The point of shabbos is not who has the biggest, and best spread, but to enjoy Shabbos. Can you really say you are enjoying Shabbos if it is breaking the bank? It is cheaper and healthier to make challah and snacks for your children yourself. Imagine no preservatives!

  • to R.M

    Your comment NO ONE should be allowed to have bills in a grocery store! You buy what you can afford and that’s it

    You are extremely niave. Perhaps you are not aware that there are people who buy their groceries on credit because there would be no food to feed their kids. And I am not talking about the people who abuse the credit system, by putting their groceries on credit and living the high life, there are some people who literally don’t have money to put bread and milk on the table, so don’t make stupid statements like noone should have a grocery bill. Don’t judge people until you are in their situation.

    Of course, I am not condoning people racking up bills and not paying for them either.

  • nooooo

    if benabou buys the store, there’ll be NO competition and there’ll be NO more sales and prices will skyrocket!

  • FOOD AGAIN?!

    WHY IN THE WORLD DO WE NEED ANOTHER FOOD STORE??
    CAN’T WE GET SOMETHING LIKE BOWLING, ICE SKATING, OR SOME OTHER ENTERTAINMENT TO MAKE CROWN HEIGHTS MORE EXCITING AND FUN?
    FOOD? WE’VE GOT ENOUGH!
    ENTERTAINMENT? WE’VE GOT NONE!
    PLEEEZZZ HELPPPPP

  • ..

    I’m never happy when a fellow yid goes out of business, but I stopped going to the Shuk because of their customer care, or rather their lack of caring. The attitude was “if you problem with anything, go somewhere else.”

  • a shopper

    Many years ago, a small fruit store named Hoffmans closed its doors right before Pesach because he had so many unpaid credit accounts. I agree with the writer who said that people should not buy what they cannot afford. Food stamps are readily available to those who need it.
    as a former weekly boro park shopper, the prices at empire kosher are pretty competetive and the specials are just as good as the kollel. he’ll have to keep his prices as they are or he’ll lose the people that stopped shopping in boro park when he opened.
    let’s keep the comments positive especially now during the 3 weeks!!

  • Crown Heights Shopper

    I never liked Kol Tuv who charges by the look on your face or Empire Kosher’s nasty attitude. Shloime if you have to sell, sell it to Friedman’s of Boro Park.

  • raskins

    i head that the guy from the empire kosher/kol tuv already raised prices. i think i am gona start shopping in boro park if the guy realy buys it

  • fgt

    i dont understand credit in a grocery store. if you dont have gelt dont shop and if you need to use a credit card. i like the idea of cometition hope friedmans or krm from boro park buys it.

  • mom

    I shop in both crown heights empire kosher and in boro park but when i do go to the kollel store i do find that i do save @ least $45.00 so it is werth it for me when you have big children who eat the whole house out.

  • CH

    I AM ALSO VERY VERY SAD THAT THE SHUK IS CLOSING.
    I HAVE DONE MY WEEKLY SHOPPING BY THEM SINCE THEY HAVE OPENED.
    ITS TRUE ITS NOT AS NICE AS EMPIRE BUT IT DOESNT BOTHER ME, THEY HAVE A MUCH BIGGER SELECTION OF ITEMS, CHEAPER VEGTABLES (AND YES THEY TASTE MOST TIME GOOD) AND THE AISLES ARE MUCH WIDER/BIGGER, YOU CAN PASS WITH 2 CARTS (BY EMPIRE YOU CANNOT! I HAVE TRIED).
    !!!!! I DO BELEIVE THAT IT’S PARTLY BECAUSE THAT PEOPLE DID NOT PAY THEIR BALANCE. I AM ONE OF THEM UNFORTUNATLY, I HAD TO BUY FOOD EVEN WHEN I DID NOT HAVE MONEY AND THEY ALWAYS LET ME BUT IT ON MY ACCOUNT IN AGREEEMENT THAT I WILL PAY IT UP SLOWLY. I TRY BUT I STILL OWE QUITE SOME 100–. SO I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME.
    AND YES, I AM ALSO AFRAIN THAT IF ITZIK BUYS IT, THE PRICES WILL GO UP!!
    GOOD LUCK SHLOIMI AND SHAI WITH THE FUTURE AND THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
    THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHOP BY YOU FOR YEARS EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO MONEY TO PAY.

  • Why I love The Shuk, AND other grocers

    B”H

    I love the heimishe quality that the Shuk has, and I think the management really does aim to please customers, especially those who are courteous and not chutzpahdike. Shloime is mamash a mentsch. So are most of the people (Yid and Goy alike) who work there, more or less.

    That being said, I have found that most of the time that I’ve opened a container and found the food spoiled, moldy, rancid, etc., it’s been food that I’ve bought from the Shuk. I won’t buy frozen fish, milk, meat, sushi, pizza, or boxed cookies from them (and I’ve bought spoiled chips from them also) for this reason.

    Many a time that I’ve opened the doors where the milk is (to buy orange juice), the sour milk smell has been nauseating.

    This is why I often grocery shop at other stores in CH, and, yes, in Boro Park.

    Also, in the bakery department, it’s pretty near impossible to find out what’s in the baked goods — often a box of cookies, cake, etc., does not say what flavor it is (and it’s not always obvious by looking)! I once tried to ask the baker, and he needed to have his Spanish-speaking assistants help him with the English!

    But I do like their other groceries, and often the prices are beyond compare. I just think they are trying to be too many things to too many people.

    One other issue: some of the products they carry have questionable hechshers. Before there was The Shuk, everyone pretty much bought Lubavitcher Hechsher meats here in CH. Then, we started seeing these other brands, and this began at the Shuk. This makes me sad. (It’s not like the clothing stores, who also sell treif styles to the Goyim.)

    The Shuk is supposed to be for the Lubavitchers of Crown Heights (although I have no problem with Goyim buying produce, non-foods, and Kosher food there). If there are Crown Heights Lubavitchers who don’t want to eat meat with the CHK, let them at least have to go through a little trouble to get it, IMHO.

  • Not Kol Tuv

    I realy hope Kol Tuv wont buy it.

    1- Best of the owner of the shuk will start running his bussiness normaly (without 10 board workers running around, and they should HAVE in stock the foods I need, they should fix their parking lot across the street etc.)
    2- An Anash person should buy it.
    3- Freidman from Boro Park

    But not Kol Tuv.

  • CM

    I hate the idea of a monopoly but you gotta admit this Benabu guy is a chevraman.

  • lost soul

    To be honest people are talking a bunch of smack here instead of trying to come up with useful tips and ways to keep a running business owned by good people from closing its doors
    a way to help is by attaching a gemach to the grocery store that can help those in need of food while not compromising the establishment, in ch there are already such things established they are just not taken advantage of, either a person is to proud or the gemach is not doing its duties. the world i s going threw a hard time these days and all those able to help should stand up and help with mouths shut rather then posting nonsense that gets you nowhere
    if crown heigts had a community elected counsel that was respected they could do things like this and many other things that could help us all grow as a community

  • A concerned shopper

    Anyone who still has an open balance in the shuk, should go and pay up… when you shop in Walbaum’s/Shop Rite you don’t get credit. You might not realize this but its completely stealing!!! Its so scary how your carelessness can cause someone to go out of business. YOM KIPPUR IS COMING UP AND YOU DON’T WANT THIS ON YOUR HEAD!!

  • reliable hechsher

    Why I love The Shuk, AND other grocers wrote:0“Lubavitchers who don’t want to eat meat with the CHK, let them at least have to go through a little trouble to get it, IMHO.”
    —–
    and what about those of us who want to buy meat with a reliable hechsher – I.e. not CHK??

  • SPEND YOUR MONEY THE RIGHT WAY

    Before sending your kid to Israel for seminary for 20,000 first, make sure you have money to pay for food and ect…..

  • disgusted with stores

    what do all stores in crown heights have in common? cheep labor!!!!!!!!!1

  • Velvel

    It is sick that the 2 biggest stores in crown heights are not owned by our own.
    Shlomi and itzik don’t give a … about what we stand for. They care about their pockets and thats it. I’v heard negative remarks from both of them about the residents of our community. Especially Benabu, he is always laughing about frum jews who fall for this religion business. It is really disgusting the way he speaks about his customers.

    Lets not forget the way this crook benabu made his money by charging peoples credit cards after hours…..

    We need to fight this guy from controlling the food in this neighborhood.

    We need to get the anti trust lawyers to block this crook from getting his hands on this store

  • CH visitor

    I agree with all those who are against stores offering credit. I have heard of several food stores closing due to unpaid balances. At least groceries should get someone to cosign as a guarantor before offering credit. Are the people who shop on credit really buying basic staples in order not to go hungry or are they buying high priced junk food? Why is it that when people are low on cash, they expect something for nothing rather than cut back on their expenses. Why are people opposed to the idea of economizing on food?
    I do understand that food stamps and WIC usually do not cover the cost of keeping kosher but there are ways to stretch meat, fish, etc or bake your own bakery items, have omelets for supper, etc. Is this such a calamity to have to eat this way?

  • A Lubavitcher

    to Lubavitch up above who has money these days to buy a big supermarket?

  • Avi

    When people take want they want and not pay its GEZELLA,no one have the privilege to do it.
    Second, its that i think that the SHUK its expensive and Shay he is arrogent.

  • ch resident

    The Shuk has been a disorganized stinky mess and the residents that are fortunate enough to live on this side of town request that the next person to buy it should care more about hygiene and about the neighbors they share on either side. The shuk would have kept its loyal customer base had he kept a clean and respectable store that cared about its community. The fact that another store opened on Empire that was more expensive should not have affected the Shuk’s clientele but most people do prefer to shop for food in a clean environment (inside and out) and will pay a little more to do that. So please whoever buys the Shuk if you run a respectable and clean business (inside and out) that says to the shopper I care about you and this community then you will no doubt have a huge customer base with all the new residents that live on the new side of town. Hatzlacha to all.

  • LOVE THE SHUCK AND EMPIRE KOSHER

    MY NEW HACHLTAH IS TO ONLY SHOP AT ALBANY BAKERY!

  • !!!!!!!!!

    Does anyone notice that most items in empire kosher and Kol tuv are not priced?

  • a shopper

    i do agree that empire koshers floors and walls are cleaner, but the food isn’t!!!!!!!!!!!!
    it has been more then 3 times that i bought(yourgut,vegtibsle,garllic) and were ,,moldy! thats why i’ed rather pay more money to which ever store that i know will keep their walls,floor clean + the food!

  • Ariyeh

    Maybe The Shuk should ask a Rov
    If these people who buy on credit are really poor. The owner of the Shuk should simply deduct the unpaid credit from the 10% he has to give to Masser (Tzedakah).

  • S Farkash

    I feel very sad about the Shuk closing for a simple reason. Sholomi is an amazing person! Erev Rosh Hashanah I was shopping in the shuk and Sholomi calls me aside inquiring about a specific family. I informed him that they really have no money and that someone approached me about making a collection for them. At that time Sholomi told me to call the family and inform them that they can buy what ever they need for Tishra and I will arrange that the bill will be paid for. Sholomi paid the entire bill without the family knowing he was taking care of the bill. Remember, I didn’t approach Sholomi, he approached me. Sholomi, you really impressed me and we wish you all the best!!!

  • name witheld

    How about the real story? Somebody maasered on the Shuk and he got fined over a million dollars for hiring illegal laborers. He is not going out of business solely because of the unpaid credit he extended… He needs to sell the store or pay the fine….

  • Guest

    At Esther, it is cheaper to shop at the kollel store then it is in Crown Heights. Also, the people in the stores tend to be friendlier.

  • Penina Metal

    Shloimie and Miri always greeted their customers with a welcoming smile. There was never the attitude so prevalent in Crown Heights that a shop keeper was doing you a favor by taking your hard-earned money. The maasim tovim, the care for another Yid, that the Infergans have demonstrated time and again, will hold them in good stead with Hashem’s help. They will be rewarded for their outstanding Ahavas Yisroel.

    If they do leave, I feel that I have lost dear members of my family but I wish them brocha v’hatzlacha in all of their future endeavors. We will not see their like again!

    Penina Metal

  • Frusterated

    My father owns a business and it’s frusterating how lots of people in the shchuna put things on credit and never pay up. I don’t understand how a person can purchase sometning or use a service of some business and not pay up. Remember business owners have their family to support. Besides it’s not honest and its stealing. who gives the person the right to take from someone? Just because it’s a business, it doesn’t mean the owner didn’t pay for it. In my eyes it’s the same thing as stealing.

  • acnk

    I realy feel that what is happening with the SHUK is the fault of anash! If you are in debt to the SHUK (from either writing things down on acount or bouncing a check) and shop someware else paying upfront wile still owing monye you are stealing! This is basic Halacha.

    If the owner has to close down do to this reason, We are all at fault and need to some how find a way to pay him back before YOM Kippur!

    And for the ppl. that think all of Crown Hights are on food stamps I would like to let them know there are more than Half which are not and that could be checked with the Gov. Stimulous of the Comunity. (unless you count the NONJEWISH section of Crown Hights)

  • i love the shuk

    I love shopping at the shuk!!!!!!!

    i hope it remains open, its very important NOT TO HAVE A MONOPOLY!!!!

    i dont see why ppl complain so much about the shuk, i dont think that its not clean an is spcious and prces r good!!

  • CH shopper

    Ariyeh, if a person gives more to tzedukah than he earns, it is way beyond maaser. I don’t think that he would have to prove that the recipients were poor to deduct maaser; he is entitled to believe them without proof. It appears here that lots of people commonly finance yomtovim on the store’s tab and then take forever to pay or default on payments. Poverty can be relative or absolute. Someone who is starving and hasn’t got a cent for bread is in a different category than someone who has some money but has to choose what to spend it on.
    Guest, I don’t go to grocery stores to make friends. When someone does not have a car or the time it takes to fight Boro Park traffic, they have to make peace with CH stores. Gas costs money. When stores close in a neighborhood, the other stores have no competition and prices go up. I am sure that all those who got hundreds or thousands of dollars of groceries on credit will really miss this store.

  • to a shopper

    Unfortunately, food stamps are actually NOT readily available to those who need it! There are many people in CH who earn too much to be eligible for food stamps, but don’t really earn enough to support large families! They are called the “middle class poor”. They don’t really earn enough to live (kosher food, tuition, housing are VERY expensive), but they earn too much to get benefits!!

  • annomiys

    The shuk gave us of food when we needed it.
    Just i dont like their meat situation

  • gityg.

    i love shopping at the shuk, always got great attention, etc. HOWEVER, the truth is, they needed to hire a real good organizer to keep the store a tight-running ship, invest a bit to fix it up, and then we wouldnt need any monopolies…all businesses nowadays need to be fixed up and clean..our oilam demands better today….

  • Yossel

    B“H

    A couple of things:

    1. Many CH shoppers today drive to the store, and the Shuk doesn’t have a parking lot (that truck graveyard across the street isn’t really fit to be a parking lot unless it’s leveled, paved, anc cleaned
    2. While I understand that the owner of the Shuk are nice to some people, we’ve had our share of nasty encouters with him when we’ve asked for assistance. My experince was when their truck bashed into my car, and he refused to compensate me.
    3. Empire has a nice parking lot, a clean store, and milchigs that don’t go bad when you get them home. The Shuk has had more than its share of meltdowns in the freezer, offering the refrozen stuff as sale items. I agree that ths store is run down and the lack of parking is a serious problem.
    4. I see plenty of families with the ”Benefit“ card when they buy groceries, and I am the one paying for their ”benefit.”

  • Bassia

    If it is a matter of the Labor Department fines, why doesn’t Shloimy try negotiating with them. Most government agencies are open to negotiation. It would be a real shame to lose this wonderful store. They have a top notch manager who should really be in charge, a real manager. Wishing them hatzlochoh but my hope is that they stay in business.

  • Reuven Lipkind

    It would be terrible for the SHUK to close,when people needed help quietly Shlomie helped. When our program AVOS U BANIM needed help with a major event THE SHUK always helped .Please help them stay open any way possible. I publicly Thank them for all their kindness towards our Crown Heights Community.Yichie Ha SHUK.

    Sincerely,
    REUVEN LIPKIND

  • living on a budget!!

    can he maybe start excepting WIC that might help a little I personally go and give a couple hundred dollars to Kleins every month from WIC I would gladly give it to the shuk if they excepted it there(I do all my other shopping there so why not WIC)