Located at 138 West 72nd St., Fine & Schapiro was the oldest Kosher deli in NYC. That is, until it closed down for good this week.
According to West Side Rag, a “Closed for Renovations” sign went up in the window about a week ago, which had locals questioning how long that would be for. But in a post by Facebook page Manhattan Sideways, staff members of the long-time deli confirmed the eatery lost its lease.
They were known for their matzo ball soup and mouthwatering corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, and is part of the dwindling Kosher deli population that used to be a staple in the city.
It’s become a tale as old as time in NYC: rent keeps going up and up and up, and small business owners can’t keep up, even if they’ve been around for decades. Over the past few the months the city has lost affordable steakhouse Tad’s in Times Square, East Village Bavarian Bierhaus Zum Schneider, and most recently the last Burger Heaven, just to name a few.
Still, in more positive news, one 125-year-old restaurant is actually being brought back to life.
featured image source: Instagram / @patrickmccadam