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It’s what a batch of businesses around the boroughs have been adapting to — and counting on — for at least a century, even before construction of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.
These businesses made it through the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, all the way through the 2008 financial crisis and the pandemic, so far — even as a spike in COVID-19 cases means they face further uncertainty.
Over the decades, these mostly family-owned businesses have balanced sticking to tradition and pivoting when needed. They’ve maintained anchors in local communities even as their customer bases have grown.
The longevity and resilience of such businesses shows “the commitment to New York City and commitment to their community and to the customers that they have,” said Clinton Blume, president of the Hundred Year Association — itself not yet 100 years old, having started in 1927.
“A lot of companies come and go, but these are the ones that have survived and have kept their culture.”
Five businesses around the city can teach lessons about what it takes to carry on.
It’s what a batch of businesses around the boroughs have been adapting to — and counting on — for at least a century, even before construction of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.
These businesses made it through the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, all the way through the 2008 financial crisis and the pandemic, so far — even as a spike in COVID-19 cases means they face further uncertainty.
Over the decades, these mostly family-owned businesses have balanced sticking to tradition and pivoting when needed. They’ve maintained anchors in local communities even as their customer bases have grown.
The longevity and resilience of such businesses shows “the commitment to New York City and commitment to their community and to the customers that they have,” said Clinton Blume, president of the Hundred Year Association — itself not yet 100 years old, having started in 1927.
“A lot of companies come and go, but these are the ones that have survived and have kept their culture.”
Five businesses around the city can teach lessons about what it takes to carry on.
‘We’ve Weathered the Storm’
William Poll is near Lenox Hill Hosp. Really good sandwiches with Euro-gourmet ingredients, not really more overpriced than greasy garbage from food carts nowadays. Also has fairly moderately priced good quality frozen dinners for overworked & exhausted medical residents.
William Poll is near Lenox Hill Hosp. Really good sandwiches with Euro-gourmet ingredients, not really more overpriced than greasy garbage from food carts nowadays. Also has fairly moderately priced good quality frozen dinners for overworked & exhausted medical residents.
Really. Thanks for the tip. Will check it out. Always on the lookout for a place that sells good sandwiches. You would think that no one could really mess up a sandwich but...! They can.
Really. Thanks for the tip. Will check it out. Always on the lookout for a place that sells good sandwiches. You would think that no one could really mess up a sandwich but...! They can.
They make the usual deli sandwiches, but with their own condiments, which create a different taste.
Holtermann's is an amazing old-school Staten Island bakery with quality products.
Quote:
Holtermann Bowers’ family owns the building the shop is housed in — a privilege, her mother reminded her, that has allowed them to endure the pandemic. It reinforced their support for small businesses, especially while seeing other mom-and-pops not make it.
I'm sure a few of the other businesses in the article own their buildings too. That's the real secret to business longevity but it's not always possible.
I've only been to DeFonte's Sandwich shop on the list, and it's good. Not there nearly often enough to be a regular, but there's definitely a lot of them that go through every time I'm there so it seems like a place where it's a steady stream of regulars that keep it up and going strong.
Only the last business mentioned the fact that they owned the building. If you have good products and service owning the building frees you from being at the mercy of a landlord. Pay off the building and you can keep your business going for many, many years through good tines and bad.
Only the last business mentioned the fact that they owned the building. If you have good products and service owning the building frees you from being at the mercy of a landlord. Pay off the building and you can keep your business going for many, many years through good tines and bad.
There was an deep economic recession in the mid-1970s. A friend's father had an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn at the time. He did well but the recession really hurt his business. He had bought the building for cash in the early 1960s (his wife thought he was crazy for doing so) so he was able to ride out the recession. He cut his hours back and reduced staff but came out o.k. In the late 1990s he closed the restaurant, retired and sold the building at a huge profit. His daughters were all college-educated and didn't want the daily aggravation of running a restaurant.
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