[Photo by Derek Berg]
Someone left these flowers outside the now-closed and under-renovation Moishe's Bake Shop on Second Avenue near Seventh Street. The bakery closed on Tuesday after 40-plus years in business.
The proprietor, Moishe Perl, who also owns the building at 115 Second Ave., said that he was retiring. Perl was later said to be searching for new management to re-open the spot as a cafe and bakery in the spring.
Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Claim: After 40-plus years, Moishe's Bake Shop has closed on 2nd Avenue (42 comments)
13 comments:
Cafe/Bakery?! Great idea! Thanks Mr. Perl...
If the building was sold, how can Moishe's Bakery be looking for new management to re-open if he doesn't own the building anymore? I'm confused!
CBS news reported the business is closed, the building is sold and the employees are all looking for new jobs. All this happy talk about reopening as a cafe isn’t adding up. They denied for months they were closing, so I’m not sure we can believe anything they say now.
MAYBE :)----sold the building and he owns a +20 year lease......
And the staff was given how much notice?
What is with the drama and suspense? It was a bakery. Now, it is closed. Let's grieve, cry a bit and move on. It's not like anyone died. There are worse things to be upset about.
From what I hear, the staff was told the day before the bakery closed!
I have seen this scenario play out a dozen times, especially in diners and restaurants. The owner keeps the shutdown a secret from the workers until the very last minute, on the theory that the workers will either immediately walk out or steal from the business, knowing they are about to all lose their jobs. It’s a sad commentary on human behavior, and an unfair way to treat loyal workers, I do hope he at least gave the ladies some severance pay for all those years of long days and hard work, but I wouldnt count on it. The owner also seems like a guy who doesn’t like conflict and just wants everyone to like him, so I’m sure the backlash he is receiving now is a big surprise to him.
Customers are rightfully upset that they were told that the shutdown rumors were false, and then weren’t even given a last chance to visit, pick up a favorite treat and say goodbye to the ladies. I would have left them a really nice tip. It is especially hard when a business like this closes, a place which many of us went out of our way to support given all the other businesses that have been forced to close.
Many of us defended Moishes when people kept saying that the place looked too old and run down, or that the owner was too lazy to repair the windows which always had scratches from grafiiti on them.
Moishe’s forces us to ask a hard question: Why go out of your way to support a business if they are going to close down anyway?
To Billsville on March 9, 2019 at 11:56 AM:
No severance pay was paid to the ladies for all this years of long days and hard work!
That is messed up to be a loyal worker and to receive nothing after years of servitude. The owner really doesn't owe anything to anyone other than their pay. If that had been me though, I would have gently taken my staff aside, and at least given them two weeks notice of the closure, as any good employee would if they wanted to resign. I also would have given them a generous severance. I would go out on a limb and say most if not all owners only care about themselves and their families. I have been in a similar situation where I was left in the cold without notice of a business shutdown. It sucks. But, a lot of people are resilient, and most will probably secure work elsewhere. In the meantime, it's a sad departure for our community. And, yes, I did hear the building was sold. So, let's see what pops up here someday. I doubt it will be a reincarnation of a bakery/cafe. RIP Moishe.
Another one bites the dust. A real shande. Hope new owners know how to make hamentaschen. Actually Moishe's stuff was excellent.
This is sad. Many beloved destinations in our city, especially in the East Village are evaporating; these are venues where even residents of other neighborhoods and outer boroughs will flock to in order to have that special item (I always loved their black and white cookies) or to experience the lingering history of such a place. The devastating impact of losing this business and others affects all of as patrons. Our memories of them won't ever cease, but their presence eventually does. Whether you like it or not, this illustrates how we must acclimate to our new normal.
I'm not sure if the Small Business Jobs Survival Act (SBJSA) could have helped with this, but it's another arrow in our quiver, so to speak. The SBJSA increases a business' bargaining power and stability; too many businesses are failing, and even when the owner retires, or the business meets a non-catastrophic end, it would be oh-so-much better to try and salvage the business than just shrug and move on.
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