Exclusive | The closure of Brooklyn’s pork shop after 55 years underlines a sad exodus of the beloved Italian stadiums: “We didn’t leave you, you left us”

After 55 years as a tasty Italian badge in the Brooklyn Bensonhurst neighborhood gabagool On Saturday, June 29.

“It feels like I am losing a large part of my life,” co -owner George Firlantello said in the publication of the imminent closure of the beloved store, which was first opened in 1969 on the 18th Avenue.

Firantello said he had no choice but to say ciao.

“Some of my customers are devastated,” said Firrantello. “They say,” Oh the boys leave us. “No, no.

Firantello refers to the changing Bensonhurst Demography, which previously flourished with Italian-American companies and the clientele to match.

This month, just at Bari Street, another Hallmark district, Sas Italian Records, also performed his final song. It was opened in 1967.

“These days, there are not enough customers arriving at the site,” said Firantello about his departure after running to Bari for the last 26 years with the Turrigiano partner, the latter laid 37 years of service at the pork shop.

“It means a lot to me that the store has meant a lot for many people. I know children who came now who have their own children,” said Firantello. “We have fed many families over the years.”

But an exodus of customers is not the only head firrantello to fight.

“Running the store has just been more expensive, between income, electricity, insurance, payroll tax, etc.,” he said.

Its bewildered owner even offered to reduce the rent to keep the store in the business.

“But it would still have been too high,” said Firrantello. “In my head, I am saying,” How much could you reduce it? $ 500? What would they do $ 500 for me? “”

The members also sought the sale of the business. But according to Firrantello, “nobody was really interested.”

This underlines a great change for the area.

When it comes to Italian pork shops, the titular animal is more colloquial, as they usually sell everything, from sandwiches to pantry, breadcrumbs, olives, cheese and the like.

“Pork shops are a basic element of many Italian-American communities, especially here in the northeast,” Tony Mangia told The Post Anthony, a New Jersey-based influencer who highlights Italian companies throughout the Tri-State area.

“Butchers and owners often get to know their customers primarily,” said Scillia.

Perhaps that is why the famous faces, including “sopranos” veins, Steve Schirripa and the missing Tony Sirico, were barium fans in particular, said Firrantello.

“They have a connection with the community. When you entered the store they met your order,” said Scillia. “And to be sincere, the quality of these stores is always much higher than the great supermarkets.”

Bari is especially known for its fresh, fresh mozzarella along with plumose and signed sausages, the recipe for which it also browses the sunset.

“I will take it with me,” said a firm firrantello.

Although there are seemingly prosperous shops, including the multiple Italian faccio locations, Emily’s pork always in Williamsburg and the Calabria pork shop on Arthur Avenue in Bronx: Old School pork shops are becoming a dying breed even beyond the Firrantello district.

G. Esposito and Sounds Pork Store of Carroll Gardens closed in 2023 after 100 years in the business, while the Mario Butcher’s shop, of Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Avenue, closed in 2022 after the death of its names name, Mario Zollo.

In Little Italy, the 130 -year -old Dairy said the dairy ARREDERCI Last year too.

German pork shops are also not immune to the trend, with the pork of Morscher de Ridgewood closing in 2024 after seven decades. Meanwhile, the Zum Stammtisch’s Pork Store Offshoot restaurant has also closed its doors earlier this year.

“It makes me feel terrible but what can we do?” Sicily said.

“If we do not return to the old neighborhoods and support these places, what option do they really have? Many of the younger generations do not follow the footsteps of their parents and grandparents when it comes to pork shops or even old -school red sauce joints.”

Ray Guarini, who directs the popular Italian enclaves of the Instagram account and is the author of the book “The Italian neighborhoods of New York City“” helped announce bari closure.

At that time, he called it “the hardest video of our many years of documenting Italian neighborhoods and companies”.

“The area changed so dramatically, we can no longer keep us,” Turrigiano said in a video.

He pointed to a commentator of many who suffered the loss: “This is a wealthy, I will always remember that I went here with my father.”

“Many people have expressed their sadness in this regard and I was saddened,” Guarini told The Post.

“But I admire them. What they have done all these years, retaining the business as a living piece of our culture is praiseworthy.”

However, do not expect a lot of hobby when Firrantello blocks the bari door for the last time: he has no big plans for the last day.

“Hopefully go fast and then I just want to move away -and take a good picture with my partner,” he said.

“Then on Monday, I will probably stay home with my wife and enjoy a couple of weeks with her. And then go for a job.”