Neighbors are reporting that Glick Brothers Kosher Market, located on Nostrand Avenue between Avenues X and Y, unexpectedly closed down last Thursday after more than 30 years serving the community.
As the sign on the gate says, not much information is available. Alevtina Lobova, who works at the optical store next door, tipped us off to the closure. The sign on the gate was placed by the neighbors in response to Glick customers coming in and asking.
“It must have been sudden because deliveries still come and are forced to turn back because the gate is down,” said Lobova. “Even the landlord of Nostrand Shoppers had to get informed by us that the owner is not coming back…weird, huh?”
Weird indeed. If anyone has any info about the closure, please post it in the comments below.
[Photos courtesy of Alevtina Lobova]
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Just to keep everyone informed: Sheepshead Bites has filed a Freedom of Information request with the NY State Department of Agriculture and Markets in order to confirm the violations. Keep in mind the above allegations are – at this moment – ONLY speculation. All we know is that the store has closed unexpectedly.
Dept of Agriculture and Markets will respond to my request within 5 business days. As soon as I have the inspection reports, the information will be posted on this site.
Still…. eww…
Glick has been on Nostrand Avenue for well over 30 years. I remember my mother going there when I was a child – we lived in the neighborhood.
We, too, were distressed when we went there on 5/3, only to find the gates down and the “Store Closed – No Further Information Available” sign taped to the gates.
Honestly, we’ve been buying from them for about three years and I never noticed that anything tasted funny.
Glick was kosher, but not glatt kosher. There are few, if any, butchers that are not glatt in Brooklyn, I think.
I’m interested in reading the report from the state.
All of the allegations in the posts above sound like nothing more than rank speculation and unfair innuendo. As Ned said, right now there is no proof of wrongdoing on anyone’s part.
It is a shame that this business closed after so many years of serving the community.
The Freedom of Information request has been honored. The Department of health has acknowledged the history of inspections at Glicks and the presence of filthy conditions. No dog food was observed in he meat, but Glicks mixed spam with his hamburgers.
It is true, Glicks was buying spam by the case. I saw him load up on 30 cans of spam at Waldbaurms. As I have known him for some time, I asked why he was buying spam when he owned a meat store. He replied that he fed is dog spam. This did not make sense at the time, but the pieces fit together now.
sorry I meant 12:30 am…
If this is true–Should’nt the owner of this store be prosecuted?
Thanks, Ned,for doing the research. In the meantime, I’m not buying any ground or processed meat from anyone!
Around 12:30 pm a few nights ago, probably before he fled to florida, the owner of Glick was seen cleaning out his personal belongings. When asked what happened and why he closed, he stated something about unpaid taxes, which we knew wasn’t right. Hearing this disgusts me, being right next door and thinking of the several times when we were so hungry we just went next door to get something to eat, no wonder it didn’t taste right. How can you look your neighbors in the face and feed them dog food?
Yikes! Sounds like some crazy/disgusting things went on over there. Are there many good kosher alternatives in Sheepshead Bay for our Jewish readers?
The truth is that Glick had financial difficulties due to the high cost of food and electric and low sales due to changes in the demographics of the neighborhood. He was forced to make comprimises which adversely impacted the quality of his products. Redating expired meats and mixing dog food with hamburger are only two of the ideas managment had to cut costs and stay in business. Several of the employees knew what was going on, but needed their jobs. At the end, he fled without paying his payroll for the last week and having unpaid rent and utility bills.
The NYC food inspectors had visited Glick the week before he closed and found out the ugly details. He had no explanation to having dog food containers in the garbage can.
He has fled to Fort Lauderdale where his family also operates a meat store.
They closed due to board of health issues. The had vermon droppings and other bad stuff. The food was repackaged and relabled once the expiration date hit.
They had several lawsuits due to their lack of cleanliness. My niece, tiashia got sick from their hamburges which tasted like dog food.
The owner is now in Fort Lauderdale.
Glick closed to to contamnated beef. They supplied non kosher products and mislabeled them. A recent inspection disclosed vermon droppings and other rodent hairs in their meat prep area.
I can confirm that the store sold non kosher meet with false labels. Also the vermon story is accurate. I saw a mice running around in the early morning. The place was filthy. One of my neighbors also indicted that the board of health was on their back.
My brother worked at Glick. The store was quickly when the board of health announced another inspection. The last inspection found rodent hairs, mouse droppings and non kosher food labeled as kosher food. A number of customers who recently purchased chopped mea were getting sick because the meat was contaiminated with dog food.
My brother worked at Glick. The store was quickly closed when the board of health announced another inspection. The last inspection found rodent hairs, mouse droppings and non kosher food labeled as kosher food. A number of customers who recently purchased chopped mea were getting sick because the meat was contaiminated with dog food.
From Ned to G.G.-
Thanks for commenting. Later this week we’ll publish an article that will likely clear Glick of some of the claims in the comments. It turns out we were sort of “Punk’d”, and all the negative comments came from one person. It’s unfortunate, and we hope to clear the air on that in the coming days, as well as publish the health records.
I was hoping you could put us in touch with the owner. On one hand, I want to apologize for some the anonymous commenter’s actions on the site; on the other, I’d like to find out why he did actually close and what he’s working on next. Hopefully he’s staying in Sheepshead!
Thanks again for participating in the discussion.
Ned Berke
Editor
Sheepshead Bites
As long time Glick customers, David Rogoff and Bonnie Chernin, pointed out in their post at their Brooklyn NY Real Estate Report site, all of the comments about ‘added products’ in the chopped meat were not made by Sheepshead Bites: “None of this is verified by the article itself, which just announces that the store is closed.”
To see the full post, check this URL: http://www.realtown.com/lotekchow/blog/brooklyn-ny-sheepshead-bay/brooklynsheepsheadbay
Scott I will miss you and Marc,,no other market in NY gave me the attention and the quality as you guys always did. As soon as your set up in your new operation please call. Good luck always ,Victor
I worked for Glick’s on Nostrand for 30 years 1963 when they were one of eleven stores on the ave. till 1994 when they were the only ones left. Scott knew the business was on a decline since the late 80′s,in honor of his Grandfather who started the business in the early 1900′s and out of respect to his father who owned and operated the store on Nostrand ave for 50 plus years Scott kept the store going until he could no longer hang in. Good Luck Scott and family
My name is Ned Berke. I don’t know who the clown is that just responded and said it was not me. This fellow looks like a lacky of the commercial businesses in the area and is not willing to expose the Glick story. The 2009 health reports are posted on a department of health web site for all to see. Yes Ned, Mr. Glick was adding spam to his hamburger for some time.
Glick’s has been on Nostrand ave. since 1950. The store has always had a reputation for high quality meats at quality prices. The store from day 1 till the last day open for business has maintained the same business philosophy( give the customers the best, and don’t be shy to ask a premium). My great grandparents, grandparents,parents,and children have all shopped regularly at Glicks on Nostrand ave for the past 60 years. Unfortunately the shift to Glatt kosher, full unionization, the demise of the largest kosher meat supplier in america, the radical change to the demographics of the neighborhood and the sluggish economy,and mounting personal financial troubles,brought the end. The spam and dog food claims are from locals who have probably been fired for stealing, drug abuse, and sexual misconduct. Health reports are public record,for all to see, and the claims from the posters above are totally undocumented and down right absurd. Fresh kosher shin meat or chuck trimmings are cheaper than dog food or spam so why would anybody use an expensive imitation when they could give the best for less money. furthermore I recently spoke to the owner who has no intention of moving to Florida, and as a matter of fact, he is already involved in a very exciting new business in good old Brooklyn N.Y.
The above commenter who used my name was NOT me. I’m not quite sure why someone would use my name like that, but I did not post that comment.
For future notice, all my comments will have “[Member]” next to my name. As will all the comments of any other Sheepshead Bites writers. If it doesn’t have that, it’s probably not a legitimate post.
FYI: I have received the FOI request, but they were incomplete. They dated only until the end of 2008, and I’m awaiting confirmation that their were no inspections in 2009. I’ll share the information in a new post when I have everything gathered. Thanks.
YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL OUT OF YOUR MINDS. DOG FOOD. THAT IS ABSURD. I WAS AN EMPLOYEE AND ALSO A CUSTOMER. ALL THE ABOVE COMMENTS ARE WRITTEN IN ANGER BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE NO WHERE TO SHOP ANYMORE. WELL IF PEOPLE ACTUALLY CAME IN REGULARLY, BUSINESS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN SUCH TROUBLE CAUSING IT TO CLOSE.
Something was not kosher about Glicks, if you know what I mean..I never liked the way anything tasted there .
Something wasn't kosher about glicks, if you know what I mean. The meat never tasted good
When I worked there back in 02-03 there were no such thing. Dog food? LOL. Loading up on Spam? Totally false. The store was one of the cleanest in the area, I know, because I was the one cleaning up day after day….lol. All products were kosher, and if something didn't smell right or look ok it was tossed away. Those are the facts. We all know that Brooklyn is home to some crazies so responses like that are expected, and even more so on the internet, but the truth is that Scott was one of the most generous and kind businessmen around. I have enjoyed food from there plenty of times and have never gotten sick once so those claims of tainted meat are unfounded as well. He treated his employees like his own friend, not many can say that about their relationship with their boss.
I am sad to hear the news and I wish them all the best.
sorry, never had anything that tasted good at Glicks. When I showed them my food stamps they gave me a dirty look and treated me like garbage and I was a pretty good customer until I realized there were much better meat stores that weren't kosher.
sorry, I never liked Glicks meats. Everything tasted terrible. As a customer, each time I used my food stamps they treated me like garbage. Foods stamps is money too you know. Anyway, they got what they deserved. Bye Bye Glicks, nice knowing you……
every time I bought chopped meat from Glicks it looked beautiful and red in color. But when I got home and opened the package to cook it all the meat was a brown color and had a funnyorder. Because I lived quite a distance from Glicks instead of bringing it back to them I was forced to throw it out and lose my money . Good riddens, David Speigel
I just wonder if the non-kosher pizza still tastes like it did 30 years ago. nothing probably tastes like it used to ….. Unfortunately the only all-lamb schwarma I know
That Barbara Breman sounds like such a bitter woman. Every time she bought chop meat it was bad? If I bought bad meat there would not be a 2nd time. To go back time after time, and she lived quite a distance away, something sounds fishy to me.
Someone with a cleaver to grind. Who knows why.
That Barbara Breman sounds like such a bitter woman. Every time she bought chop meat it was bad? If I bought bad meat there would not be a 2nd time. To go back time after time, and she lived quite a distance away, something sounds fishy to me.
Someone with a cleaver to grind. Who knows why.
cleaver was very clever
That was clever too!
Because of your comment, I just found this story about Glicks. It was written long before I heard of Sheepsheadbites. I was wondering what happened to them and miss them a lot. They were the last kosher butcher store in Brooklyn that I am aware of. Now I'm forced to buy glatt kosher which I hate because everything is so salty.
I liked the food from Glicks and had a problem only once with a container of potato salad which I had no problem returning. They gave me my money back without question. I went there for about three years. Luckily, I never bought their ground beef. I bought their ground veal and never noticed anything wrong. I think the food was fresher than the glatt kosher I get now where I have to dig to the bottom of the pile to find meat that is not brown.
I once went to the long closed Glick's on Neptune Avenue and never returned. The place smelled when you opened the door and everything looked dirty. The one on Nostrand at least looked clean.