Bari Pork Store, a cherished Italian deli that opened in 1969, will close permanently on June 30 amid rising operational costs and shifts in the local community dynamics. Co-owners George Firantello and Tony Turrigiano have served the neighborhood for decades but struggle to survive against changing consumer habits. With support pouring in through social media from nostalgic customers, the closure highlights a broader decline in small businesses in Bensonhurst, following the recent shutdown of other long-standing establishments like SAS Italian Records.
"The price of everything is going up and the neighborhood is changing," Firantello told Brooklyn Paper. "People don't patronize local stores, they go to other stores."
Since the announcement on Monday, social media has outpoured in support... "This is a prime example of why it's so very important to support your local mom and pop stores."
Firantello said he's seen customers return from as far as New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Staten Island - even many who they hadn't seen in over a decade.
The closing adds to a significant shift in Bensonhurst's small business landscape... in 2023, another classic pork store - Tasty Bagels and Lenny's Pizzeria G. Esposito & Sons - closed in Carroll Gardens.
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