Business Profile: Kosher Emporium of Merrick

When it comes to the dietary needs of Jewish Merokeans, as well as anyone else looking to dabble in kosher foods, they can be rest assured that the Kosher Emporium of Merrick has got them covered.

Situated at 1984 Merrick Road for over 40 years and counting, the Kosher Emporium is a full-service grocery store specializing in kosher goods, according to Sam, the manager.

“We offer all kinds of kosher goods,” Sam said. “Fresh meat, fresh fish, groceries, baked goods...anything you might need, we have it.”

For the uninitiated, kosher foods adhere to strict Jewish law; the preparation, the ingredients, and even the utensils must be as dictated by Hebrew Bible, said Sam.

“We have a Rabbi who is a kosher supervisor who comes here on a regular basis,” Sam added. “The Rabbi comes to sure everything is cooked and prepared properly, according to Jewish law.”

However, while kosher food is primarily consumed by Jewish people, they aren’t the only ones that shop in his store, according to Sam.

“We actually have some Muslum customers,” he said. “They like to come and buy Jewish food because it’s healthier, and because we don’t use pork or any kind of pork product.”

The Kosher Emporium also offers to special order any food items, including kosher Israeli and Chinese food. They also offer catering services and free local delivery.

However, like many businesses these days, the Kosher Emporium has found itself struggling with an unforgiving economy.

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“The economy is affecting business, yes,” Sam said. “When the economy is bad, people aren’t eating Kosher food as much because they don’t have the money, I guess. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of Orthodox Jews around Merrick, so people don’t care about kosher food as much.”

Sam cited the higher-than-usual prices associated with kosher food, which can be attributed to costs involved in its special preparation, the services of the Rabbi, and other factors.

But in the end, the Kosher Emporium of Merrick has toughed it out for over four decades by the relationships they’ve built up with their valued customers, according to Sam.

“The people of Merrick are very nice, and we value their patronage very highly,” Sam added. “Plus, the store is close to where I live, so how can you go wrong?”

What do you think of Kosher Emporium of Merrick? Tell us in the comments.