Beloved Local Italian Store is Closing After Five Decades
The difficulties stores and businesses face each year are tremendous, and one popular and long-standing business in New York is the latest to announce that it will be closing.
The Bari Pork Store in Bensonhurst, which has stood in its location since 1969, will officially be closing its doors. The store was operated by Tony Turrigiano and George Firrantello, who say that they've enjoyed the service they've provided for the public.
"I loved what I do. And he loves what he does. That's why he's still working," Firrantello said. Turrigiano said that he's been involved with the store in some capacity for the last 60 years.
Firrantello and Turrigiano specialized in Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese, items they learned to make when they were teenagers. The two were in partnership for nearly 30 years at the Bari Pork Store, but they simply cannot afford to remain open amid rising costs.
"Let's put it this way - our people who eat this food are not around. They moved out of the neighborhood," Turrigiano said, likely a comment of the amount of gentrification that's taken place in New York - especially in Brooklyn where the store was located.
Turrigiano noted that his family came to Brooklyn from Italy when he was only nine years old, and he's seen the borough and the entire city change drastically during that time.
Customers told ABC 7 New York that they were sad to see the store go, mostly due to the staple it has become to the community during its lifespan.
"Twenty-eight years I've been coming here. This is like a family," one man said.
"It takes away a little bit of its soul. Authenticity," one woman said. "It's like my kitchen - it's an extension of my kitchen."
Another customer described the store and the items on offer as "a taste of a land far away that I've never been to."
The store is set to officially close on June 30, giving customers the remainder of the month to make their visits and say their goodbyes to one of the most recognizable staples of their community.
Beloved Local Italian Store is Closing After Five Decades first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 9, 2025
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