I recently wrote about my local kosher market’s announcement that it was closing after 74 years in business and how devastating the news was to so many people in our community. I regretted not shopping there more often and wished I had a chance to do things differently. But how often do we get second chances in life?
With immense pride in my community and gratitude to our leaders for coming together, we all have that second chance in the Greater Hartford area. Our beloved Crown Market has been saved, and I for one will be shopping there all the time. I will not make the same mistake twice. I hope everyone who was affected by this story takes to heart that our local businesses truly need our continuous and community-wide support.
In the many Jewish communities I have lived in over the years, I have never seen people put aside their differences and work together as decisively as this. Our Jewish community acted swiftly and cohesively to rescue one of our most prized institutions, but it could so easily have ended differently. The Crown Market was at the brink of closing, and in other communities around the world, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men are not enough to put their institutions back together again. Don’t wait until your community’s institutions are on life support before mobilizing to save them!
I know it is only the beginning of the week, but I am already looking forward to my new weekly tradition of shopping at The Crown Market for Shabbos. I know when my kids are old enough I will use the Crown Market story to illustrate to them the importance of giving back to the community and not taking things for granted. And to all my friends in the local community, I look forward to seeing you there soon!
Here is the Crown Market’s official Facebook post:
To Our Treasured Customers:
Over the past 74 years, we have been honored to be a part of thousands upon thousands of special moments in West Hartford and the Hartford area. Births. Family dinners and celebrations. Holidays. Weddings. Retirement parties. And no less important, the everyday lives of generations of our friends and neighbors.
But this may be our favorite moment of all. Because today, we can say that The Crown will shine brighter than ever, for some time to come.
Even better, we can say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to show their support for The Crown Market and what it means to you. You have spoken with us. You have written letters to the editor. You have signed petitions. And you have, to put it simply, saved us.
Your incredible outpouring of memories and emotions have inspired a group of community leaders, including Henry M. Zachs, Alan Lazowski, Brian Newman, Leonard Udolf and others to come forward and keep The Crown Market operating without interruption.
This will not only save our market and our jobs. It will help us move forward on strong financial footing, ready for the future — with a refreshed store design, modernized inventory systems and new specialty items.
We are awed by the love and compassion you have shown us. And we are grateful for the assistance of everyone who has treated us like one of West Hartford’s “Crown” jewels. We will do everything we can to repay all that you have invested in us, so we can keep being here for many of our community’s most important moments.
Thank you.
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