Business

After 28 years, beloved Jay & Lloyd’s Kosher Deli closes

May 29, 2020 Jaime DeJesus

Photo courtesy of Randy Peers

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An end of an era.

Since 1993, Jay & Lloyd’s Kosher Deli, 2718 Avenue U, has been a Brooklyn staple, famous for its pastrami sandwiches, hot dogs and knishes.

On Wednesday, May 27, the owners announced via social media that it would be shutting down for good.

“To all of our family and customers, we’re sorry to say that Jay and Lloyd‘s are officially out of business,” wrote co-owner Jay Stern. “We’re sorry and we will miss you. We thank you for the years, that’s 28 of them, that you have all helped us. We thank you so much.”

The Sheepshead Bay deli was featured on the former food show “Hungry Investors.” According to the eatery’s website, owners Stern and Lloyd Lederman are “just a couple of mensches who were born and raised in Brooklyn and have been friends since the age of four. They wanted to carry on the traditions of their family of deli mavens, going back three generations.”

“Unfortunately, not every ending is a happy one. As most of you already know, Jay & Lloyd’s Kosher Deli had to shut down for good this week,” added Lederman on Facebook . “This wasn’t a decision we took lightly. 28 years serving the community has meant the world to us. We want to thank our families who through the years had to deal with the ups and downs, and stood by us through it all. You gave us the strength to keep this going for as long as it did.”

Loyal customers were saddened to find out the beloved deli would close.

“Jay & Lloyd’s Kosher Deli was a southern Brooklyn institution — so well-known for their homemade matzoh ball soup and old fashioned sandwiches,” said Priscilla Consolo. “It was so well-known as one of the few authentic, traditional kosher-style delicatessens left in the community. My best friend from high school worked there for many years; my parish priest loved their hot dogs and knishes; and my fiance’s family – who are Jewish – ordered tons of food from there on a regular basis, including their famous corned beef and pastrami sandwiches.”

“I was so sad to hear of the closing of Jay & Lloyd’s,” said Randy Peers, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “The deli holds a special place for me and my daughter, Leslieann. When she was younger, I used to take her there frequently after picking her up from after school at the Kingsbay Y which was close by. It was our special time together, and she would enjoy her hot dogs, matzo ball soup, and coloring a picture that they would put up on the wall in the front entrance along with all the other kids’ pictures. Lloyd would always spend some time with us, no matter how busy they were. This was a special Brooklyn place. I will miss them dearly.”

His daughter Leslieann took a photo with the owners when she was about 8 years old.

“Thank you for the past 24 out of your 28 years of great food, good laughs and fun times filled with many memories,” added a Facebook user. “We ate there for holidays, for celebrations and even after funerals. I announced your closing on a zoom gathering with friends in Arizona, California, Chicago, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. You can imagine the gasp from all! We’re all sorry to see you go.”

Lederman continued to thank his dedicated staff in his post.

“To the staff – and this one tugs at us the most – for the last few months of craziness, you have been nothing short of amazing,” he said. “You gave your all for us, even though we were shorthanded. We asked a lot from you and you never batted an eye. We can’t thank you all enough for sticking with us, and you will always be part of our family. Through the years we have employed many people. We’ve seen teenagers become leaders in different industries and have their own families. Many of our staff have remained close and visited us through the years. We give our thanks to anyone that has ever been employed by us.”

Courtesy of Jay and Lloyd’s Deli website

Finally he had words for his loyal customers.

“This business would never have survived for so long if it wasn’t for you.” he said. “There was nothing we loved more than seeing a full dining room and hearing the conversations and laughter of families and friends. Making this decision quickly, we couldn’t say goodbye to you all. We will miss seeing each and every one of you. Kosher delis at one time were a staple of every neighborhood. Most are now gone and only a handful remain. Please support any that are still around and keep what was once something we all enjoyed around for other generations. We love you, we will miss you and most importantly, Thank You.”