Reflection
After researching this building, I have noticed something about myself as a reader— I tend to find stories from people and their opinions the most interesting. I chose to focus on the the life of the restaurant and the customers that praised it, just because people’s input is something that is important to me.
Additionally, I believe that feedback from the people of a community is what improves it the most- if people are investing in a community, they expect to see positive returns. In the face of dissatisfaction, people’s voices are the most effective way to move the community to a better place.
341 Grand Street has maybe been disregarded by the inhabitants of Grand Street. Maybe they don’t even notice it, it doesn’t bother them. I did not know that subconsciously, when I chose this building, I was looking for a way to argue why it should be reincorporated into the community. I think that in creating a profile of a meeting place of a culture, I was trying to attach some meaning to a disheveled and forgotten structure. I do think that it should be reinvented into something that contributes and supports the surrounding community.
I walked into an organization right next 341 Grand to see If they knew anything about it. The woman regarded me questioningly and then gave me her whole speech about how how I should join the cause to stop the building of three new skyscrapers on the waterfront of the Lower East Side. She repeated to me over and over that “these are our homes, these are our lives on the stake” because the building of these high rise housing projects would further raise prices and drive out many native residents— gentrification, there it is again. They were an activist group, working to fight this project for the well-being of lower income residents.
This is the sort of commitment of the people that I am talking about. People speaking out for their community, the one they have invested in and do not want to lose. Energy like this is productive, even if you can’t always win every fight.
I did not know that 341 Grand was a symbol of this “power of the voice” for me. But I think an abandoned building with a better history is something that should be spoken up for. Progress is progress, no matter how small. But money is money and for many people, it is hard to get past that. Myself included, I guess.
How can money-hungriness and the needs of communities and people in a city become in conversation with each other instead of play against each other? That is something everyone wonders and I find myself wondering a lot more now too.
341 Today
According to the real estate blog that I mentioned before, there were a few “short-lived” businesses that followed the Grand Dairy Restaurant but it has stayed mostly vacant since then. It has not seen such a boom as it did during its Grand Dairy era to this day.
The owner now, with the name Burt Kohn is asking for $25,000 rent for the whole building, which could ultimately only be afforded by an established chain. He is not willing to sell the building for anything less than $10 million, a highly unaffordable amount. Since the building is so close to the Seward Park High School, there would be many restrictions on the business that moved in; it would most likely not be able to get a liquor license easily for example, which is one of the reasons that the property is now quite unprofitable, according to Kohn.
It connects back to my theory that Grand Dairy Restaurant was forced out of its space because of the rising prices in the city. They are devastating to small businesses now and must have been a hard blow on them in the time of the Grand Dairy’s closing as well.
The building at 341 Grand has been vacant since the early 2000s and since then it has only received complaints.
From the NYC Department of Buildings:
2003: PEICE OF AN ABANDONED BLDG FELL UNTO SIDEWALK/ BLDG IS THREE STORIES/WINDOWS HANGING FROM FRAME
2009: CALLER STS THAT WINDOWS ON THE GRANT ST SIDE ARE IN DANGER OF FALLING OUT OF THE 2 FLOOR/THE CORNICE ON THE LUDLOW ST SIDE IS ALSO UNSAFE,CRACKS ON THE FACADE AND WINDOW ON THE 3FL IS UNSAFE
Hence the building being boarded up on all sides, abandoned and left to be graffitied. No wonder, considering the high rent prices that are in current demand.
It is a little disappointing that nothing has come to be of the space that was once the lively and loved Grand Dairy Restaurant. Vacant spaces are not safe spaces and they interrupt the flow of a fast-paced business-oriented neighborhood. Not to mention that they are unappealing to look at. Unfortunately, this community feeling is not important to owners like Kohn, who are just looking to get their money. No matter how long it must stand there and whatever hindrances it might bring– the money will have to come in at some point…..and if not, the building will most likely be grounded.
The Broadway of the Lower East Side
Today, Grand Street is still a bustling line of small businesses, local stores and rich culture, but continues to develop and change in the midst of the gentrifying Lower East Side all the same.
In a 1997 article, “Grand Tour of Bites and Bargains” from the New York Times, it was commented that none of the other “bargain streets” around the neighborhood “rival Grand for a diverse ethnic mix nor for the assortment of merchandise, food stores and restaurants at all price levels…you can get fat in at least 15 languages…Grand Street signifies the continuing immigrant saga of hope, struggle and achievement”.
This is a powerful statement. Grand Street is described as a place where many people from different backgrounds are coming together and creating a habitable and profitable environment for themselves- one of the main purposes of a city, in my opinion. And an aspect of a healthy city as well. David H. Goldsmith, the Chairman of the Grand Street Boy’s Association at this time described Grand as “the Broadway of the Lower East Side”, which speaks to the high regard in which Grand Street was held.
I think that Grand Street Dairy fit in very well in this hotspot of culture. It represented the large Jewish population and provided a place where they could keep in touch with their culture over good food. It makes me wonder then, if the success of Grand Street was due to places like this that made people feel like they were at home- like they could go to a place and feel in touch with the people who share their traditions.
This familiar feeling is important to me. I have been raised with the traditions of two different cultures and both are equally significant in my life. I know how comforting it is to be surrounded by people who share your traditions and to bond in this way. This is what compels people to invest in a community- when they feel they can find a common ground with the people around them. I believe this is exactly what Grand Dairy Restaurant was able to achieve for its customers through its food and it is also what Grand Street was so good at in the past and I hope is continuing to do as well.
Raving Restaurant Reviews
1940-1990
“[The Grand Dairy Restaurant] serves some of the best Jewish food in the city: wonderfully moist and flavorful gefilte fish, icy pink beet borscht accompanied by divine black bread, and almost impeccable blintzes…they are truly Jewish soul food”
This raving review came from Cara de Silva in 1989, right at the end of the Grand Dairy’s run at 341 Grand Street. The restaurant sure made a reputation for itself from the time it opened its doors in 1940.
This restaurant served the Jewish population, which was very large at its founding and less so towards the end of its run. But the Jewish culture was and still is engraved in the Lower East Side neighborhood. Grand Dairy served the comforting foods of the culture and apparently they did it very well.
In the amusing article “2 Waiters and their Producer Dine at a Source of Inspiration”, the “two waiters” are actually two actors in a play called “Café Crown”, where they must play their role of Jewish waiters. The article expresses how they have come to Grand Dairy to seek inspiration on how to play the “stereotypical Jewish waiter”- who by this definition definitely does not believe in the #1 rule of hospitality: the customer is always right.
Mr. Helfand, a waiter at the Grand at this time in 1988, comments that “You have to know how to intimidate the customer…God forbid they should ask you for a glass of water. You have to let them know you’re in control.”
It seems that what the Grand Dairy didn’t manage in terms of their hospitality, they made up for with their mouth-watering food. Mr. Sol Guberman, the owner and a man who is clearly proud and confident in the success of his restaurant, tried to save the day and added: “I threw in the blintzes…we’ve been here for 50 years” The Grand Dairy had definitely made its name in those 50 years, despite the somewhat unpleasant attitude of its staff. The food seemed to make up for it, and the two actors were definitely able to take some notes on the behaviors of the “stereotypical” irritated Jewish waiter for their roles.
I was unable to find any primary records about the opening or closing of the Grand Dairy Restaurant, nor any further information about Sol Guberman himself. I was able to find a realty blog, featuring a short research blurb from a comedian, writer and musician, who was able to call up the current owner of 341 Grand that is trying to rent it out. He was able to get information about the Dairy Restaurant era of 341 Grand Street, which is where the estimations for its opening and closing doors came from. This timeline would also make sense because in a 1997 NY Times article by Mimi Sheraton, in which she is describing the life and culture of Grand Street, she mentions one of the residents who “reminisced about the great soups, potato pirogen and apple blintzes at the long-gone Grand Dairy Restaurant”, which would indicate that this beloved restaurant did go out of business in the early 90s.
I would imagine that is was a blow to the community, especially to its Jewish residents, when the restaurant had to close its doors forever. I still wonder why this had to happen- it seemed to be known for its good food. It is possible that I was only able to find good reviews, which fail to show anything negative about the restaurant other than the questionable attitude of its staff. It would be hard to say if business was actually at a low at this time, despite the multitude of compliments. But Sol Guberman did seem comfortable boasting about the success of his 50 years in business. This led me to think that Sol Guberman may have died and had no one to take over for him. But I was also unable to find any records on Mr. Guberman, so this theory is also still up to question.
It could also be anything from neighboring business feuds to landlord troubles or rising rent prices. We see now more than ever that New York is becoming unaffordable for small businesses and residents because of gentrification that has been on a rise since the 1990s. This is the exact time that that Grand Dairy closed, which may not be a coincidence.
Vague Beginnings
September 14, 1922
341 Grand Street. Block 310, Lot 13. Area of 1648 square feet. 3 floors.
Now the beginning of 341 Grand Street is very vague. The only information that I was able to gather in my short research period was that it was built in 1910. This would have been a time when Grand Street was developing into the area of culturally rich and diverse businesses that it is today. 341 Grand was most likely built to add space for incoming businesses. On the corner of two streets, it is not an unattractive spot to invest in and if you notice the windows that are boarded up, it seems like it would have been a nice workspace.
On September 14, 1922 a Certificate of Occupancy was filed by the Borough of Buildings in Manhattan. It certified that the building “may be used as a business building as hereinafter qualified, in a business district”. There is a gap on the building’s timeline between 1910 and 1922, but this document implies that the building was used for business purposes during most of its life.
When the building was inspected in 1922 the layout was as follows:
Cellar: Storage
1st Floor: Stores, 8 people accommodated
2nd Floor: Offices, 10 people accommodated
3rd Floor: Offices, 4 people accommodated
Unfortunately, record of these people and their businesses or private practices are still a mystery, as I unable to find anything on them.
This document proves however, that 341 Grand Street was established to support the people of the community and give them space for their businesses. It is still unclear though, if all of these offices and shops were being rented out by separate owners or if there was some sort of connection between them.
Welcome To: Boarded Up 341
September 20th, 2018
There it stood, on the corner of Grand and Ludlow, a boarded up structure with a sign that read AVAILABLE in blue capital letters, the read digits of the seller’s phone number boldly listed under it.
The base of the structure is brick, with the open spaces that would have once been windows, filled in with boards of wood. Two metal garage-like doors cover up what would be used as the storefront on the Grand Street side. The Ludlow Street wall is covered with graffiti–big colorful bubble letters, that catch a passerby’s eye.
Many people would walk past this building and not give it a second glance. After all, there are so many vacant spaces in cities and New York City is no exception to that- so why would this one be particularly interesting?
When we set off to explore the Lower East Side, I was looking for a subtle anomaly- something that was unique because it would tend to be overlooked. And this boarded up building seemed like just that.
So when I saw 341 Grand Street, I started to ponder what events or lack thereof would have led it to the state it is in. What the space had been used for and how long it had been standing there. How it had affected the community around it. People are what interest me the most in history. In what way did the events, businesses, developments at 341 Grand affect the people around it? Was is it liked or disliked?
This is what I set out to find out in my research and what I explore in these blog posts.
Read on to uncover 341 Grand because it wasn’t always set up to be overlooked.
341 Grand Street 