Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen in Bayside is not closing despite recent social media buzz that the business would be shutting its doors.
Earlier this month, a 10-year-old QNS story made the rounds on Facebook saying that Ben’s at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center was to close at the end of January 2008 “now that nearly two years of negotiations have failed to produce an agreement between the kosher deli and landlord, Cord Meyer development.”
The story resurfaced over 10 years after the story’s publication, fueling questions and ignited rumors that the Bay Terrace location was closing.
But rumors were quickly shot down on the deli’s official Twitter account on Jan. 16.
This 10-year-old article from @QNS (https://t.co/iZsvkKKaig) on the closing of Ben’s of Bay Terrace has circulated on social media recently, leading people to believe that our Bayside location has closed for good. That is NOT the case. We are still OPEN and going nowhere! pic.twitter.com/X8JTPIIF3O
— Ben’s Kosher Deli (@BensKosherDeli) January 16, 2019
A day later on Jan. 17, Ronnie Dragoon, the founder and owner of Ben’s issued a statement to QNS to further dispel rumors about the eatery’s status.
“We have received numerous phone calls and visits from concerned customers who asked us if Ben’s Kosher Deli is shutting down its location at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center,” said Dragoon. “A 10-year-old article, which erroneously reported Ben’s of Bayside was closing, recently made the rounds on social media. We at Ben’s want to assure our customers that our Bayside location continues, and will continue, to remain open and serve the finest Kosher menu items and Eastern European comfort food in the area.”
The open-air mall in Bay Terrace has housed Ben’s Deli since 1994. In 2017, the store unveiled its final phase of renovations which included an upgraded kitchen, bathrooms, furniture, flooring, carpets and a floor-to-ceiling paint job.
According to the Public Relations and Marketing Group (PRMG), the 2017 renovations were the “second rehab” since the store opened 25 years ago.
