The owners of a beloved Italian meat market in Auburndale are leaving after more than 60 years in the business and the shop will be run by the owners of Bayside supermarket.
D’Alessandro’s Meat Center, located at 46-07 Hollis Court Blvd., took to Instagram on Wednesday, Feb. 20, to inform customers of the news.
“D’Alessandro’s has been proud to service the community for 60 years. Regrettably we will be closing on March 17, 2019,” read the Instagram post.
Word spread that the business had been sold to the owners of Marino’s Supermarket at 163-07 29th Ave. Owner Peter Marino confirmed the rumor to QNS.
According to Marino, he plans to do store renovations and hopes to reopen the business at the end of June. He added that the store would “not lose anything” and would carry the same meat.
In addition to store renovations, Marino said that he plans to expand the 3,000 square feet of selling space and add more produce and prepared foods.
Antonio D’Alessandro founded the business in 1957 after moving from the Lower East Side in Manhattan where he opened his first butcher shop. The business owner and his family later moved to Long Island, where D’Alessandro eventually retired in 1980.
His four children took over the business and continued providing customers the “finest meats, cold cuts and groceries.”
Word of the business’s closure spread quickly on social media as customers expressed their sadness and shock.
“I worked there for a few years, many years ago. The brothers Joe, Sal, and Tony were some of the nicest guys to work for. Very sad to hear this news,” said one Facebook user.
“I have been a customer there since 1972. I’m sorry to them go,” said another.
QNS reached out to D’Alessandro’s, but they were unable to comment at the time of publication.
