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A Garment Worker recalls

August 30, 2011, 6:10 am
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Mark Weiss writes to share this recollection of Dubrow's:

"I began my career in the garment center in 1980 when I started work at Heath Tex children's wear. On my very first day my new buddies took me to lunch round the corner at Dubrow's. I loved Dubrow's and the unique feel of the place. In this day of cold noisy chain restaurants that decorate to look like they understand the locale, Dubrow's needed no such decorations. It was New York."

Puts a personal touch on the image I have of the thousands of garment workers who enjoyed the Manhattan Dubrow's on their lunch break.
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Reader John Stanton recollects

January 9, 2012, 7:30 am
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It's been a long time since I posted anything here - sorry about that. But a reader wrote me to offer recollections of his parents, who both worked at Dubrow's at met there, so I thought that was a good opportunity to jump back in:

"My father was John Stanton (he was known as Jack) and he worked at one of the Brooklyn Dubrow's I believe from the 40's until the 60's, and then worked at the Manhattan location until he retired I think in 1970. My mother's maiden name was Ming Chang, and she started at the Brooklyn Dubrow's (thus why she is in the picture of the cleaning crew, which she said occured on Yom Kippur.) She said she only worked a few months in Brooklyn and then transferred to Manhattan. As to whether my father followed my mom to Manhattan or vice versa, I don't know, but they met while working at Dubrow's. My mom immigrated from China to attend college and she fondly remembers Irving Dubrow who allowed her to have a flexible schedule in order to attend college. She had no set start or end time, he told her to work around her schooling needs, he always needed the help so any time she could work would be acceptable, so my mom was able to come and go and earn money without interfering with her schooling.

My mom laughingly told me the other night that after she graduated she left Dubrow's to work at Metropolitan Life Insurance, and would often go at lunch time to see my dad and the people she used to work with. One day Irving pulled my dad aside to tell him to only charge my Mom half since she was a former employee, and my dad said I have only been charging her half since the day she left! My mother and fathers romance was a true May/December romance, my father born in 1908 and my mother in 1935 so I am sure that people who worked there when they did would remember them since it was such an unlikely couple (my father a hard drinking Irishman, and my mother a petite demure Chinese woman.)

My mom has been in the hospital the last week and I have been visiting her every night and she has been reminiscing about the corned beef and pastrami sandwiches at Dubrow's which is how I came across this blog. I brought her a pastrami sandwich from Katz's Deli Friday night and all she did was complain that it didn't compare to a Dubrow's pastrami sandwich. I barely remember Dubrow's since my sister and I used to go there as young children, but that basically ended in the early 70's.

To give you a bit of trivia and a small laugh, when my parents married in the early 60's my father was interviewed by the FBI to make sure it wasn't a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes due to the disparity in age, and I wouldn't doubt that some of the employees at Dubrow's were also interviewed.

As to what my mom remembers of Richard Hackett, she said he was the driver for old man Dubrow (a.k.a. Benjamin Dubrow - ed.) who would sometimes come in, and greet customers and troubleshoot complaints. Richard Hackett ended up doing some of that and that is why she referred to it as customer relations. (Note: Joe Hackett was the driver for Dubrow's. Richard Hackett is his nephew and a reader of this blog. - ed.)

Unfortunately my father who would be the true treasure trove of information since he worked there so long passed away in 1998, so most of the information I have on Dubrow's is only from my mother who only worked there 3-4 years."

Ming Chang, I hope you recover well in the hospital. You are in my thoughts and my prayers. I've said here before that I think Katz's is the closest thing NYC has left to Dubrow's.

Interesting tidbit about immigration interviews by the FBI - that's the first I ever heard of it. Anyone else recall these interviews?
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Great article with more photos of Dubrow's

January 24, 2012, 12:56 pm
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Marcia Bricker Halperin is very familiar to readers of this blog, as several of her photos have been featured here. Well, now you can see more!  Over at the blog Jeremiah's Vanishing New York she recalls what made Dubrow's so special, as well.  This seems particularly relevant for readers here, especially as it quotes directly from this blog:

"Dubrow's is often called the "last cafeteria." In one of the articles on the Dubrow's Blog it's described as a place to "kibitz and nosh and argue the fate of the world." What is the value of kibitzing, noshing, and arguing our fate? What allowed it to happen at a place like Dubrow's and where do you think it happens today?

There's a theory about communities called "Third Places." After your home and your workplace comes the need for some social institution. The Irish had bars, the Italians had social clubs, but Jews had cafeterias in New York. They came to eat, but just as importantly to talk. Of course cyberspace is like a "third place" now. The demise of cafeterias was tied to the rise in affluence. People opted for waiter service and felt it was beneath them to carry their own tray. Cafeteria chains prevailed much longer in the South and Midwest where it wasn't until the last decade that many have closed, but they lacked the opulence of the big city ones.

The closest you can come to the feel of an old cafeteria today is at Katz's Deli. The ticket machine, the long counter on one wall, the frenetic feel with people carrying trays laden with Jewish-style foods in search of an empty table. The sound is reminiscent of old cafeterias too--cutlery rattling and lots of conversation. But I don't think you would scour the tables for a familiar face or a comfortable table to share and strike up a conversation with a stranger. By contrast, the dozens of coffee joints around my neighborhood are tomb-like since almost everyone is on their laptop."

Also, I discovered someone (perhaps Marcia Bricker Halperin herself, seeing as how her photo shows up here, too) submitted Dubrow's Cafeteria to the blog "Place Matters" with a link to this blog.  I agree! Places do matter.  And if there's one thing I have learned from the years of maintaining this blog, it's that Dubrow's did matter.  And still does.  
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Another Dennis Ziemienski painting

February 7, 2012, 11:46 am
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"Dubrow's Cafeteria"
Oil on canvas, 36x48

This painting looks very similar to the one in this previous post, but the dimensions are different.  Also, this one is little lighter, as though it were the same scene, but in daylight instead of at night.   If I had the money I would totally buy this painting.  Go here if you can do so in my stead.
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Dubrow's on StoryCorps

May 18, 2012, 1:35 pm
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So, I yesterday I received a call from Michael Garofalo, who was fact-checking  a story for StoryCorps.  It's a really sweet story that involves Dubrow's Cafeteria: Apparently Van and and Shirley Harris met at the Eastern Parkway location.  Check it out!

The story mentions several colorful characters they knew at Dubrow's - anyone else heard of Herbie the Nibbler, One-Ball Barney, Mendel Berman (he had a leaky ear), or Filthy Miltie?
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Another Dubrow great grandchild blogging

May 27, 2014, 9:35 pm
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My goodness how time gets away from me.  I blame parenthood.  It can't be a coincidence that my son was born about a month before my last post here.

Still, I couldn't help but share this link to a blog poet by another one of Benjamin Dubrow's great grandchildren.  Mitch Tobin is the son of Paul Tobin, and grandson of Max Tobin.  He adds great detail to the story of JFK coming to stump at Dubrow's - check it out!
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New York nostalgia

June 26, 2014, 1:30 pm
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Clarification and family history review

July 16, 2015, 7:01 am
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My cousins Joe and Robert Adler wanted me to clarify that they, and their father, Benjamin Adler, also worked at Dubrow's Cafeteria for many years.  Benjamin was also an owner and manager for a period of time.

We also now know that all five of Benjamin Dubrow's children managed and/or owned Dubrow's for some period of time: George Dubrow, Benjamin Adler (married to Lila Dubrow), Max Tobin (married to Minnie Dubrow), and Irving Kaplan (married to Sylvia Dubrow). According to her daughter, Joanne Dubrow, the youngest of the Dubrow children (Ruthie) "worked at the Eastern Parkway store, albeit for only one day; her father fired her when he discovered at day's end that there was more money in the cash register than represented in the receipts, i.e., she'd overcharged someone." 

 Grandchildren also worked at Dubrow's: Bonnie Kaplan Lyons, Beth Kaplan Wald, Joe Adler, Robert Adler, Irwin Dubrow, and Paul Tobin.  Probably others.  Paul Tobin was also a co-manager, but to the best of my knowledge he is the only grandchild to take on a management role. 
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Bernie Sanders hailed from Brooklyn in the Dubrow's era

July 26, 2015, 4:44 pm
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A New York Times article about a contemporary politician gave a shout out to Dubrow's Cafeteria today!  Apparently Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders hails from Brooklyn and lived close to the King's Highway location growing up.

The one detailed reference to Dubrow's comes with this strange line: "While others would eat pizza at Louis Gino’s, hang out at the Avalon Tearoom or avoid Dubrow’s Cafeteria after school, Mr. Sanders’s free time was spent on the track." 

Why were people avoiding Dubrow's after school?  Thoughts?
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Dubrow's on Miami Beach

October 7, 2015, 10:00 am
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My cousin, Joe Adler, sent me this email:

"Ray Fisher, a photographer who has documented Miami Beach for the last 70 years, just mailed me the attached picture of DUBROW'S on Lincoln Road.  Does it bring back memories?"


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Dubrow's New York Style Deli no relation to Dubrow's Cafeteria

December 9, 2015, 10:50 am
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I was so confused when I saw this restaurant, located in Houston, Texas, that I had to email the owner via their website. The owner is even named Ziggy Gruber, and Gruber, is a family name in the larger Dubrow extended family. But I got this response:

Dear Eve, 
I am not related in anyway to the Dubrow family. My name is Ziggy Gruber I am third generation delicatessen owner. My family had the first delicatessen on Broadway called the Rialto they also had numerous other delis all around the city like Bergers on 47 st and in the suburbs Cresthill kosher deli in Spring Valley New York and the Woodrow kosher deli in Hewlett Long Island. My father's brother my uncle's name is Seymour and that is a coincidence. My uncle Norman who is much older than me technically is my cousin his name is Norman Rappaport. My family has been a deli dynasty in New York since the early 1900s. I presently own a well-known deli called Kenny and Ziggys in Houston Texas. We were looking to expand to a new concept that was a combination of Jewish delicatessen foods and Houston's restaurant that serves steaks, fish and cocktails. While trying to come up with a name for this concept. I was thinking about old Jewish restaurant names and Dubrows came to mind. My patent attorney did a trademark and patent search and saw the name Dubrows was abandoned for many years. So we applied and received the mark. There is presently a documentary out called Deli man and if you see it you will see it is my goal to perpetuate Jewish culture through food and if you have ever eaten my food or read our reviews you will see I will do the great name of Dubrows justice. I hope this clarifies the mystery. If you have anymore questions don't hesitate to contact me All the best, Ziggy Gruber

 So there you have it. An homage to Dubrow's down in Texas, from someone unrelated to the family.
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Dubrow's reference in The Daily Beast

December 9, 2015, 10:57 am
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I periodically Google and see what comes up for "Dubrow's Cafeteria".  It never fails to amaze me how it pops up often.  It was such an important fixture in New York City for so many decades.

This reference comes from an article by Michael Horowitz in The Daily Beast:

"In 1952, my father, his wife, and his daughter immigrated to New York. Based on his stellar reputation, he was able to join the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union, then one of the largest unions in America. Eventually, he was hired to be a “finisher” and sample maker for Oscar de la Renta, whose shop was on 39th Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue. It was across the street from Dubrow’s cafeteria, where we’d often meet him after work. Then we’d walk down to Macy’s, which at the time had a butcher shop on the ground floor where we’d buy meat."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/21/my-father-made-jackie-s-pink-suit.html


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Article 3

February 19, 2016, 10:56 am
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Found this photo after searching Google images for Dubrow's cafeteria.  It's credited to Elaine Norman, 1985, which is the year the last Dubrow's location (Manhattan) closed.
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Updated photos

March 21, 2016, 4:57 pm
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It came to my attention a few weeks ago that the Buzznet, where I was previously storing all the Dubrow's photos, just up and disappeared from the internet. So I've now re-uploaded all the photos, and re-tagged some that I missed tagging the first time. Check them out.

Also, here's a photos of a Dubrow's matchbook from Eastern Parkway I never uploaded.   Enjoy!


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Miami Beach Dubrow's reference

March 25, 2016, 1:12 pm
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I found some writing about the Miami Beach Dubrow's Cafeteria, which was located on Lincoln Road.

"From the late ’40s through the ’50s and ’60s, the Collins area between 20th and 25th streets was one of the liveliest in Miami Beach. Martha’s Five O’Clock Club was on the corner of 20th and Collins; Collins and 22nd housed “Wolfies,” the quintessential New York delicatessen. The Grate, the Pin Up, the Place Pigalle and the Night Owls clubs were within blocks; the Embers restaurant and Dubrow’s cafeteria were nearby; Junior’s deli and the old Roney Plaza hotel were just off 23rd. The 22nd Street public beach, between the Roney and the Sea Gull hotel, was well known as the gay beach."

-- Max Dertke, Dec 31,2014 in a Miami Herald article titled "Miami Stories: Glamour and seaside adventures lured this Midwesterner to Miami Beach."
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James Madison High

April 16, 2016, 8:06 am
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In this old post, I shared a photo Marcia Bricker Halperin sent me from James Madison High School. Today I found in the depths of my computer files an article I never blogged that made reference to a Madison High School reunion in Beverly Hills, which included this great quote:

"Once you're from Brooklyn, you're always from Brooklyn, Richard Bock, Class of 1951, told his former schoolmates, seated at tables labeled to conjure memories: Dubrow's Cafeteria, Plum Beach, The Avalon Theater, Barney's Poolroom, Ocean Ave." 

(Robin Brantley, "Beverly Hills Brooklynites," New York Times)
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Great Manhattan photo

April 28, 2016, 2:28 pm
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Long lost cousin

July 14, 2016, 7:21 pm
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I received an email from a long lost cousin by marriage today:

Hi Eve,

I’m Michael Schwartz, and we are “kin” through the marriage of Max Tobin to Minnie Dubrow Tobin...You turn out to be my “father’s cousin’s sister-in-law’s granddaughter.” Whew….

And I enjoy your Dubrow blog (grew up till age 15 or 16 on East 16th Street between Ave N and O – Dubrow’s was up the block at 16th Street and Kings Highway – I would walk pass (sic) on the way to Junior High School twice a day and often stop in and talk to the various relatives and get fed too……

I’ve attached a photo of “Uncle”  Simcha Tabachnick  -- at my Bar Mitzvah – that’s me eating the drum stick… He was Max Tobin’s dad (Max of course was Minnie Dubrow Tobin’s husband). Simcha Tabachnick was also my grandmother Riva (Chast) Schwartz’s brother—he would avidly participate in Menachim Riva family circle meetings which were all the rage “back in the day."

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A question from a reader

July 27, 2016, 1:33 pm
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I received the following email and thought I'd post it here to see if anyone can answer his question:

I am Bill Siroty, grandson of Gussie (Schwartz) Siroty, and great-grandson of Riva and Menachim Schwartz, which I think makes Simcha my great-great-Uncle. Michael Schwartz is my father’s first cousin. 

 I don’t know if anyone can answer this question: I was at the Kings Highway Dubrows in Spring 1972 and asked the cashier if Paul was there. I didn’t really know Paul but my father would be upset that I was there and didn’t ask to see him. I gave the cashier my name and she asked if my father was Danny. She said she used to date him! I can’t remember her name now, my father remembered her but that’s all the information I have. My father was 55 in 1972, born in 1917 so I guess this woman was a little younger. 

 Even if you don’t know this women it is still fun nostalgia. 

 Thanks, Bill Siroty Manchester, NH

 Does anyone know about Paul who worked the cashier at King's Highway? Paul Tobin was a manager and owner, but of the Manhattan location, and probably didn't work the cash register much. So it probably wasn't him.
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A question from a reader

August 9, 2016, 2:21 pm
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I received this query from a reader a few days ago:

Dear Eve,

From 1966 to 1972, my father  owned Dave's Luncheonette on 1673 East 13th Street, just off the corner from  Kings Highway. Do you remember it, and would you know if there are there  any photographs 

Irwin Gordon

Can anyone help Irwin out? Anyone recall Dave's Luncheonette on King's Highway in Brooklyn? It would have been close to where the Dubrow's was.
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