Kosher Closing

1

Classic Coney Island is forced to close its doors.

PHIL JACOBS EDITOR

k;

. ■

T

hirteen months ago, cars
were pulling up to the one
vacant restaurant at 10
Mile and Greenfield, send-
ing a child from the back seat to
see if the door was unlocked and
if the rumors about a new kosher
restaurant opening were true.
On Monday, owner Steve Ra-
binowitz saw cars approach the
front door again. Only this time
they slowly pulled away through
the icy parking lot. Chairs were
stacked on tables and the restau-
rant was dark.
After losses amounting to
$250,000, Mr. Rabinowitz has
closed Classic Coney Island, De-
troit's only sit-down kosher
fleishig (meat) restaurant.
"I couldn't sustain the losses
anymore," said Mr. Rabinowitz.
"I'm out of money."
Classic Coney Island opened
in the space that previously
housed Sara's Glatt Kosher
Restaurant, which also went out
of business.
The critical number for Clas-
sic Coney Island was 200. This

was the amount of daily sales the
restaurant needed to break even.
Through its first eight months of
operation, the restaurant never
hit that number, reaching in the
190s many times.
In November, Mr. Rabi-
nowitz experienced the be-
ginning of a huge decline
in business, one he said he
couldn't absorb any longer.

Mr. Rabinowitz said he made
a huge effort to attract nonkosher
consumers, advertising in area
newspapers and coupon mailers
going to every home in Southfield
and Oak Park.
"I felt that this was the most
viable way to offer food service to
this community," he said. "We
didn't have table service, to keep
the costs down. Look, I thought I
had the most viable formula, but
it didn't work.

"I was open every Saturday
night for 13 months," he said.
"People complained to me that
they had no place to go on Sat-
urday nights, but we weren't ever
mobbed."
"Some communities say it is
important" to support a kosher
restaurant, Mr. Rabinowitz said.
"They even subsidize them. A lot
of people are going to be disap-
pointed by our closing. I don't
know what they're going to do.

$250,000
in losses.

"Prices were not the
problem," he said, the
mood in his nearby office
quite somber. "Our health
department grades were
always high, so that wasn't
the problem. We just
couldn't get enough people
to come on a regular basis."

Steve Rabinowitz in the kitchen
of Classic Coney Island.

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"As an individual, I justcoul
no longer borrow any ni or
money. I'm totally frustrat
and disappointed. I enjoyedth
restaurant, I really did. But
I don't know how I'll enjoy'
bankruptcy for the next 10
years."
The restaurant, which wat
four months late in its rent,ii
for sale, as well as the equip.
ment and fixtures, accordingto
Mr. Rabinowitz. "

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