Streit's Is Staying Put

Thought I would pass on some happy news.

A year or so ago, Streit's—the old matzo factory on Rivington and one of the last vestiges of the old Jewish Lower East Side—bummed everyone out by saying they were selling their building and clearing out.

So I was surprised to walk by the address the other day and still see matzos being cranked out of the small factory. What's more, there was a sweet little retail store in the space, selling every sort of thing Streit's produces. I asked the man behind the counter what was up. He said the plan to abandon the building had been, well, abandoned. They were staying. The reason he gave was that the old matzo-making machines were 80 years old, too ancient and too difficult to move at this point.

This may be old news. Not sure. But it's new news to me. And good news.

I bought a couple of cans of Streit's soup. Very salty and very good.

Is This Any Way to Welcome Passover!?

The landmark (with a small "l") Streit's Matzo Factory is again on the block, notes Curbed, and just weeks before Passover. Oh, the bitter irony.

The property, put up for sale last year, was yanked from the market two months ago. Now it's again up for sale. It's got a new broker, Halstead, but the same asking price, $25 mil. Say goodbye to another vestige of the old Lower East Side.

Streit's Matzah Factory Not to Rise Again

And the erasing of the historic Lower East Side continues.

The Jewish Week reports that Streit's, the last family-owned matzah bakery on the LES, has been put on the market for $25 million. This small operation on Rivington hasn't been the age-old company's base of operations for years and years. My impression is they kept it around for old time's sake, the same way Shapiro's maintained a kosher wine warehouse on the same street until just recently.

You had to see this one coming. Still, it's a shame. I recall visiting the plant when I lived on Eldridge. It was more like a museum than a factory, and quite an education to watch the baking process. The wife was just there a couple weeks ago and enjoyed the visit.

According to the Jewish Week, "Streit’s currently operates a warehouse and dry pack operation in Moonachie, N.J., distributing its regular, lightly salted, egg & onion and whole-wheat matzahs worldwide." It's still a family operation, and the clan plans to use the space to make matzah for the next year or so while they build a new facility. So there's time to patronize the place and sigh a few sighs.