1. FIRST OF ALL THE 5 TOWNS AND BOROUGH PARK ARE RICHER PEOPLE THAN LAKEWOOD IN GENERAL, ARE THE PRICES GOING TO BE REASONABLE? I BELIEVE THAT LAKEWOOD IS ALSO WORRIED THAT THE BIG FISH WILL EAT UP THE SMALL FISH. PL. TELL ME THAT i AM WRONG.

2. the best way to rfaise the level of the food stored in lakewood is to STOCK AT NIGHT!! i am tired of being unable to get my caart through the aisle without banging into crates and ladders. i am tired of being unable to reach a product that i want because cartons are stacked in front of the shelves. i am tired of hurting myself every time i bang into something that should not be there. people in the 5 towns may be richer in money but in lakewood, we are b’ruchot bonim, which makes us rich in the way that really counts. it is difficult to get thru aisles that are piled high when we have shopping carts that are laden with children as well as groceries.

3. There is nothing wrong sir. no one is eating anyone up. Other than the fish that you buy in the store that is. Competition is a beautiful thing. NPGS is going no where. You can always shop there. There are plenty of good options just as there are now. Whats the issue? A little competition never hurt anyone.

   flatbush/bp/long island/monsey have wealthier people…and there are high end stores. But guess what? Those communities have sizable poorer people as well as middle class. and there are stores for those as well. Your issue is?

4. I am worried about the same thing mrs abe. How can the smaller scale stores not suffer. How will they be able to keep up/

5. Last I checked, the poor also need food!!! Sure, a rich man may be able to throw in salmon, some meat and extra nosh for Shabbos but a large family requires a tremendous amount of groceries, regardless of the families economic status. If the new store offers decent sales like they do in Boro Park it will definitely attract a lot of these families (including myself).

6. They are not catering to the poorer element as there are stores that do that already. They are catering to the middle/higher end as well as those who would be happy to give their taste buds an upgrade.

   This is not an issue to anyone because you can continue to shop where ever you want. It would be nice, however, if someone opened up some competition in the cheaper market. Yes – NY offers better pricing in the cheaper stores and it is a shame that Lakewood lags behind.
   But why is that? Answer: lack of competition.

   The only sad part is that there are some small stores that will take a big hit. I feel bad for those owners up and down the nine that will likely take a major loss. Is that right? good question. But it is not an isolated thing. What happens when a fancy mechanic shop or yeshiva or healthcare related enterprise etc etc opens up? Do not owners of other establishments take a hit? Of course they do.

7. Have faith in Mr Kauftheil he know what he’s doing.
   It’s going to be a great store.
   can’t wait

8. another big problem in the lakewood grocery stores is the way the employees treat the customers. There is ZERO customer service now! I am constantly pushed around by employees trying to fill orders or stock shelves….. the customer should always come first.

9. I would be more than happy to pay more for my groceries in exchange for a nice shopping experience. Im excited about the new options coming to Lakewood and I know a lot of people are too.

10. WERE FROM BORO PARK!!! AND CANT WAIT FOR THE DAY GOURMET GLATT IS OPENING WE WILL FINALLY HAVE A ENJOYABLE SHOPPING IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL STORE WITH SUCH GREAT SERVICE !!!!
    WELCOME GOURMET GLATT !!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO SHOP BY YOU!!!!!

11. I will shop any where that the prices are in my budget, if I don’t have to travel too far. Right now I shop mainly in NPGS Jackson even though I am closer to Shloimy’s Kosher World, so Shloimy’s won’t lose out if I shop in Gourmet Glatt. However NPGS won’t suffer either if I sometimes shop in GG because I’ll probably shop in both places depending on what’s on sale.

12. Guys… you’re all forgetting that Shoprite used to sell kosher food, takeout, meats etc. Many Lakewood consumers purchased all their groceries there without ever entering one of the Jewish owned stores. Now, Shoprite is gone, and the one in Howell doesn’t have the Kosher section. This is not going to hurt any other stores, just resift things again.

13. This store already had the ability to give us cheaper prices because they have buying power from distributors with their previous stores. there is noway they won’t utilize that.

14. Why not turn it into a homeless shelter

15. just for the record all the stores in Lakewood are defiantly more expensive then in Brooklyn and in (moderated) is a sale please check the date it is very good that other stores come to LAKEWOOD like this prices will go down and we would not be fooled anymore with out dated merchandise

16. when do they plan on opening?

17. The old ShopRite left all their fixtures/shelves in the place? That would mean a speedy opening process.

18. I would suggest a “No Cell Phone” on the job policy. It is very annoying to have to compete with the cashiers cell phone call or game. If a cashier was on their cell in Target they would be fired instantly.

19. In boro park, you feel the pressure of krm just a bock away, and have decent prices and good sales. In Lakewood, we will expect the same prices. Hope you won’t disappoint.
    We will be comparing prices with the bp store.

20. Abe your fears aee misguided. Shopper is right. The stores in Brookly are cheaper then Lakewood. Thousands of ahoppers in Lakewood will only gain from competition.

21. Very happy that Glatt gourmet is coming it’s about time lakewood deserves to have a nice shopping experience and cheap prices

    P. S there was a report in the (moderated) that the plans were canceled and Glatt gourmet was NOT coming to lkwd I am happy to see that the report was not accurate

22. I am begging the owners to please enforce separate men, lady and family hours. I care about kedusha and it’s about time that a store in lakewood should have these rules. You will be very matzliach if you do this. Thanks and much hatzlacha

23. Wow! crazy how folks can’t handle the guy with the money who goes to work everyday having a upper class shopping experience. By the way I’m guessing the cashiers won’t be on their phones while they are checking you out and that you won’t need to search the parking lot for a wagon.

24. TO #22-Josh the Kodosh….FYI the NPGS store on Main Street has that arrangement on some week nights. Keep up the good work!

25. There is no question that many of the established stores here in town that are owned by many of our community’s finest are going to suffer big time as a result of so many new stores coming here. A few names of store owners come to mind that are askanim in town and do so much for the oilam in so many ways and it saddens me that the oilam will have no problem patnronizing a store just because its new and because the chumus has a nicer looking label or the chopped liver is in a new type of container. You can all jump on me but I am right… Giving ‘chizuk and idud’ doesnt just mean in words – if you are able to help financially someone by way of patronizing his or her store I cant imagine that this isn’t a big mitzvah…. and its something you would want if you were that (established)store owner.

26. What about the fancy supermarket that is coming on th 9 by the old chateus manor? We need 2 fancy supermarkets?

27. I am excited. These people are good people. I acn’t wait til they open. Lakewood need more competition.
    The stores are just too high.
    When there’s competition the quality goes up, service goes up and prices come down beh

28. To number 25 cool masmid
    If there will be more stores in town that will cause more competition maybe we won’t need so much askunus to help out other people since everybody would save a lot of money from their weekly shopping

29. We can handle your going to work and wanting a nice shopping experience – we just wish you weren’t doing it here – you came here because we were a good frum community and the housing was cheaper than Brooklyn, and now you are challenging all our ideals which will cause this place to lose its whole basis. Its not that we don’t love you, its that you are changing everything we hold dear -do you think that ‘in der heim’ they gave a flip about a ‘nice shopping experience. Try to be sensitive to what we have here which is fragile.

30. And seasons on cedarbridge. This town was long overdue this. Can’t wait. Agree to the new no cell phone on store floor rule. That would be awesome.

31. There are store owners here who help the oilam and lakewood. Will the gourmet glatt owners do that? Or just take the money nack to where they live. The store owners that are here already will rake a big hit, lakewood is big but not that big for all the foid stores we have.

32. Smaller stores will still thrive, as much of their sales include deliveries. The larger discount stores in town don’t deliver as of yet.

    I do agree that we need more competition on the discount stores. Many people in Lakewood can’t afford basic groceries.

33. To number 29 truth countered:
    you made the smartest comment on this topic. Very well said and it’s the sad truth

34. I think there is so much emphasis on food, restaurants, fancy shopping experience, it’s horrible!! Lakewood “Air Hatorah” has more eateries and gashmius than many other Jewish communities around. Its embaressing and shameful. Yes, we need to shop and but out food, but up scale? fancy? experience? Is all this in accordence to Torahdik Hashkafa?

35. I understand people worried about the store owners, but there are relatively few store owners, there are thousands of shoppers that will benefit.

    The prices are cheaper in Brooklyn even though expenses are higher and service is better. If the stores here were competitive, it is likely that the stores from Brooklyn wouldn’t have opened here.

36. Lakewood res, you are right. It should be turned into a homeless shelter. With so many houses and condos being built, yet many b people are without a roof over their head. This town has plenty space to put up a shelter.

37. The ones that will excel in their kashrus standards ultimately will be the ones the educated kosher consumer will shop.

38. Kleina Keppalach

    Don’t take LKWD money out of here
    Every thousand removed is less mont for rebbeim, camps, accountants, etc

    It makes no sense
    Think bigger than saving $3 per shopping visit

    Same thing happened with all the cheap cleaning staff, now they live here and 60% of your property taxes are schooling there children
    Very expensive cleaning help

39. Can someone please explain what “value” means? This word was the most used word in this short video. Does it mean that they’re going to have good prices? Also, what does a “shopping experience” mean? Are they going to have a (moderated) “store greeter” like Walmart has?

40. JustWondering you are a very selfish Pearson to say that

41. To all those people who are saying to support the stores that support the community and not “brooklyn stores” that will take their money and run etc.. Gourmet Glatt in the five towns and Brookyn give an incredible amount of tzedakah back to those communities and I have no doubt they will do the same here as well. So relax and if you wanna shop there, then do and if you don’t then don’t. And to the commentators who are upset that Lakewood is not the “heim” anymore, first of all wake up, this has happened along time ago and it’s not gonna change so stop whining, and in the “heim” one didn’t spend his time on message boards either so your just as much a part of this.

42. Listen up people: The big issue seems to be the fact that there is no store in Lakewood that offers affordable kosher food at the discount level. Many people don’t care about fancy stores, they care about affordability.

    So instead of crying about it GET UP AND DO SOMETHING. If you can not do it alone, put together a group of guys with determination, funding and shared goals. Then you make it happen and everyone’s problems are solved and the owners will be millionaires and can live fancy lives.

    Perhaps crowdfunding is a way to go. Perhaps bringing in existing type stores, perhaps starting an non profit focused on getting it off the ground. It can run as a charity where the goal is not to make any owners wealthy rather to help those who need it. There are ways to get it done if you have the right people who care. I know everyone will raise a million points of opposition. Those are the people that get no where. GET UP AND DO IT. LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO CRY.

43. unbelievable how this town became so anti capitalism, and before anyone responded give a long thought, if you would have the capital and know how to open a store would any of this garbage stop you? Bottom line is everyone should be concerned with supporting their family and if these owners were given s”d to make money good for them!!! But please stop all this socialism garbage

44. #38 has a good point. I wonder what the REAL price per hour is for the cleaning help/store/restaurant workers in town, when school taxes etc. are figured in. I would be shocked if it wasn’t over $30 an hour. Would be far better for everyone if legal help residing out of town was brought in instead…..

45. Why is there no outcry when another Lakewood boys mesivta joins the flooded market? Why aren’t we worried about the roshei yeshivas who some that are around for over 20 years and originate from the “heim” won’t be able to fill their class rooms and possibly close down because someone younger better and more appealing comes around and decides that he knows quality.
    We understand it in klei koidesh, why don’t we understand it lehavdil with grocery stores?

46. The best way to have the community benefit is by hiring our own community members and thereby increasing employment opportunities and then recycling the dollars locally.

47. Its time that each development have a small size store in their area just like having a small one around the corner in Brooklyn
    1. save on gas when you only need that 1 or 2 items. And 2 you can send your kids. 3. less traffic

48. Great idea about each development having makolet

    Response to Yossi:
    Kli kodesh has different dinin than “worldly” ventures
    For specifics PM me
    Gut Shabbos

49. to Josh:
    When a businesses opens it door to the public it can not restrict who goes in. during special openings perhaps. So , while not likely, you may have to shop next to a black woman. Don’t worry Josh, it will be ok

50. So bottom line when are they opening? I’m looking forward to pepper crusted flanken; Teriyaki Matjes Herring; Sweet and Spicy Deli Roll; Supremely Spicy chicken fingers; lemon gribben; Cholent – 65 varieties; Yapchick with crispy chicken; Guacammole Beef Sliders………LET’s GO

51. 2 more big stores are opening up in lkwd evergreen & seasons and everyone just chill out

52. competition is good for all. just need 1 more from ny. K something, which has the lowest price on Kosher.

53. Mr. Kauftheil is an honest and Erlich yid. His WHOLE BEING is about klal Yisroel. He is not the type to “take his money back with him”. Whenever he sees a need in the klal, he is there to fill it. I’m sure this store will be a beautiful shopping experience as well as a honestly run business that will give parnassah to Lakewood residents and good prices. I can’t wait

54. Gourmet Glatt is coming for an opportunity to make money.
    No one questions anyone’s honesty. Please don’t confuse the question at hand.

    FACT: the money will leave Lakewood where it can help you,and me-the most. 68% of money that is spent in local merchants is reinvested back into the community. When one shops an out of town store that money is never realized back in the community, except for the wages that he pays his local employees which is about 10-15% of his total intake.

    There is another factor and play when money is reinvested back in the community by shopping at local stores where the people live:
    It is called the Multiplier Effect and that means that one buys from another, and another who buys from someone else and the money keeps circulating with in the community. To take Lakewoods money and send it to the 5Towns is removing that money creating a vacuum.
    This is a much bigger issue than whether the store will have good service, or the prices will be lower, or whether the fish will have enough wasabi marinade.

    This effects Lakewood as a whole.
    Please realize that Lakewood is in dire trouble. Yeshivas are closing, because Rebbeim aren’t being paid. The roads are horrible. Police are forced into more shifts, to lessen cost burden. Foreclosures are at an all time high. Breadwinners are trying to put basics on the table.

    We need to “circle the wagon train” and support our local merchants, thereby support our local economy. We will all prosper because that money will eventually return to you, or your wife’s play group, or your used car dealership, or the local printer, or the bagel store, or your kids tutor, or your dentist, or your local shoe store, or your handyman or your. . .

55. #54, I disagree. ok the employees salary ( 10-15%) stay here. this owner will do for the community is a given. if the store is profitable he can expect 1-2% profit. except for what the owner spends for his family local the majority’s will stay here. the majority what is bought for the store comes from where it will regardless of who owns it. so we are not talking much money leaving and most staying! not to mention the benefit it will do for thousands in the community.

56. There’s 30% markup in the food business I do not know where you get your numbers or your fantasy that the money will stay in Lakewood

    The owner has no connection to Lakewood except that it is a profit center
    Reread my post because the numbers are well researched

    This type of mega store will definitely hurt Lakewood in the long run. Yes in the short run you will get more choices and variety of foods
    If you care about where you live in Lakewood that this is not a good option where to shop. The local merchants put so much back into this community and it eventually rolls back to you.

57. 30% could very well be the average mark up as you say, Aryeh. that is not the profit however. having worked in the supermarket business it is a known fact that the profit runs 1-2 %. mark up has to pay the rent, could be 60-70 thousand monthly, utilities, and 10-15 salaries. etc. so you see the Lakewood help will take home 7 or 8 times more money than the owner to spend here. your argument would only work in a small mom & pop shop that does not have help. the Shoprite did much for the community as will the new owner if not more.

58. You don’t need to be Einstein to see the savings open the Hamodia and compare the Lakewood prices to Boro Park and you will see an average of a 22 percent savings

59. Im happy to see more competition. More jobs in the community and maybe better prices. Looking forward to having the option of gourmet glatt.

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