East Side Kosher Deli, a longtime fixture of Jewish life in Colorado as the state’s only fully kosher grocer, is facing foreclosure of its real estate in Glendale and being sold.
“After much thoughtful consideration, I have made the decision to sell the business,” Joshua Horowitz, the East Side owner who goes by Shua, told customers by email.
“I am pleased to let you know that the new owners are a community-based group of investors,” he wrote this month. “They are deeply committed to strengthening the foundation we have built together and investing thoughtfully to take the business to the next level. I am confident that under their leadership, the deli will thrive and evolve in exciting new ways.”
Reached by BusinessDen, a member of the investor group declined to discuss the sale until after it closes.
Ownership changes are nothing new at the 35-year-old restaurant, grocer, butcher and bakery. Horowitz bought it in 2015 from Marcy and Michael Schreiber, who bought it in 1997. It was an incredible gamble from Horowitz, then a 36-year-old working in the telecom sector.
“I knew nothing about Denver, never been to Denver,” the New Yorker told Denverite in 2022.
The entrepreneur made renovations to 499 S. Elm St. in Glendale, which he also purchased in 2015 for $2.1 million, and gave its restaurant an eclectic touch, including sushi.
“Our most popular dishes are a toss-up between Korean short ribs or fajitas,” Horowitz said then. “We have to be diverse because we’re one of the only exclusively kosher restaurants.”
When the Jewish Telegraphic Agency visited East Side in 2015, it was the only full-service kosher meat restaurant for 700 miles in any direction, that news outlet reported then.
“Anybody who is even marginally affiliated with the Jewish community knows that this is the one store in the entire state that is fully kosher,” said Julie Lieber, the chief Jewish life and engagement officer at Jewish Colorado. “We just met somebody who drove four hours to do their Passover shopping there. People come from the other mountain states.
“It is very hard to sustain a Jewish community without one kosher deli, just as you need a Jewish school or synagogue,” she added, calling it “essential to the community.”
Court records show that the store has considerable debts. Last month, it was sued by FinWise Bank after allegedly defaulting on a $2.7 million U.S. Small Business Administration loan from 2015. It still owes $2.1 million, so the bank is seeking to foreclose on 499 S. Elm St.
It also owes $13,000 to a New York food vendor, court records there show.
“It is very hard for any kosher establishment to make a living, whether it’s a restaurant or grocery store, because they are closed on Fridays and Saturdays for Shabbat,” Lieber said, referring to the weekly day of rest between sundowns Friday and Saturday.
“It is a hard establishment to keep open but the community is really grateful that they have existed and hope there can be someone else who can take it over and sustain it.”
Horowitz, who declined to be interviewed, has told customers by email that the ownership transition will take a few months. He promised more information as it plays out.
“It has been a privilege to serve you, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together,” the owner said in passing the torch. “Your continued support will play an important role in this next chapter.”
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