#After grocery roof collapses, Brooklyn kids draw up blueprints

Breadberry Market, also known as the “Kosher Eataly,” in Brooklyn.
Gregory P. Mango

A slew of Brooklyn kids are using artistic talent to bring cheer to the Boro Park grocery, known as “kosher Eataly,” after it had to close last month because of a roof collapse.

“It was a devastating blow after we just got through COVID,” said owner Sam Gluck, 34, of the incident. The cause is still unknown.

After he broke the bad news to employee Aziza Mirtalipova, she recalled, “I started telling my husband, ‘We need permits and blueprints to rebuild and who knows how long that will take?’”

Little did she know that her 12-year-old daughter, Kamila, was listening. “A little while later, she came to me with ‘blueprints’ for the store,” said the mom.

Mirtalipova showed it to Gluck, who hung the drawing in the shuttered market’s front window. Days later, other kids started showing up with their own drawings.

“There were so many that we set up a mailbox outside the store for kids to drop off their drawings,” said Gluck. “Before we knew it, the mailbox was full.”


Now, the window of the store, which does not yet have a reopening date, is covered with more than 100 sketches.

“Instead of a sad tarp, we were able to fill it up with life and imagination,” said Gluck.

“I thought it would be cool if the store had fun activities for kids. I drew a slide so that while parents are shopping, kids can play. I also made scooter parking,” said Kamila Filshtinskiy, 12.

Gregory P. Mango

Store owner Sam Gluck’s own daughter Libby, 9, has dreams for live music and a place to sit down and eat: I really want the new Breadberry to have a cafe with [a] seating area!”

Gregory P. Mango

“I can’t wait for Breadberry to open again so my Daddy can treat me with a good sandwich and a special drink with whipped cream,” said Duddy L., 8, of this tribute.

“I drew our Shabbos table because we shop at Breadberry for Shabbos. When it’s closed, we have to shop at [another store]. This is when I miss Breadberry the most,” said Abigail, 8.

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