Stanley Zabar, a quiet force behind the famed New York City gourmet emporium Zabar’s, has died at 94.
A fixture of the Upper West Side, Zabar helped build on his parents’ business, founded in 1934, growing it into a New York City institution, balancing rigorous financial stewardship with a longstanding commitment to neighborhood philanthropy.
The Zabar’s Legacy at 94
- Stanley Zabar passed away at 94, just over a year after his brother and co-owner, Saul Zabar, died at 97.
- The family confirmed the loss on Tuesday via Instagram, identifying Stanley as the vital force behind the store’s legal and financial operations.
- The Upper West Side institution continues to operate under family stewardship, maintaining the same 80th Street and Broadway storefront for nearly a century.
A Financial Force Behind the Counter
While the public often associated the Zabar’s brand with the public face of Saul Zabar—who famously taste-tested the store’s smoked fish and coffee—Stanley Zabar’s influence was the bedrock of the operation. “legal and financial acumen was vital in shaping Zabar's into a beloved New York City institution,” the family said in an Instagram post.
While Stanley managed the books and the business infrastructure, he remained a consistent presence on the floor. “Anyone that walked in here from 1950 onwards probably saw one of them or spoke to one of them,” his son, David Zabar, told CBS News.
Philanthropy and the Upper West Side Identity
The Zabar brand is more than just a purveyor of smoked fish and rugelach; it is a cultural anchor in Manhattan. “dedicated their time and resources to the arts, education and culinary training,” the store said in a post, adding that Stanley and his wife, Judith Zabar, supported institutions like Symphony Space, the New York Public Library, and Hunter College.
Their support also extended to NYU Langone Health and the Careers through Culinary Arts Program.
This commitment to the neighborhood was not merely performative. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal told CBS News, “I used to say that my district ran from the gay bars to Zabar’s, and that kind of sums up the West Side and I think that’s emblematic of what Stanley and Saul built here.”
The Business of Gourmet Longevity
The Zabar’s approach to retail offers a lesson in independent survival. By embracing new offerings—introducing New Yorkers to sun-dried tomatoes and gnocchi in the 1970s and setting off a so-called “Caviar War” with its aggressive caviar prices in the 1980s, a battle the store says it won—the family kept the shop a destination. The following table highlights key data points of this family-run operation.
| Operational Metric | Zabar’s Historical/Current Data |
|---|---|
| Annual Coffee Volume | 400,000 pounds |
| Founding Year | 1934 |
| Flagship Location | 80th Street and Broadway |
| Generational Ownership | Still family-run across generations |
“We miss the older generation, but we know we’ve learned a lot from them,” David Zabar said to CBS News regarding the future of the shop.
A Final Standard of Excellence
Even in his final days, Stanley Zabar’s commitment to the store remained unwavering. According to his family, he was physically present at the shop just last week, ensuring that the standards he had built over decades were being met, CBS News reported.
The funeral service for Stanley Zabar is scheduled for Wednesday at the Riverside Memorial Chapel. As the family prepares to move forward without the two brothers who defined the store’s modern era, the focus remains on the community they built.
“It feels really bittersweet. I just said to my cousin that walking into the store made me feel like I was close to him. My dad was a remarkable man,” Sandy Zabar, his daughter, said.
Breaking News: Stanley Zabar, who for decades helped run Zabar's, his family’s famous food emporium on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, has died at 94. https://t.co/zcCLUVdA3F
