By COLlive reporter
Gombo’s Heimishe Bakery, strategically located on the corner of Kingston Avenue and President Street in Crown Heights, was recently emptied and completely dismantled.
But it won’t remain that way for long.
A new kosher restaurant is planned for the space, according to its owner, Itzik Benabou, a local food magnate and real estate investor.
Benabou already owns Empire Kosher and The Marketplace, both of which operate Glick’s Bakery, which sells many items similar to those once offered by Gombo’s.
Gombo’s occupied a building that combined a house and a storefront, with the dual addresses of 328 Kingston Avenue and 1405 President Street. The space was leased by Levi Gombo, who also runs a bakery in South Fallsburg, New York.
Now that the lease has ended, Benabou says he plans to open a new eatery in the location. “I’m debating whether it will be a dairy or meat restaurant,” he told COLlive.com.
“Once I decide what I want to do, we can plan the menu. Only then can I begin planning the construction—what type of kitchen equipment is needed, what kind of space, etc.”
Benabou adds that the restaurant—whether milchigs or fleishigs—will not be part of a new hotel in Crown Heights. He also owns the house of the late Dr. Robert Feldman at 1401 President Street, fueling rumors that he plans to combine both properties for a larger venture.
Benabou vehemently denies those claims.
“I’ve heard the rumors that I’m planning to build a hotel on the two properties,” Benabou said. “This is not true. Technically, we could combine the properties, but that’s not in the plans right now.”
In related news, Benabou recently closed the pizzeria he owns at 419 Kingston Avenue near Montgomery Street. The shop originally opened as Pomodori Pizza and was later rebranded as Benny’s Pizza and then Crown Pizza as ownership changed hands.
Benabou still owns the popular Kingston Pizza a few blocks away. Asked why he closed Crown Pizza, Benabou said, “It was getting old and was not worth keeping open at this time.”
Opening a hotel sounds nice in theory but will bring a lot of noise and traffic to people who live on president street. A pizza store with family specials at least once a week would be a welcome addition to that side of town. The silver lining in all this is that when Mr. Benabou buys something he has in mind the shechuna rather than when people from the outside come and buy.
Please open a Very Juice!!! Please not another pizza, pasta, burger or falafel place 🙏🙏🙏
WE NEED HEALTHY OPTIONS IN CROWN HEIGHTS
There’s been a few health places and they all close down
Not enough business
They haven’t done it right and high quality.
It is a sugar bomb…not an actual balanced healthy meal. I mean, it can be part of a healthy meal but not by itself
Look it up Very Juice is the name of a restaurant, nobody’s asking for juice.
B”H
Or even not a very juice, but some sort of healthy restaurant option in crown heights. I am from an area with many of those types including very juice and i see that crown heights is majorly lacking in that area
If not a health bar than at least a healthier version of a dairy cafe . The amount of fleishig restaurants in ch is more than enough, and we are lacking in quality dairy restaurants ( bread and dairy is on the right track ).
Crown heights needs a hotel so badly….please!!
A Ramada opened on Empire, enjoy!
Agreed!
Then ppl will stop subletting for air bnb and the couples and families will have properties available to buy and rent long term. The short term rental business is a big problem for us here.
Of course all those who are currently making a pretty penny off of it won’t like this comment because it’s the truth and it hurts.
Eshel has two big buildings and that did not make a difference, It will not change the buying market but perhaps the rental market.
We don’t have a decent Chinese or vegetarian option. Many young people are vegetarian and it would do great
Prime avenue has the best Chinese in Brooklyn
With all the respect It’s totaly normal to eat meat if you don’t eat meat It’s your problem perhaps you should open you own restaurant in you’re own kitchen
B’H
In chabad teachings I’ve seen, there are a number of reasons not to be vegetarian.
This is without all the health reasons, since my training is only as a health advising Rabbi and not a doctor.
If someone wishes to eat vegetarian, they can do so in a dairy or meat establishment or go to a neighborhood that isn’t as lively about their Jewish values
The guys owns all of kingston. Hashem should continue to bentch him with success!
No one man should have all that power…
If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to open a few supermarkets and restaurants yourself. Do you feel someone is preventing you from doing that?
Good for him but he got himself alot of money before the businesses he bought and opened…
אמן!!!
what happened to gombos?
He likes buying out competition.
But this won’t get his bakeries more customers. People who need a bite in that area will go to Khan’s and holesome bagels. But we need a good, inexpensive bakery right there…
Gombos had to leave as the property got sold to a new owner- benbou
Enough time to write a comment but not read the post…
The just open a nice hotel on empire between Roger’s and Bedford
Was nice to have something luxury in this corner with few other houses that’s on sale maybe he can buy all president and make it hotels or clubs for youth
Pls open a Me Greens like they have in Isreal. It’s the best salad spot with tons of condiments. Would love to be able to create my own salad. Yummmm
Mr Greens
Salad bars have become outdated. But healthy restaurant is truly what’s missing here! Imagine a place with delicious pastries made of clean ingredients like maple syrup, juices and drinks made almond butter and dates and cocoa. Delicious and nutritious salads and cooked foods. Gluten free, spelt and sourdough options. Yes please!
All those guests need a hotel!
We come from out of town
And have to beg family for a bed to stay
They are in already cramped living conditions
When the rebbe was making fabrengens here no one rented out to tishrei guests!
We had hachnochos orchim all tishrei and whenever guests came. There was also a hotel available.
Cant believe how this community changed.
No one rented to guests. They valued the mitzvah of hachnochos orchim more
A old age home where people can have there apartments together with the care they need and make space to the next generation looking to buy homes in ch
converting the building on Brooklyn and President into a shared living space that unites generations: • Ground & first floors for elderly residents, offering comfort, dignity, and companionship. • Middle floors for young couples, OT staff, creating a vibrant family atmosphere. • Top floors as dorms for Oholei Torah students, giving them a wholesome living environment near yeshiva. This setup builds a strong, supportive community: • Elderly won’t feel alone. • Young children can be watched by students and seniors. • Couples can host Shabbos and bring everyone together. A project where everyone feels at home, needed, and part of… Read more »
There are disabled individuals in this community who can’t physically walk up a flight of steps and would benefit from accessible housing, this arrangement would not just benefit seniors
Agree, but Kingston avenue is not the quite spot for that
How can you say that!! What gives you the right to tell older people to clear the way for people like you!
They own homes and have their own families to live in the family home
Think about what prices would be
Please make it dairy. Besides wholesome bagels that closes early, there is just cafe and bread or something it’s called between crown and Carroll, there is literally no dairy cafes in the center. There are too many meat places on Kingston but not dairy. Chocolate doesnt have much of a variety and Kingston pizza is tiring. We need more cafes who stay opened late and conveniently on Kingston.
As for a hotel idea: wouldnt be a bad idea. Although not on Kingston. There is only Eshel or Airbandbs. There needs to be hotels with hotel service like b.p.
There’s bread and dairy which is new. Mozzarella. Chocolatte. Artisan Bakehouse. Bunch o Bagel. Even Kosher town’s Cafe. Alma Cafe. Holesome Bagel. Baaretz or whatever the “new basil” is called. Besides the pizza shops. And I’m sure there’s more! But there is not a single healthful nutritious and vegetarian option with gluten free and spelt being offered! There is a huge market for it and every food option is deep fried and wheat junk! Time to step it up. Every other community has at least one healthy delicious place to eat. Very Juice please!!! Or something like The Carrot in… Read more »
Which pizza shops? There is only one.
We need basics with perhaps some healthly options. But conveniently located and stays late. But just a healthy place to eat would be costly, not practical and healthy food spots in the past did close.
Those kind of people seem to be the most pickiest and the most annoying
Most of thessse daiiry restaurants like wholesome, Bunch O Bagels and Bread and ,,, all close early. We need an upscale dairy restaurant like Urbana in Borro Park which is open late hours. Boulevard was very nice. Not sure why it closed. But we need something in the center of CH like what I mentioned above.
Check out new basil and mozzeralla.
That the Gombos bakery was just destroyed like that! And that the whole crown heights is owned by one person,
It’s pretty absurd
You will never see that in Williamsburg or borough park
They didn’t have good food there anyway.
Nothing of value was lost
Maybe a nice Chinese place? With a nice ambiance
I just imagine it becoming sticky and gross. Honestly outdated. They sell those food items all over CH so there’s no real demand. Prime Ave and House of Glatt, probably other places too.
A hotel where families can stay for one night without being charged an arm and a leg, with a mandatory three-day stay, is needed.
There are enough food options in CH time for a Hotel.
Did you think a hotel on kingston that the property was purchased for an enormous amount of money , would charge you less than the rates people are asking now?
The bris house is beyond great- can we add a bar mitzvah house ?
We need a pool, gym, sauna for THE HOLY HARD WORKING WOMEN OF CROWN HTS! Oholei Torahs pool can be for the men, but the women really need all morning, late nights and in the day! We can pay female lifeguards nice $, and have a pool for the women, it’s very necessary, for mental health, health, fertility, everything! Who’s in!?
Not the best street for this , but good idea to have one in crown heights
Why not on Kingston? Centrally located.
It could also have a healthy cafe- juices, soups, salads…
Yes! I’ve been dreaming of the empty lot on Troy an Carroll having a pool, weight room, babysitting. I use Prospect Place pool (women-only swimming on Tuesdays- but not during the summer) which has an excellent pool, but the weight room there is all non-Jews, and mainly men.
Exercise is fantastic on so many levels- emotional health, getting rid of stiffness for those of over 50, it’s fun for those who like it, helps with controlling weight gain, and on and on. Also an indoor track would be amazing!!
Open an Israeli style bakery!! We don’t need more restaurants, we don’t have any good bakeries, this would be such a hit!
Israeli bakeries are the best!! Imagine having heaven pastries right here like the ones they sell in Israel
with fresh breads, pastries etc. things made on the spot! Crown heights does not have a good bakery!
We have Alma cafe
Or greens in israel
You have all Uzbeks who works for you, they can cook Bukcharian samusak /samsa, flat bread etc … and few old Marocan ladies can make homemade sweets. we don’t have any spicy or authentic food here.
Can you make it authentic and designed place, not a simple style of no touch … location is good, flow of people are there, Tishrej is soon to start making money.
OPEN A CINNAHOLOC
featured in shark tank season 5 episode 28
Yum cinnaholic is delicious and fresh and is dairy free and egg free and vegan for all of you young people out there. Just don’t get the Graham crackers or the chocolate sauce. Excuse me I’m going to eat my cinnaholic right now. (I also live in Georgia so that’s the kashrus level by me- also you have to turn on the oven. They’re really polite about it. Enjoy being a mashgiach for a few minutes.)
Pls open one has the best cinnamon buns eveeer
Best food of my life ch needs one I come every moring to pick up my cinnamon bun
A single person/ entity owning so much of crown heights’s food businesses does not sound like a good idea.
Would be better for there to be more diversity and shared control of the market
So buy something and make it happen. Nobody’s handing it to him on a silver platter he built this himself!
And it goes unchallenged. Shame on everyone and their apathy.
Please a CHK sesame
Best store ever!
Would love a womens pool too 🤣
Better idea 👆🏻
Better idea #2 👆🏻
Yes, POOL!!!! Would be so convenient! Could make men’s hours as well. OT pool is too small.
We need a good bakery (not one that just smells good when you pass by… )
Not that Sir Benabou needs advice – he’s doing quite fine – but if this is here already, I’ll add to the pile: Perhaps the real centerpoint of retail Crown heights is between Crown & Montgomery on Kingston, and he’s got a double width storefront used as a warehouse. Why not use THAT constructively for business and the citizens, and warehouse somewhere not as prominent? Big enough to be half meat, half milk. CH needs playarea for children, so much so that anything anyone would make would be too small. An indoor play spot for up to 5 years old… Read more »
This is actually a good point
It’s here only because he wants to hear ch advice
Make a wedding Hall with the weddings costing max $13,000
All ideas sound good but I like the idea of a good kosher hotel Benabou.
Benabou has done so well and P-G may continue always.,
It will sit like many of his real estate and be used as storage! He buys out places not to build but so there are less options in the community so his prices can go up
Go to Albany bakery cheapest by far at least 15 percent less and best challah rolls by far
The cakes are $8.49 a week without specials so you don’t have to spend $20 on overpriced items before paying your $8.99 for a cake
And the cashiers are from the shchunah!
I don’t even shop in crown heights anymore
Please. We all have to travel out for a family dentist
can we pls have a yoga studio with separate hours, so we don’t have to go to outside places.
I didn’t know we have Hindu idol worshipers in our shchuna!
And POOL/ exercise room with separate hours so we can stay in the neighborhood!!
It saddens me that they closed. They had the best doughnuts! They always were very accommodating. I think we need to open back up a new bakery the same as gombos!
Can you please invest in the current Kingston pizza. It’s old. It needs an update. Local crown Heights families still love the pizza shop. It needs to be expanded and have a second floor. PLEASE INVEST in the PIZZA 🍕 shop. Add another floor. It’s gets packed and there is no place to move on busy days. Renovate it please.
There’s no way that this is healthy for a community to have most of the main businesses owned by one guy. He seems like a nice guy, but at the end of the day he’s a businessman. Monopolies never end well.
I understand that in concept it’s not a good idea. However, Mr Benabou has not abused his “monopoly” power. He keeps his prices fair.
How do you know? Maybe if there was more business diversity and more store owners, prices would be lower?
If you’d like to open a restaurant, you can too!
Hashem has blessed him with success. If you resent it, maybe ask yourself why
Please hotel. It is definitely nice to see that we already have one in a nearby neighborhood on Empire. But obviously, it is quite a distance from here. Adding a spacious loading and unloading driveway in the front would remove some the concerns that some of those who live here have – that it would make the street too busy.
Open a hotel or a fleishig restaurant that we don’t already have like authentic Thai food, authentic Indian food, or authentic south Korean food. There is already enough places that has shawarma, burgers, and Chinese food
The best option I see is a dairy kosher version of chipotle or Taco Bell! Would be a big success
A fleishig restaurant would generally be much more healthy than a salad place or dairy place. Red meat is the most nutritious food that exists
Only from cage free, non-gmo fed, no antibiotics or growth hormones. Same can be said for fleish. If you’re eating meat which has literally been poisoned with those products you will not be eating healthy AT ALL!
We need another motherhood center type of place with indoor and possibly even some outdoor space for children to be able to let out some energy! I’d definitely get a membership
Sad that Gombos moved. Or forced to close. Or whatever.
Thr nicest people! Delicious products! Have a face lift (and amazing smell!) to Kingston Avenue. Good, ehrliche people.
Dear Gombos!
Thank you for loving our community and for being a part of it! May HaShem repay you with brochos in all areas and may you grow even bigger and better!
Now close down ess’n bentch and Kingston pizza and replace them with much better options like authentic south Korean food, authentic Indian food, or authentic Thai food
Gombos is finally closed Baruch hashem they can stop dumping all of their garage in 770
Can we please just get a good heimishe bakery? Something like Taam Eden or Shloimy’s? Thank you.
I read jealousy in some comments.
How can he do this and own that, and monopoly.. vechulu.
You think Hashem is not in control of this all?
If you feel otherwise, no one stopped you from trying something, opening something, other eateries and options, no one, it’s a free country, but it is easy to just type out nonsense messages here, forgetting the ultimate truth and the hard fact that he is successful, BH and Hashem planned it as such.
Yes, Hashem is in control. Hashem created socialism too and atheist Jews. Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, IRGC, USSR, all created and under Hashem’s control
I guess we shouldnt be frustrated or try to change anything we dont like, its hashems plan. let it happen…. very skewed way of thinking my friend…
Should open a location there
how about a dental office
with the growing grocery prices, having one person that owns the monopoly is really bad. That’s why I don’t shop in Crown Heights anymore. I go to Costco and Bingo. many things are literally half price
B”H
A healthy restaurant is definitely necessary. Other than sushi stores, that is not healthy option in Crown Heights. What is needed is fresh salmon without a sugar dressing, brown rice, tempeh, lentil soups without MSG, baked sweet potato, grilled cabbage with tachina
The secret is to make the food taste
delicious and people will come. Also eep the restaurant clean.
Thanks
I was at Jus by Julie in Williamsburg a couple months ago and I was blown away by the options available for someone gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, etc. And their food is really tasty and healthy!!
Milchig or fleishig isn’t the question. Why is everything food related for him. There are many of them. We need something unique that can fit in the vibe of that spot. A hotel would be nice especially if u kept very nicely, but wouldn’t solve the cost issue. a Shoe store? 👟 👠
I heard a rumor that Bingo’s was planning to open a branch in one of the ‘open’ storefronts in Crown Heights. Groceries are SO SO expensive!
Big hatzlacha
We need a gym. Look around – everyone is getting fat! Bochurim, yungerleit, alte kakers – are obese. Girls, ladies and alte bubbles- are obese. It’s not healthy! We need a good gym with hours, and personal trainers. It’s for the health of the shchuna!
YES!! Also great for mental health!!!
We are NOT obese, we are on a collective community BULK.
We need a frum gym and swimming pools that are ADA compliant, sponsored by millionaires, like the Bris House. Hint, hint. We need support and a venue to improve our health and fitness. Is a middle-class JCC really out of reach of struggling CH residents?
I can’t send myself or girls to any gym for $20 plus per 45 minutes, when all others charge $20 per month but you need to be 14 years old … sad … I wish music, art, sports and pool for kids and adults would be available and affordable in CH
EAT healthy, intermittent fasting low to NO carbs, Walk after eating, 30 minutes to 1 hour a day. and you’ll see that fat melt away. That’s ALL I did against the expectations of my doctor. I went from 48″ waist to currently, 34″ and dropping. I was pre-diabetic and now my numbers are showing NOT diabetic!
Cut out added sugar. Takes about 10 days. Not easy at first but the results are amazing. Start with food portion control and healthy eating. Add walking about 25 minutes per day. You’ll see results in about a month.
But age 40, muscle mass decreases by 1% per year. By age 60, 20% is lost. And osteoporosis can become a major problem. Strength training prevents/ fixes this. Swimming pool/ gym.
Look at all of the margarine rugelach, kokosh cakes, danish, bagels. All low quality carbs. Minimal vegetables and fruits. Learn like an ashkenazi, eat like a Sefardi
Or they’re going to the regular gyms with men and women and undesirables.
מי שיש לו מנה רוצה מאתיים
Please clean up the
Mess Gombos left. It’s an eye sorry
Build a big hotel on both property’s
That’s what the Rebba. Would like to see. For all of his guests
So many people tried
Itzik. You can do it
Chipotle or McDonald’s should move in
Should combine the two buildings and make one big building instead of a tiny place
Pls open a Chabad’ house!!
I’m serious, it’s so needed!!
Crown height BH has more than enough dairy, meat and sushi places. What crown heights needs is an indoor kids gym, maybe archade place, very juice style place, or hotel. We need different. And it would be nice if they would expand kingston pizza and make it bigger and of cours newer. It woukd be extra cool if it would havw an upstairs outdoor seating option as well. With some archades so that kids can have an experience.
Something for the singles of CH? Not another option for moms and kids.
Turn those properties into affordable housing with an underground garage. BTW – I can’t believe all the baal taavois here with their mad raging for fressing. Aren’t you Chabadnikim? Have you never heard of iskafia?
For Al those who can’t have gluten .
Storefront & hotel on top
What about creating an independent living facility for the elderly / parents of our community members? When you think about it, so many people in our community have parents who live out of town or in distant communities. They don’t have the support they truly need. If there were an independent living facility right here in the neighborhood, they could stay close to their loved ones—surrounded by their children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren who could visit them regularly. It would truly be a life-changing , life extending and meaningful initiative to consider. Moreover, there could be classes given there, as… Read more »
Storefront, hotel & rental properties. There is no place to rent for young couples, and all moving out…
Crown Heights needs a new,modern,clean,uptodate chassunah hall. BH there are many weddings k”n and two halls are not enough. But please
don’t make it a basement.
I always said
What crown heights need is a place for children, from tutoring after school or craft or developing their artistic side
A huge building with few floors 🙏🏻
I’ll say
Children children children
Think of them 🥰
100 comments and not one request for a dollar or discount store? How rich is everyone here?
Ch needs another option for kids to play indoors
Make Crown Heights great again with a CASINO!
A pool with a sauna and hot tub, would definitely be busy if it’s only for women and not kids … Maybe a recreational center? I would get membership and go often… I like swimming and it’s the easiest form of excersize. Morning / early afternoon hours would be great! That’s something that needed in the community. BH I think there are enough food and restaurant places and we have been needing a regular heated pool and recreational center for women… Like a spa. I’m sure if there were men hours then they would also go and enjoy … Food… Read more »
There is 355 Gym on Troy ave. sign your kids up for the fall season!
The youth need a kosher healthy outlet. An ARCHADE would be a HUGE hit. It was be busy 24/6.
Amazing how this topic gets so many comments. Kan Tzivah is still the heart of Lubavitch 31 years after our beloved Rabbe’s histalkos.
Only fortunate can buy a house in lev CH, others fled to so many places, maybe Rebbe wanted all of us to move out and be everywhere or maybe we need Moshiah Now
Yaakov Avinu lo Mais.
The Rebbe MHM is running the show.
I have never heard anyone make that claim?
Crown Height’s issue is not a lack of restaurants. We need housing — multi-bedroom apartments for families. Build more units!
now that ess and bench closed down PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make a bachur freindly or bachur centered eatery think bachur style fast food prices vibe open all night…