food

Bistritzky reboots the Seasons chain

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Joseph Bistritzky, son of a rabbi known for owning an iconic kosher deli on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, now owns the six-store Seasons supermarket chain, along with his family and a group of investors. The chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last fall.

Bistritzky’s father, Rabbi Leibel Bistritzky, who passed away in 2013 at age 86, owned Bistritzky’s Kosher Gourmet Food and was a founder of Hatzalah of Crown Heights. His family left Nazi Germany when he was 12.

“We have redeveloped the operational side of many businesses by forming and training managerial teams to have a keen understanding of community relations and family interface,” Joseph Bistritzky said. “Each member of our family brings a different strength to our team. Together we have years of familiarity with kosher food manufacturing and distribution.”

Seasons said its former owner, Mayer Gold, will serve as vice president of operations.

Two Seasons locations are in the Five Towns — a supermarket on Central Avenue in Lawrence, and a 24/6 Seasons Xpress near the Inwood train station. Others stores are in Kew Gardens Hills and New Jersey.

A Scarsdale store is set to reopen in a new 10,000-square-foor space on March 3, four times its former size. Markets in Manhattan, Baltimore and Cleveland are now closed, and plans to open another Seasons Xpress on Peninsula Boulevard in Cedarhurst have been shelved. 

Bistritzky spokeswoman Regina LoBiondo declined to comment on the status of new stores.

“We are not ready to comment on any other locations, but would be happy to share information when we have it,” she said.

Zeke Kreitner, general manager of the Seasons in Lawrence, said, “Seasons is looking to welcome our family back into the store for a long future. When the family comes back, we’re ready to start the party!”