Italian Deli Didn't Close Because of the J.Crew Domino Effect

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The Brooklyn Paper spoke with Vincent Mastellone, the owner of Court Street's Mastellone Italian Deli, which is closing up shop today and making way for Pacific Green, the grocer displaced by J.Crew. When we first wrote about J.Crew's impending takeover of the address, many were pretty heated over the loss of the grocer. Naturally, there have been similar reactions to the news concerning the Italian deli.

However, Mastellone assures the paper the decision had nothing to do with peer pressure. Put quite simply: "I've been here for a long time and it was just time to close up." The article adds that Mastellone was the one who reached out to Billy Solmaz, the co-owner of Pacific Green, to let him know that his storefront would soon be available.

Solmaz says that he plans to try to run both locations, and plans to take his 151 Court Street landlord to court. "If something happens with [the Cobble Hill store] we will make sure we have a second store. We are not going anywhere soon." The second store will go by the name of Big Apple Gourmet, and should open in approximately two months.
· Mastellone's last day: Beloved Italian grocery closes [Brooklyn Paper]
· Cobble Hill Grocer Taking Landlord To Court Over J. Crew [Racked NY]
· J.Crew Confirmed for Cobble Hill, Mickey Drezler Talks Brooklyn [Racked NY]