Boro Park Snapshot: Variety Corner
Baruch Rosenberg was working at Gross Brothers Printing for
many years. In 1985 his father passed away and Baruch inherited a building on 14th
avenue and 44th street. With an empty space Mr. Rosenberg decided to
open his own store. At first he started with a small variety of products, over
the years he picked up on more of what people were looking to buy and put
together a massive selection of merchandise.
He sells school supplies, books, games and so much more.
There is also a seasonal section set up outside the store now with things for
the pool and the park.
A perfect way to describe Variety Corner is the store your
child wants to visit after you promise a ‘gita zach’.
Mr. Rosenberg owns another store across the street that is
open seasonally. Around Succos time he is open and sells succah decorations. Purim
he sells a huge selection of costumes and accessories and baskets. It is also
open for back to school season offering one of the largest selections of school
supplies in Boro Park.
Variety Corner was closed for three weeks during the height
of the pandemic back in March and April. After Pesach he opened with the gates
down. He says he B”H didn’t lose out financially because of the coronavirus.
When a person is living with real simchas hachaim, it’s the
first thing you see and with Mr. Rosenberg that is the case. He doesn’t let
things bothers him, he is content and happy and it makes visiting his store an
unbelievably pleasant experience.
“I married off 11 children with this store,” he says in a
matter of fact to Boropark24.com’s Heshy Rubinstein, “I’m happy.”
Every morning after Mr. Rosenberg opens the store, he sticks
a few dollars into a pushka for tzedakah. He says it’s a segula, “it keeps me
going.”
The business is now run by Baruch along with his wife and
two of his sons creating a very homey family vibe.
Thinking back on his many years in the business, Mr.
Rosenberg remembers a time he was hold up at gun point. A man walked into his
store, grabbed a few items, walked over to the register and demanded money with
a firearm pointed at his head. He agreed it was a bit frightening but being the
person he is Baruch brushed it off and said it really wasn’t a big deal. “Eh,
he took a bit of money, its not the end of the world. I was fine, it’s all
good.”
Variety Corner can be fun even when you don’t need anything specific, you never know what good finds you’ll come home with.
