Sandy-Ravaged Cherry Hill Market Becomes First Business In Lundy’s Building To Reopen

Cherry Hill Gourmet Market opened its doors to the public for the first time last Tuesday, and you can barely tell floodwaters ever entered its storefront in the historic Lundy’s building (1901 Emmons Avenue).

“We were working night and day, day and night, 24-seven, to get back on our feet,” said owner David Isaev at a grand opening party last week, attended by Assemblymembers Steven Cymbrowitz and Helene Weinstein, Councilman Michael Nelson, and Community Board 15 Chairperson Theresa Scavo.

During the worst of Superstorm Sandy, several feet of water rushed over the Bay’s walls and barreled into the building – ruining the building’s interior, alongside tens of thousands of dollars worth of items and equipment. Cherry Hill provided the video below to Sheepshead Bites, showing the damage after the water receded.

The businessman said he didn’t want to wait to see how the neighborhood was coming back, he preferred to lead the resurrection.

“I cannot leave the area like this,” Isaev said.

Isaev tapped his partners, friends and family to gather financing to restore the business and restock the shelves until insurance money flows, and became the first ground-level business to reopen in the Lundy’s building, a symbol of Sheepshead Bay for generations. Masal Cafe is undergoing a massive renovation and expects to be open soon. Momoyama is also under repair.

Cherry Hill provided the video below. There’s also a cameo at the 9:45 mark by Randazzo’s owner Paul Randazzo, telling Cherry Hill managers how he escaped his store in the middle of the flooding.