After 42 years in business, the Montemarano family and Cranberry’s say so long to Brooklyn Heights. Cranberry’s posted the announcement yesterday on its doors, along with loving messages to its customers and employees, and photographs from its decades in business.
The message to customers reads:
Since 1977, Cranberry’s has served the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood with endless love and support. Whether it was pouring a fresh cup of coffee to start your day, serving delicious sweets to bring home after work, or anything-in-between – it has been our pleasure to be a part of your lives. As of July 2020, we have decided to close our doors and say farewell after 42 memorable years. Thank you for being with us during this journey, you will always hold a special place in our hearts. So long for now to our local New Yorkers and all of the other Cranberry’s customers across the globe!
To its employees, Cranberry’s said:
Since 1977, Cranberry’s has been blessed with many incredible, hard-working, and dependable employees. Without these essential workers, Cranberry’s simply could not have functioned. The employees who make up our Cranberry’s family came from many different parts of the world. Many of them left their families and countries to create a better life for themselves and to support their own families back home. As a result of the daily service they gave to our customers and the support they gave to us, they have truly become a part of our Montemarano family.
We are tremendously grateful to each member of our Cranberry’s family – after 42 years in business, there are too many to list. In these last days, we would like to honor the Final Four – Moises, Juan, Lourdes, and Pedro – for their dedication and support to Cranberry’s customers and, most importantly, to our Montemarano family. In the midst of the health challenges and life changes of the past couple years, they made Cranberry’s daily operations possible.
We may have poured our final cup of coffee, but our employees will always be a part of our lives. Our hearts are full of love and respect for everyone who has worked at Cranberry’s. Thank you for being a part of our family.
Customers Victoria Rosner and Dorcas reading the news of Cranberry’s closing.
On Saturday morning, customers Victoria Rosner and Dorcas looked on wistfully at the farewell signs and photos. “My dog Apple and I would come here at 5:30 in the morning when they were opening up, and I would always get the first cup of coffee. I am devastated that they’re closed. During this pandemic, I’ve been so tired of making my own coffee and I was looking forward to my first cup of Cranberry’s coffee. We’ll miss them so much,” said Dorcas. Victoria added, “When I first moved to the neighborhood 4 years ago, Cranberry’s was the first place I stopped into for a sandwich. Since then, I’d come here everyday and I loved it. Everyone here is so warm. I speak to Jim, Nicole, Lourdes, Moises, and Pedro everyday. It’s so sad to me that those little interactions won’t be here anymore and to not see them everyday. It’s just so sad. When my dog passed away last year, Jim was so kind and gave me a big hug. It’s not just another store in the neighborhood. It was such a big part of the neighborhood – the heart and the flagship of the neighborhood.”
Reached by email, Jim Montemarano said, “It’s been an emotional quarantine deciding Cranberry’s future, but over the past 3+ months, my short in and out visits to Brooklyn were very sad. I had a good run, but my heart is saddened by what my fellow business owners are going through. I’m sure there are many sleepless nights and many unanswered questions as to where they go from here. Where do we all go from here is a bigger question. But we couldn’t be any more pleased about our 42+ years of being a part of this incredible neighborhood and we will miss everyone.”
Cranberry’s will be adding more photos and memorable stories to its new website: cranberryscoffee.com. If you have any photos or stories that you’d like to share on the website, please send an email to cranberryscoffee@gmail.com.
Update: After this post went up, the Montemarano family requested that the Spanish translations of their messages (also posted on Cranberry’s windows) be posted here.
Un mensaje a nuestros valiosos clientes:
Después 1977, Cranberry’s ha servido el vecindario de Brooklyn Heights con amor y apoyo ilimitados. Ya sea servir una tasa de café fresco para empezar su día, servir los exquisitos dulces para traer a su casa después del trabajo, o algo intermedio––nos ha dado mucho gusto ser parte de sus vidas. Hasta julio de 2020, hemos decididos cerrar las puertas y decir adiós tras haber pasado 42 años memorables. Les agradecemos a todos para estar con nosotros durante este viaje. Ustedes siempre tendrán un lugar especial en nuestros corazones.
Nos despedimos a nuestros neoyorquinos y a todos nuestros clientes de todo el mundo!
Durante los próximos meses, añadiremos fotos y anecdóticas a nuestro sitio: cranberryscoffee.com. Si tiene alguna anecdótica para compartir del sitio, por favor nos envíe un email a cranberryscoffee@gmail.com.
En honor de los empleados de Cranberry’s:
Después 1977, Cranberry’s ha sido bendecido con muchos empleados increíbles, trabajadores, y confiables. Sin estos empleados esenciales, Cranberry’s no podría haber funcionado.
Los empleados que forma nuestra familia a Cranberry’s han sido muy diversos y vienen de muchos lugares de la tierra. Muchos quedan sus familias y países para mejorar sus vidas y apoyar sus propias familias en sus países natales. Como consecuencia de las maneras a través sirvieron nuestros clientes y nos apoyaban, se han convertido en parte de nuestra familia Montemarano.
Estamos agradecidos a cada miembro de nuestra familia Cranberry’s––después 42 años de nuestro negocio, enumerarlos todos resulta imposible. En estos últimos días, deseamos honrar los cuatros últimos empleados––Moises, Juan, Lourdes, y Pedro––por su dedicación y apoyo a los clientes de Cranberry’s y nuestra familia Montemarano. En medio de nuestras desafíos sanitarios y cambios en nuestra vida, ellos hicieron que todas operaciones diarias fueran posibles.
Tal vez nos hayamos servido la ultima taza de café, nuestros empleados serán siempre partes integrales de nuestras vidas. Nuestros corazones están llenos de amor y respecto para todos que han trabajado a Cranberry’s. Les agradecimos por ser parte de nuestra familia.
