It was more than a year ago that BHB reported neighborhood institution Sahadi’s petition to expand the gourmet & Middle Eastern food market at 187 Atlantic Avenue. Good things come to those who wait: Sahadi’s will close from September 17-23, as it begins an expansion that will tie in three storefronts, while offering a new coffee bar, extended cheese station, a new paint job, new lights and new refrigerators. 
According to owner Charlie Sahadi—the “Ambassador of Atlantic Avenue”—this is the first time the store will temporarily close since its launch in 1948. He tells DNAInfo.com: “We’re not recreating the store; we’re expanding and offering a neater and cleaner store with more departments. We’re hoping that 75-80% of the changes will be ready for the reopening. They’ll be some exciting changes and I hope our customers will like them.”
Many of the departments will be moved around, which Sahadi adds will be an adjustment for staff and customers, but he assures that employees will be on hand to show off the grocery’s new lay of the land. Its biggest challenge is having the kitchen ready to go for this year’s Atlantic Antic, on September 30. “We’ve been working from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., trying to get everything done. We always open for the Atlantic Antic, and we have to be prepared in the kitchen—and I think we will,” he says.
Read the full story at DNAInfo.com here. (Photos: BHB/Charlie Sahadi: Brooklyn Community Foundation.)
