Cranberry’s Says So Long to Brooklyn Heights After 42 Years in Business

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!

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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.

Cranberry's customers Victoria Rosner and Dorcas

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. 

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  • Teresa

    I know that we’ve probably been living on borrowed time with Cranberry’s, but I’m still so, so sad. This was the first place I went to when I moved to Brooklyn Heights in 1998. It was my go-to before road trips, and my caterer when I used to throw parties. I will really miss it. Also: their chocolate black and white cookies….where will I get them now?

  • Jorale-man

    What a shame. Too bad they couldn’t work something out with the landlord. It’s not as if they’re relying on customers to fill the place like sit-down restaurants are.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    This is a real heartbreaker for me. I moved to Brooklyn Heights in 1980, coincidentally the same time that Cranberry’s moved to its present location on Henry. I spent many a time sitting on their bench with a coffee and a Moses specialty lox and bagel. So many great conversations on that bench with neighborhood residents and tourists. Life is so ephemeral. I thank James, his beautiful family and especially his mother who was instrumental in starting this wonderful family owned business. Just another example of how the world turns to my great dismay.

  • Mary Kim

    It’s not easy to write a blog post with tears in your eyes. I will miss Jim and his sweet, hard-working staff, and seeing his lovely wife and children when they fill in for a shift. Jim has always been so generous to P.S. 8, our firehouse, and the entire community. The family’s messages to their customers, and especially their employees, are testaments to how decent and caring they are, the best of humanity. Also, hands down, the best coffee beans and muffins anywhere. What a loss!

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Wasn’t Jim the landlord? hehe

  • Jorale-man

    I don’t know…This post doesn’t really say why they’re closing but I assumed it had something to do with real estate. If he is, then there are probably other factors.

  • smuckeryjam

    Jim owns the building
    He will get another operator in there when this nightmare is over

  • Andrew Porter

    There were plans to close or have someone else run the place a few years ago, weren’t there? Jim got annoyed at me when I told him, demanded that the post be removed—except I didn’t make it; someone else did, I think on one of the Open Threads.

    He owns the building, and also has an interest in the Wine Bar, as I recall.

    I really liked the place, but his practice of closing by 4pm meant that often it had already closed by the time I came by.

  • Jorale-man

    So is Jim retiring? Or were they just not able to make a go of it as a business anymore? I wonder if it’s a case similar to Book Court, where it would be more profitable to rent the storefront out to the highest bidder.

  • Amir Richardson-Bey

    I tell you it’s sad what this state and city is turning into and the close to no help they are getting from the federal government, and all the local small mom and pop shops, stores and businesses that are forced to close or have been devastated by the so called pandemic then the looting and rioting right after that. I used to go all through Brooklyn heights, park slope, Clinton hills and prosect heights about a year leading back to two years ago to make deliveries and I loved the vibe of the iconic and vintage shops out there and now I can only imagine what it looks like now and then to hear a place like this that’s been around for 42 years is closing its doors for good is crazy. These politicians argue amongst themselves while playing Russian roulette with peoples livelihood to the point where what once was will never be again. Sad truly sad.

  • Canonchet

    A heartbreaker

  • Tom

    I lived in Brooklyn Heights over 30 years (’85-’17) and nearly went into Cranberry’s everyday. One day I went in and ordered my usual carrot muffin and coffee. Reached for my wallet and I had forgotten it at home. I apologized and walked out of the deli only to have Jim chase me down the street and said, “you have to have breakfast, you’re a regular here and you can pay next time you are here. And here’s $20…you got to eat lunch too.” This has stuck in my head for many years and every time I saw Jim I thanked. We were neighborhood friends from then on. It’s people like that who made Brooklyn Heights what it was. Now I’ll miss visiting Cranberry’s when I occasionally visit Brooklyn Heights. And I’m hoping the best for Jim and his family. I live upstate now, I think he does too. Maybe I’ll run into him again when I forget my wallet :)

  • Mary Kim

    From Instagram user @angelblee (April 9, 2019):

    “Early this morning I had to quickly pick up some black and white cookies (the best). I hopped into bk heights og joint, Cranberry’s bakery, and the moment I arrived the owner, Jim, made me feel at home as if I was a regular for years. When I didn’t know it was cash only, Jim gave me the cookies anyway and told me to pay him when I’m back in ny. It’s these unexpected human connections that remind me to step out of the automated, digitalized norm of tit for tat, click and pay. Thanks, Jim, I’ll send you a check. 🤣❤️🍪🍩🥐”

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6d075457c5d86ed1030cc85e2652554e59ede004818ba2b77f084eece34447e5.png

  • Banet

    If he owns the building then I don’t blame him for closing. It’s the same logic Saul went through when he closed Restaurant Saul on Smith Street about 8(?) years ago. The choice is this:

    1. Work your butt off and make a small profit if you’re lucky, or:

    2. Rent to someone else and clear a big fat rent check and let them work their butt off and hope to make a small profit if they’re lucky.

    Granted, he’ll have a hell of a time renting the space in today’s market but who knows? Maybe he makes so much renting the apartments upstairs it doesn’t matter.

  • Jorale-man

    Yes, and there’s the fact that owners get some sort of tax breaks for having empty storefronts, so he’d probably be fine leaving it sit empty for a while. It’s still a shame he doesn’t have adult children or employees who could step in and carry on the family business.

  • Cranberry Beret

    A tough loss. Good luck to Jim & family, and all of the employees. Will especially miss Lourdes who ran the morning rush at the register with speed and grace.

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    Rats. I have really fond memories of first moving here 10 years ago, getting to know the neighborhood, and developing a fondness for Cranberry’s right away.

  • aeshtron

    Jim is an exemplary human! Cranberry’s brought many happy, yummy memories to lots of people : )