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OR 55 years Bernard Lifschultz has sold his merchandise, dry salted codfish, from his small stall in East Harlem’s La Marqueta. Young Private Lifschultz came to La Marqueta after World War II. Last month Lifschultz, who only answers to the name Benny, turned 80 and he still hasn’t made any plans for his retirement. NYC24 went to East Harlem to talk to Benny about his life in La Marqueta.


NYC24: How was the area when you came to La Marqueta?

Bernard Lifschultz: The area was different 50 years ago. The area turned Latino/Puerto Rican in the 50s. It was predominantly Irish/Jewish prior to turning Latino. I was born here in Manhattan, not far from here, so I was familiar with the area. My parents grew up here, too, so I was very familiar with the area.

NYC24: What was East Harlem like when La Marqueta opened?

Bernard Lifschultz: This area was like a suburb of Manhattan. When people wanted to come to the country, they would come up here. It was not built up as you see it now. There was a lot of empty space. It was considered a middle-class neighborhood many years ago.

NYC24: How was business in La Marqueta when you came in 1945 after WWII?

Bernard Lifschultz: It was extremely busy, it was jammed, and you would have to fight your way through to come in to La Marqueta. People of different ethnicity came to look for their own food that you couldn’t get elsewhere in the city.

NYC24: Was it the same kind of vendors who sold their groceries back then as it is today?

Bernard Lifschultz: No, originally La Marquata was composed of individual merchants, each was a specialist in his field. We had a man who did nothing but selling tomatoes. Another guy sold eggs, and one sold onion? - specializing in their particular product.

NYC24: Why did things start to go wrong for La Marqueta?

Bernard Lifschultz: What happened was that there was a big fire, a lot of break-ins and the place deteriorated. The city, who owned the place, never did anything about it so it just kept going down and down and down.

NYC24: Why did you stay in La Marqueta?

Bernard Lifschultz: I saw a future in La Marqueta and I hoped it would be renovated and go back to what it one was. And eventually it will be and I am a very patient person (laughs). I have a lot of staying powers.

NYC24: Haven’t you ever tried to sell anything but bacalao?

Bacalao is dry, salted codfish

Bernard Lifschultz: When I originally came here I sold nothing but eggs. My father was an egg man and I come from a long line of egg people. But then there was not enough market for eggs so I started to sell cheese and coconuts. People were asking for that kind of stuff, they were really asking for it. And then I started to sell bacalao.

NYC24: What exactly is bacalao?

Bernard Lifschultz: Bacalao is dried codfish, treated in Canada and shipped and sold all over the world.

In the 50s La Marqueta was the biggest market on the East Coast.

NYC24: How much have the supermarkets in the area hurt the business in La Marqueta?

Bernard Lifshcultz: Originally there were only a few supermarkets here in Spanish Harlem. They were all afraid to open because of all the crime. It’s only here lately they have come and they have taken a lot of clients. That is of course another problem on top of all the others we have had. They have opened on 125th Street. but I just hope that the customers will come back sooner or later.

NYC24: But what can the customers get here that they can’t get in a supermarket?

Bernard Lifschultz: They got Benny here (laughs) and they get bacalao, which is far more expensive in the supermarkets. So, you know, we help them save a lot of money.

NYC24: You are 80 years old. Why haven’t you retired yet?

Bernard Lifschultz: I don’t want to sit home and twiddle my thumbs. I like the atmosphere here, and I like the people, so even if I don’t have to come to work every day I come because I enjoy being here. I like to be productive.

Benny is not planning his retirement

NYC24: You have done the same type of work for more than 50 years now. Haven’t you ever dreamt of doing something completely different from what you are doing now?

Bernard Lifschultz: I am not a very aggressive person and I was quite satisfied with living a middle-class life. If I was younger I would make improvements but at this stage of the game it doesn’t make any sense. But if I were younger I would go on the Internet and advertise this stuff [points at his bacalao stand] because a lot of people don’t even know it’s available. I am sure that someone with a little more ambitions than I have now could do very well.

NYC24: How long are you going to keep on working?

Bernard Lifschultz: As long as Benny is alive he will be working. So I guess only the Lord knows.

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