The iconic New York gourmet store Dean & DeLuca has closed its flagship location in Soho, its last in the city. According to two pieces of printer paper taped to the front doors, it is a “temporary closing” and the store “will reopen,” which may or may not be how this story really plays out. The store had been a shell of its former self, with barely stocked shelves, and there had been signs inside that indicated it was due to preparations for renovations. The sign on the door, however, makes no mention of renovations (the interior of the store also looks the same), and the company has been mired in financial uncertainty for many months.
Over the summer, it was reported that Dean & DeLuca owed vendors hundreds of thousands of dollars. In September, Dean & DeLuca suddenly closed its midtown location in the New York Times building. The grocer was bought by the Thai company Pace Development in 2014, and that company’s chief executive Sorapoj Techakraisri told a Thai publication he plans to expand the chain in Asia.
The Gotham Reporter 