Today we bring you another installment of “A Peek Inside the Big Warehouse Buildings of Long Island City” as we venture down to Borden Avenue to visit Manhattan Fruitier. This business, a purveyor of fresh fruit and gourmet gift baskets, was started by Jehv Gold back in 1987, and moved from Manhattan to LIC about two years ago. Their space is a big open one about half a football field in size. Most of the year it is sparsely staffed with about 15 workers, but come the holidays it explodes into action, as the number of employees quintuples in order to keep this well oiled machine running smoothly.
Now to be honest, my first thought upon receiving most gift baskets from say, Harry & David, is “Ughh, this thing looks really expensive but tastes really mediocre.” But what else would one expect from a company that was pillaged by private equity and then thrown into bankruptcy? Harry and David are long, long gone, and the company has changed hands three times since the brothers sold the business to RJR Nabisco in 1986. Despair not, because Manhattan Fruitier elevates the gift basket to a much higher level. Jehv prides himself on finding the highest quality and tastiest products out there. Ten years ago a lot of those products came from Europe, but in accordance with today’s thinking, most of it is sourced from the local food movement, as the company strives to support small-scale, hand-crafted food artisans whenever possible.
Check out the website below for details on all the great the vendors, and give the hometown business a try. Manhattan Fruitier hand delivers gifts in the NYC area, and ships nationwide. So make your clients and friends happy this year, instead of just content. While you’re at it, send a gift basket to yourself, because it’s always best to give and receive.
Manhattan Fruitier – local, fresh, and personalized
7 Trains Delayed Due to Signal Problems – and now you know why
LIC Hotel Breaks Ground – yet another hotel comes to the Queensboro Plaza area. This one will be a Crowne Plaza, 11-stories high, w/ 224 rooms. Looks like an Asian developer.
NYPD Officer, Mother of 2, Killed in Queensboro Bridge Crash
Call for Safety Review at Queensboro Bridge – JVB, Gianaris etc. say the exit ramp is unsafe
Western Queens Has It All for the Holidays – in addition to all these retail options, think also of LIC’s online presence for your presents: Manhattan Fruitier and IpodMeister
Startup Siblings Become Accidental Entrepreneurs – one of whom happens to be the co-founder of LIC’s Songza
Anonymous says
December 11, 2013 at 10:05 pmThe 7 has been running very slowly for the past few weeks, even days when there is not any “signal problems.” Takes forever just to get to grand central. Anybody know the problem?
Paul says
December 12, 2013 at 11:58 amI don’t know what the problem is, but I am expecting the MTA to drop 7-train weekend closures for the winter shortly. It’s an annual Long Island City ritual.
Maybe all the rain we got this weekend screwed things up, or maybe the cold. Take your pick because I doubt the MTA reveals the real reason.
Anonymous says
December 12, 2013 at 2:55 pmrunning buses and subways are some of the toughest jobs around. if anyone thinks they can do it better, by all means please signup. if you have suggestions, instead of gripes, then please share with mta.
or do what Google does, just get your own private transportation system, the heck with the “takers.”