Keith O’Brien
My photo proposal will focus on Liebmans Deli: an old school Jewish deli that is a cornerstone of the leafy enclave of Riverdale, NY located in the Bronx. It’s only one of two delis left in the Bronx and of the last few left in all of NYC. My piece will shine a spotlight on what was a cultural staple of NYC and why it is so hard for small, family owned businesses to survive in 2019. The photos will consist of a behind the scenes look into the deli life, testimonials from the long time patrons – some of which have been going since it’s inception in 1953!- and scenes from other delis across the 5 boroughs who have had to close and what they’ve become. A focus of the piece are the challenges faced by these businesses such as: rising rents, online and chain competitors, and other factors.