A "For Lease" Sign placed above the Empire Kosher Supermarket building in Crown Heights has prompted questions about the store's future at its current location.
ONE NYC Real Estate is marketing the property for lease beginning in early 2027. The listing indicates that a prospective tenant could lease the entire building or subdivide it into multiple spaces. The property comprises a 13,000-square-foot supermarket, a finished medical office, a large second floor with high ceilings, loading docks, private parking, and rear delivery access.
The sign generated immediate speculation that Empire Kosher might be planning to move. However, sources familiar with the matter say the supermarket has no relocation plans at present. The listing, they indicate, reflects ongoing lease negotiations between the property owners and the current tenant.
Speculation about a possible move is not unprecedented. In recent years, there has been periodic discussion that Empire Kosher could eventually relocate to a planned development at the corner of Crown Street and Troy Avenue, with some rumors at different times suggesting that Bingo would take that space instead. No formal agreement has been made public, and the proposed development remains unbuilt.
The building itself carries significant neighborhood history. Built in 1927, it originally housed the Empress Theatre, a 1,600-seat movie theater that operated as the Crown Theatre before closing in 1950. An Associated Supermarket later occupied the space before Empire Kosher moved in during 2007.
Empire Kosher currently operates normally, with no closure or relocation announced.