The Kitchen Clique

Husband-and-wife team Martin and Faigie Sprecher opened up shop in 2001, when “the masses were beginning to attempt mimicking restaurant-style food in their own homes,” they say. The couple describes their customers as more like family, and you’ll often see people mingling and chatting in the aisles. Like in a true family, anything goes, meaning you don’t have to buy items in a set—even if that’s how they’re originally packaged. Because the area is predominantly Jewish, the Sprechers sell hard-to-find ethnic items such as oval challah pans ($9). Prices are always low, but they’re often lower (by about 50 percent) during the holidays when the store throws closeout sales featuring big-name brands like Vera Wang. Other bonuses include the free gift wrapping and custom gift baskets.