Most Closter residents do their basic shopping at chain stores nearby, whether that be Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, or Target. For years, Closter has been home to large chain supermarkets, but it lacked a local market centered on community and culture—that is, until now, when partners Doron Maresky and Gideon Sibirsky decided to open Closter Mart.
Closter Mart, which celebrated its grand opening on June 11, is a fully kosher, Israeli-style mini market and deli located near the Closter Plaza where locals can shop for their basic household necessities, grab lunch, and stop for some quick snacks. The store is rooted in Israeli culture, which is what Sibirsky and Maresky highlight through its ambiance and products.
“The emphasis is the Israeli side of things… the atmosphere and character of the store is going to be more of an Israeli one. So the decoration, the scenes that we’re going to have are more ones that create a feeling of an Israeli store… [products are] predominantly food and Israeli house goods,” Maresky said.
With an Israeli-style store comes the kosher traditions tied to the culture, which the mini market stays true to.
“Most of the businesses here are crazier on Saturday morning than any other day of the week, but it’s important for us that we’d be kosher, and we’re following all the kosher guidelines, like closing on shabbat and religious holidays,” said Sibirsky, “it’s very important for shabbat and the kiddush, so we have amazing, high end challah bread, and all kinds of types… for shabbat.”
Closter Mart is the first store of its kind in Closter. Maresky and Sibirsky’s inspiration to open the store came from the community’s longtime need for an Israeli market, and they decided to fulfill it.
“It’s a calling. The Jewish and Israeli community in this area is growing, and… as the community expands, not all the services for the community have kept up, which created a void. We felt this ourselves, [so] we said, no one is doing it, let’s jump in,” Maresky said, “we heard from at least half a dozen other people… they’ve looked into, they’ve thought of, they’ve suggested. We did it.”
Sibirsky describes opening the store as a shlichut, which is a mission or a duty.
“We actually feel that we need to be the representatives of the Jewish community and Israeli community, and… strengthen [it],” Sibirsky said, “and I think that… that’s the biggest shlichut we could do.”
One of the duo’s main goals is to help foster the local Israeli and Jewish community. However, the store is not at all exclusive to one part of the town. Through Closter Mart, Maresky and Sibirsky hope to reach out to all Closter residents and become a pillar of support within the borough.
“That’s part of our decision to call the place Closter Mart and not kosher mart or Israeli. This is Closter Mart. It’s here for Closter, and everybody is welcome,” said Maresky, “we’re here for the whole town and beyond.”
