Stanley Zabar, a co-owner of the Manhattan institution Zabar’s and a long-serving force behind the family business, died Monday at age 94, according to Yahoo.
His death occurred at his home in the neighborhood, according to The New York Times.
His daughter, Dr. Sondra Zabar, said the cause was cancer. He worked alongside his brother Saul, who was the president and face of Zabar’s and ran its operations, to expand the business founded by their parents, Louis and Lillian Zabar, in 1934, according to CBS News. For years, Stanley maintained a dual career as an attorney while working at the store.
In a statement, the store described him as a quiet force behind our family business,
noting that he had spent decades working with his brother Saul to build upon and carry forward the vision of their parents, Louis and Lillian Zabar.
The statement emphasized that his legal and financial acumen was “vital” in shaping the grocery store into a beloved New York City institution.
Breaking News: Stanley Zabar, who for decades helped run Zabar's, his family’s famous food emporium on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, has died at 94. https://t.co/zcCLUVdA3F
Their longtime partner, Murray Klein, who focused on the store’s pricing and merchandising, predeceased them at 84 in 2007.
They all worked to their strengths, said Sondra Zabar, a vice president at Zabar’s, who added that her father had a talent for being strategic.
Sandy Zabar, his daughter, reflected on the store’s significance to their family, noting, Walking into the store made me feel like I was close to him.
Beyond the storefront, Zabar was a committed philanthropist. He and his wife, Judith, dedicated their time and resources to the arts, education, and culinary training, generously supporting Hunter College, the New York Public Library, Symphony Space, NYU Langone Health, and the Careers through Culinary Arts Program. He and Judith raised their family on the Upper West Side, remaining deeply embedded in the neighborhood.
Zabar is survived by his beloved wife of 74 years, Judith; his younger brother, Eli Zabar, who struck out on his own on the other side of town, opening several gourmet food markets and bakeries on the Upper East Side; his children, David Zabar and Dr. Sandy Zabar; his sons- and daughters-in-law, Mark Mariscal, Tracey Zabar, and Dr. Ira Breite; his grandchildren, Dr. Ben and Marki Zabar, Danny Zabar, Henry Zabar Mariscal, Michael and Ellie Zabar, Marguerite Zabar Mariscal, Willie Zabar, Noah and Sophia Breite, and Josh Breite; and his great-grandchildren, Brody Zabar and Miller Zabar.
A funeral service will be held at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 West 76th Street, Frnt 1, New York, NY 10023, US, on November 11, 2026, from 9:45 am to 10:30 am, with a live stream available at https://www.legacycelebrated.com/stanley-zabar/.
More on Stanley Zabar
We’ve lost a Manhattan icon: Stanley Zabar, who passed away at 94 years young. I’ve often said I represented the Manhattan district stretching from “the gay bars to Zabar’s,” taking inspiration from Stanley and his storied family business. Zabar's is a community institution… pic.twitter.com/PT9uvHy2Rk
Stanley Zabar, who spent decades helping manage Zabar’s, his family’s renowned food emporium on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, has died at 94 pic.twitter.com/xehtSHei07
Stanley Zabar, co-owner of iconic Upper West Side grocery store, dies at 94 https://t.co/33AB7dIbph pic.twitter.com/T1zm6fwyAg
Stanley Zabar has died at 94. His family's store was so New York it kept turning up on screen: You've Got Mail, Seinfeld, a Vampire Weekend video, even a Broadway song. Happy Thanksgiving back, Stanley. pic.twitter.com/kkIsGdKZoF