Grandma’s Changes Hands for Second Consecutive Year

By Jason Kollander

Increased efficiency and enhanced quality are the top priorities of Tully Basch, the new owner of Grandma’s Cookie Jar.  After coming across a for-sale advertisement in the Jewish Press, Basch purchased the establishment, believing that his accrued experience over the past four years, which he spent working at Bonkers and Holy Bagel in Jerusalem, would arm him with sufficient know-how to successfully run the business.

When former owner Daniel Brody was questioned as to why he let the business go, he replied that he wanted to “go out on top” and possibly move to Florida in the near future.  Although Brody intends to focus his energies on his other real estate investments, he did relate that Grandma’s was and always will be a sound business venture.

When asked if his impetus for selling stemmed from competition, arising from the debuting Kaffeine, Brody responded that such speculation is unnecessary as the two establishments cater to different customers.  In fact, he stipulated that his records indicate that Grandma’s lost no monthly revenues since the nascent Kaffeine joined the cadre of Washington Heights Kosher eateries.

“If [Grandma’s] wasn’t doing well,” asserts Brody, “[Basch] wouldn’t have bought it.”  Brody also noted that he was “inundated with offers” to sell the establishment before and after placing the ad.

Acknowledging consumer criticism of Grandmas’ sluggish service and inflated prices, Basch intends to augment Grandmas’ staff with additional experienced employees, so as to create an environment that will “move, move, move.”  Additionally, Basch has already taken the initiative of lowering beverage prices  – Snapples that were previously $1.25 are now only $1.00 – and by decreasing the price of food wherever possible.

Instead of opting for a new moniker, Basch decided, at least temporarily, on only adding a subtitle: Tully’s Place. He explained that the established name “Grandma’s” - which has been commonplace in the Washington Heights restaurant vernacular for over a decade - should remain that way.  Moreover, he asserted that a name-change might upset some long-standing customers, which would hinder business.

In addition to service and quality improvements, Basch has expanded the menu to offer Sushi and an array of cooked in-house breakfast specials, including eggs and waffles.  The establishment will also continue serving its classic cookies and delectable pastries, as Brody confirmed, “all the secret recipes have been disclosed to them.”  Pizza will also continue to be offered and Basch mentioned that he would upgrade the pizza’s quality by hiring employees with related experience.

Sy Syms School of Business junior David Ulmer, feels that this change is a step in the right direction.  After recently visiting Grandma’s, he commented, “The food now has a better quality than it ever had.” Shimmy Klein, a frequenter of the establishment, still maintains that “it’s the best bagel and tuna around.”

Basch, a former MTA student, is ecstatic about his return to Washington Heights after such a long stay overseas, and looks forward to getting to know everyone on campus.  In terms of the surrounding local establishments – Time Out, Kaffeine, and the new mini-mart – Basch feels that “there is enough community to offer business here for everyone.”  While the aura of Grandma’s Bakery: Tully’s Place is guaranteed to remain the same, both the service and quality of the food may well improve.