Dean & DeLuca is on major life support

Call it Dean & Delusional. Longtime upscale grocer Dean & DeLuca continues to flounder. On Sunday, its flagship in Soho looked like a post-apocalyptic market that only sells La Croix — empty shelves over the weekend held just a few bottled sodas and drinks. The produce sections were also slim, and the store was otherwise mostly stocked with Dean & DeLuca-branded products, making it look kind of like a fan store for the once-legendary gourmet grocer, according to Eater’s Digest co-host Dan Geneen. Its Midtown store in the New York Times building is still serving coffee, though a sign hung on its window over the weekend announced the store was “closing at 3 p.m,” suggesting its hours are fluctuating.

It’s the latest step in the demise of the once-successful company that in recent weeks has been cut off by many U.S. vendors after failing to pay them. Its recently opened Meatpacking restaurant Stage also closed, and it’s reportedly not paying former workers’ unused vacation days and other payouts. A Thai real estate giant bought the homegrown business in 2014, and while it has expanded in Asia, the company has come to ruins here in the U.S. Now, the owner is trying to sell the floundering business.

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— Same!!:

I wouldn’t mind if anyone wants to email to say I’m “doing a great job” — Naomi Fry (@frynaomifry) August 18, 2019

Correction: August 19, 2017, 12:22 p.m. This article was corrected to state that the Dean & DeLuca store inside the New York Times building is still serving coffee.