Junios Cheesecake Brooklyn

Brooklyn has something of a reputation as an incubator for creative talent and eclectic eats. Sure, we’re all happy when an iconic Manhattan biz like Katz’s Deli or Russ & Daughters decides to cross the East River, but an even bigger trend at the moment is the national expansion of much-loved Brooklyn brands.

Junior’s Cheesecake — a true borough mainstay — has had outposts in Times Square and Grand Central for years. But the famous bakery and its mouth-watering desserts are making a big play for the national spotlight.

In the summer, Junior’s nearly doubled its number of bakers and moved its bakery from Queens to a 100,000-square-foot New Jersey warehouse that includes a bakery, showroom, and shipping depot, according to Crain’s.

And you can bet the move was more strategic than a family’s escape to the ‘burbs.

Junior’s was founded in Brooklyn in 1951 by the grandfather of current owner Alan Rosen. Rosen claims the cheesecake recipe hasn’t changed, even as the neighborhood around the original restaurant underwent a remarkable transformation and Rosen contemplated selling.

Juniors Cheesecake Brooklyn
Junior’s Restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn. Photo via Junior’s

Now that the original Junior’s Restaurant appears to be here to stay, Rosen is determined to grow the bakery’s reach online and on supermarket shelves. His father started a mail-order business decades ago, and Junior’s cheesecakes already appear in grocery stores like Kroger, Wegmans, and Costco.

But Rosen sees even more potential for nationwide reach. The move to New Jersey has greatly increased the company’s production capacity.

He just hired a national sales manager and plans to open restaurants in Miami and Boca Raton.

The bakery is already a well-known brand among city-visiting tourists, and “authentic New York cheesecake” should entice elsewhere in the U.S., especially since almost anything associated with Brooklyn has become cool by association.

Juniors Cheesecake Brooklyn
Photo via Junior’s

Ample Hills, the beloved Brooklyn ice cream maker is in the midst of a similar nationwide expansion strategy.

Smorgasburg, the food market started in 2011 by Brownstoner founder Jonathan Butler, has also become a national sensation (and inspired imitators), with a Los Angeles Smorg opening in June.

Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Industries, McClure’s Pickles, Nathan’s Famous, Roberta’s, MakerBot and Etsy are just a few others with thriving businesses beyond Brooklyn’s borders.

What beloved Brooklyn company do you think deserves the national spotlight? Or do you prefer your favorite spots remain cherished borough secrets?

[Source: Crain’s]

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