The Crown Market officially unveiled its new café Thursday morning.

By Ronni Newton

Curiosity has been brewing about sign hanging from the ceiling above aisles 1 and 2 in the back of the Crown Market near the 5 O’Clock Shop, and applause broke out Thursday morning as Khen Raviv pulled off the the sheet obscuring the words and unveiled “The Schmooze” – West Hartford’s new café.

When a new ownership team took over in 2023, Debra Raviv, who along with her husband, Khen, is general manager as well as a managing partner in the business, said one of the first projects she wanted to undertake was create a café in the store. She said Thursday that she was thrilled to see the idea for the enhancement become reality.

The name of The Schmooze Café was carefully chosen for its meaning and Yiddish roots.

“The name we’ve chosen really encapsulates the essence of The Crown,” Debra Raviv said Thursday. “We envision this café as a lively gathering spot for people to enjoy food, conversation, and many other things – not just the food. … The name reflects our commitment to fostering the camaraderie and community right here at The Crown.”

The café is intended to be a “vibrant hub where friends meet, artists flourish, and community comes alive.”

Raviv said the Yiddish word “schmooze” means to “gather, to talk, to ‘kibbitz’ – another Yiddish word,” and she said she really wanted to drive home that the café “is a place for people to come and be together.” There’s no better way to describe it, she said, than “The Schmooze.”

People can come and grab a pastry, pizza, sushi, or prepared food from the 5 O’Clock Shop and sit down for a while. Anything sold at the store can be eaten in the cafe.

It’s the closest thing West Hartford has to a Jewish deli – which is often cited as something the town desperately needs.

“The kosher community, who keep strictly kosher, they cannot eat out in West Hartford. There’s not one kosher restaurant,” Raviv said. But even though it’s not a full-service restaurant, The Schmooze “at least gets them the ability to experience and enjoy meeting a friend out. … Everything in the store is kosher, everything about the cafe is kosher, and I think it’s a real enhancement to the store.”

The café has physically been open – albeit nameless – since December. People have been coming in for lunch, and getting together for late-afternoon and evening events as well. She recently hosted a challah bake and a young professionals gathering, Raviv said.

A ribbon cutting with Mayor Shari Cantor, Rabbi Tuvia Brander, Rabbi Joseph Gopin, and store management followed the unveiling of the sign Thursday.

“I want to thank you for investing in this treasured community institution,” Cantor said as she prepared to cut the ribbon. “It’s not a grocery store, it’s really a cultural center and I’m so appreciative.”

Photographer Allan Weitz is the first artist to exhibit in the café. He’s been a West Hartford resident for about three years, and said he was introduced to The Crown even before he moved to West Hartford from New York.

Weitz, an award-winning photographer with more than 50 years of experience, has had his works published in – and some cases on the covers – of national and international publications, with his credits including GQ, Money Magazine, New York Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, Esquire, and Life Magazine. He is also the host of the B&H Photography Podcast in New York City.

“These are all from Israel,” he said of his stunning photographs that currently grace the walls of the café. When he learned of the plans to create the café, but saw the blank walls, “I’m saying to myself now blank walls don’t work. So I went over to Deb [Raviv] and I said, ‘Listen, I have a bunch of pictures, take a look.'” Together they chose eight images that add vibrancy to the atmosphere of the café.

Weitz said when he was first house-hunting the real estate agent brought him and his wife to Crown and they bought some African peanut soup. Every time they returned to West Hartford, even before moving here, they went back for more soup. “This is an important place. It was one of the reasons why we came here, because it was a good kosher establishment – and these guys are taking it to a new level.”

Raviv added that “given the current climate of the world right now, I think it’s really important that people Jewish, non-Jewish, any denomination have a place that they can come, schmooze about anything. I think that people are stressed right now … they need community.” People don’t even need to purchase food to enjoy The Schmooze, she added. “They can come and sit, if they need to speak with their friends and need a place where they can come and gather.”

There are 36 seats inside the café, and four tables outside as well.

Raviv said The Crown Market will be planning other social events for The Schmooze Café space, including live music. Follow The Crown Market on Facebook and @crownmarketwh on Instagram for updates on activities.

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