Our Story
Like any good story, we begin long, long ago, with two immigrants who came to the United States from Russia to make a better life for themselves and their families. In this case, they were Drew Glick’s grandfather on his father’s side, Louie Glick, and his great uncle, Max Braverman. Both were skilled butchers, one kosher and one non-kosher, who knew a little bit about cooking, too.
Max was a shrewd businessman with a charming smile who always had a little joke to tell or pun to make in nearly every conversation. Max achieved acclaim by building a successful wholesale meat company that brought him both success and great pleasure.
Louie moved to Brooklyn from Russia in the early 1920s. Along with his five brothers, they built Glick Brothers Butcher Stores in Brooklyn, NY, eventually building the business into one of the largest kosher butcher store chains in New York. Louie was known to be a man of intellect and strong conviction. In 1948, Louie acted upon his strong beliefs and traveled for four months to the Middle East to fight for the formation of Israel’s statehood. Upon his return, he continued to run his family butcher shops.
These two men represent the strong history of America’s immigrant roots, and the traditional foods that have nourished our bodies and fed our souls for generations. Max & Louie’s New York Diner is an homage to their hard work and to the East Coast diner and deli traditions that past generations honed and that continue to flourish to this day.
