Like stores throughout South Queens, Ragtime was hit hard by Sandy – but its owner and employees have persevered and the longtime community mainstay has been a beacon of hope for the community. Richard York/The Forum Newsgroup
On a recent rainy afternoon, Ragtime Market customers came and went as they usually do, pulling in and out of the small parking lot on Cross Bay Boulevard in steady intervals, leaving with small bags of groceries or a favorite sandwich from the deli.
One customer, a regular who has lived in Howard Beach for years, comes every day for the twist rolls and ciabatta he can’t find in a typical supermarket.
“They have awesome bread,” the customer, Nick, said of the family owned and operated neighborhood institution that has long been a staple in the community.
Another customer, a Howard Beach native, said he makes sure to stop into Ragtime at least a couple times a month.
“The food is delicious,” said the customer, Gary.
“My mom is in the hospital and it’s the only food she wants to eat,” explained Keshia Holmes, who was visiting from North Carolina and picking up lunch for her ailing mother, a longtime resident of the area.
Ragtime owner Angelo Gurino takes pride in his local popularity. Gurino took over Ragtime from his father, John, who opened the business in 1965, and has run the Italian gourmet market and importer of specialty foods for the past 25 years.
“Almost every person in Howard Beach has come through my store,” he said.
Ragtime was among the first stores to reopen last year after Hurricane Sandy – and it was one of the first signs that, despite the storm’s devastation, the community would return to its thriving self. It sits on the crown of Cross Bay Boulevard and the few extra inches in elevation meant flooding was restricted to the basement, which completely filled with water during the storm. Gurino and his employees sandbagged all the doors in preparation for the hurricane.
“The water splashed against our building and rushed past us,” he said.
Still, the market had no electricity following the storm, but a friend of Gurino’s in Albany helped him get his hands on a mobile generator. Ragtime was open for business after about a week.
“People were coming and thanking us. They were very appreciative,” Gurino remembered.
Gurino estimated that he has spent nearly $100,000 on repairs, with no help from FEMA or the government.
When asked how he wishes restoration efforts might have been handled differently, Gurino became reflective.
“The way they took care of the homeowners, I wish they took care of the businesses,” he said.
As a mom-and-pop operation, “we don’t have deep pockets,” he explained.
For now, Gurino is reasonably optimistic about Ragtime’s future and is looking forward to a bump in sales from the holidays.
With no beach traffic or backyard poolside barbecues over the summer, “We’re still trying to fight our losses,” Gurino said.
Still, residents of Howard Beach – and beyond – love Ragtime, and they will continue to flock there, as evidenced by the normal rush of people going in and out of the store that after Sandy was a beacon of hope for all in the community. Since Ragtime turned its lights on and opened its doors after the storm, it has been a source of continuity – and a reminder that life does indeed continue.
Ragtime was one of the first business to reopen after Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on shops up and down Cross Bay Boulevard. Hannah Sheehan/The Forum Newsgroup
By Hannah Sheehan
