The Barstool Fund - L&M Bargain
Up next: L&M Bargain (Brockton, MA)
L&M Bargain, Greater Boston's largest independent children's clothing store, is dedicated to providing you with a wide selection of children's clothing, school uniforms, and household items.
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Dave,
First, from a lifelong “Stoolie” since Milton, I just want to tell you how thankful I am for how you are using this platform to provide more help than even our government can. It is truly remarkable.
My dad, Stuart Salzberg, and my Uncle, Mark Salzberg, own and operate L&M Bargain. L&M’s two stores have provided affordable children’s clothing, houseware, and domestic goods for the past 65+ years in the greater Boston area. Yes, this business has been family owned for over 65 years.
It was actually started by my grandfather and great uncle, who after surviving the Holocaust, came to America with a dream of working for their own independence and financial security. My grandfather’s name was Lewis; my great uncle’s name was Morris; and together, they founded L&M Bargain. To this day, our stores have been an integral part of our family, and it is something that we are all truly proud of.
Right before COVID hit, my dad and uncle extended their lease in their largest store for 6 years. They had just signed an additional number of schools to provide their school uniforms, which had become an important part of their business.
COVID hit, and just like that, my father’s and uncle’s business was pulled up from under them. For several months they were not even able to have the stores open to the public. Even when they were able to open their doors, the capacity restrictions and increased rent were daggers to the stores’ bottom line.
The hardest hit came when schools decided to open primarily remotely. Providing affordable children’s uniforms to schools and families across the Boston area had become the majority of my father’s and uncle’s business. To be clear, it has taken them years to put together the relationships they have with these schools. They know that many families sending their kids to these schools do not have the means or privilege to pay for expensive uniforms. They worked hand in hand with each school to find uniforms that were affordable and that children could be proud of wearing. That is who my father and uncle are. They treat the person across from them with the utmost respect and build relationships for further business. They look out for others and care more about their good names than the money in their pockets.
So here I am coming to you, Dave. The landlord has made clear he will not let my dad and uncle walk away from this lease or even provide some type of discount and is basically forcing their hand to push the store into bankruptcy. This store has been in this family now for three generations. My grandfather and great uncle put it together from nothing. Just the pennies they had in their pockets and the drive to make their own independence after both went through Auschwitz, survived, and said “never again”. I am immensely proud of the store, my father, my uncle, and the path our family has taken to get here. I pray and hope the family business does not go out like this. We have come too far to let COVID and shit circumstances end the story here. I thank you for considering my dad and uncle, and our family business, Dave.
Brick by Brick,
Ari Salzberg