MEET MEAT THE FISH COUNTER

Three questions for Zabar’s general manager, Scott Goldshine.

What was your first gig? I started in 1977. My father and Stanley Zabar were close friends, but [Stanley] refused to get me a job. There was a third partner back then, and he said I had to ask him. It took me four years to get the courage, but when I was 17 I finally asked. He said, “You can take out the garbage.” That’s what I did for six months.

What made you stick around? It’s a testament to Stanley and [his brother] Saul. Everybody is treated well. All the employees are treated with respect. We have a lot of employees who’ve been working here for 10, 20, 30, close to 40 years. That’s a major part of what makes Zabar’s Zabar’s.

What’s your ideal Zabar’s haul? Bagel and nova; babka and rugelach; brisket; chopped liver. I love our croissants, the ones that we’ve been selling for 30-some-odd years. People are like, “That’s not really a croissant.” But we sell a ton. Twice when we tried to replace them, it was like starting a revolution.