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Poseidon Bakery,
family-run Greek pastry shop
629 Ninth Ave between 44th and 45th Sts (212-757-6173)

“The key these days is to buy the building and let the business pay the mortgage. Landlords want four times the rent because that’s what everyone else is getting in the neighborhood. There’s no, ‘Oooh, you’ve been here for 20 years, so we’re gonna cut you a deal.’ But really, how many candies or sandwiches or cartons of milk can you sell? Mom-and-pop stores just can’t do it. We’ve been here for 85 years. If my family didn’t own the building, I couldn’t survive here. As much as I’d want to stay, as much as people want us here, we wouldn’t be able to do it.”—Paul Fable, owner

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