Jose Alvarado

@josealvarado

As the city begins to thaw out from the harshness of winter, a small butcher shop in Ridgewood bustles with orders from local customers. At the helm of this establishment is a stocky man of Romanian descent.

Jonel Picioane and his family have run the Ridgewood European Pork Store since 1975; however, the butcher shop has been in service since the 1930s, long before Jonel and his family made Ridgewood their home.

Customers as far as Japan seek the smoked meats that are made on site below the shop. Jonel claims that it’s the only smoker like it in New York City. It’s apparently so special that he wouldn’t even show it to me.