Few businesses can brag about being around 100 years, let alone surviving the Great Depression, two world wars and assorted upheavals along the way. Obviously Eazer's Restaurant & Deli in New Kensington has a recipe for success — separate and apart from the work that goes into running a small business. What was started in 1918 by Kareem Eazer Corbin, a Syrian immigrant, as an ice cream parlor and confectionery evolved into a deli and grocery store until becoming today's Eazer's on 7th Street. Maybe the secret is its Syrian bread, made by the same woman for more than 50 years, that's served with the diner's popular “Eazer Burger.” But more likely, according to manager Art Elias Corbin, it's Eazer's attention to customers, which never goes out of style.
“We stuck around because we felt we had to stay here. We had keep it going. We were dedicated to this business, to the workers, to the customers. Next thing you know, it was 100 years.”
“We have people come in, they haven't been to town for 30 years, and they come in here crying, ‘You're still here! This is the only thing that's left of New Kensington.' We're like the last remaining vestige ... everything else is gone, pretty much.”
“As long as we still got customers, we'll stay here. We just feel dedicated to the town, the customers. The customers make it worth it.”
