A Manhattan deli known as the nation’s oldest cheese shop was forced to declare bankruptcy amid a lawsuit over the back rent it owes, the New York Times reported. Alleva Dairy in Little Italy filed for chapter 11 on Tuesday in the wake of the tourism-starved pandemic years, according to shop owner Karen King. “Today is one of the saddest days in the 130-year history of this illustrious Little Italy landmark,” King said in a statement after the filing. “We will continue to strive to keep Alleva Dairy alive.” The store, which first opened on Grand and Mulberry streets in 1892, is in jeopardy of closing due to $509,106 in rent it failed to pay during the pandemic, according to a lawsuit filed in April by its landlord.
