Izzy Zakarin and my newly discovered Filreis relative

On and off for years (early 1970s until mid-80s) I had occasion to pick up various supplies (kitchen paper products, boxes of candles, arts & crafts materials) from the legendary Izzy Zakarin who starting in 1945 ran a huge jumble of a warehouse store called “I. Zakarin & Sons” in South Fallsburg, NY. Here is a photo of Izzy taken years earlier, during his days as a purveyor of stuff (mops, pots and pans, shovels) from his cart. That’s Izzy on the cart and an unidentified nephew leading the horse. I’m guessing the scene is Brooklyn. Well, it turns out that I am related to Izzy’s granddaughter.

(Judy Zakarin Averick is the grand-daughter of Julius Rosenbaum. Julius’ sister Goldie married Morris Filreis. Morris was the “black sheep”/wayward brother of my father’s father Ben Filreis. So Goldie was my grandfather’s sister-in-law. Closer relation than it might seem.)