Murray Klein, deli maven, dies at 84

Murray Klein, the public face of Zabar's, whose marketing savvy transformed the Jewish delicatessen into an international food emporium and foodie haven, has died. He was 84.

Klein died of lung cancer Dec. 6, said Sandra Serrano, a manager who had worked with him for decades at the Upper West Side store.

As part owner with the Zabar family, Klein oversaw the store's merchandising, pricing and publicity for more than 30 years.

His trademark was selling high-end gourmet food, often imported from Europe, while still offering such Jewish staples as chopped liver, babkas and borscht.

Klein was also instrumental in developing Zabar's housewares department, hanging baskets and kitchen gadgets from the ceiling of the store at Broadway and 80th Street.

"Murray Klein was to food retailing what Julia Child was to cooking," said David Liederman, who sold his first David's Cookies to Zabar's in the 1980s.

Klein began his career at Zabar's as a stocker in 1953. He retired in 1994. — ap