Pleasantville Liquor Store Family Owned since 1976

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y.—King’s Crown, Pleasantville’s liquor store, has been in business for 75 years. The Stockel family, Pleasantville residents for 55 years, have owned it since 1976.

Eric Stockel, the current owner, has worked at the liquor store since high school and became the owner 15 years ago. After high school, he attended Pace University, where he majored in marketing.

His father, Jacob, a tool and die-maker, bought the liquor store in 1976 looking to get into the retail business.

“My dad was looking for a beer distributor type of place,” Stockel said. “And as he was looking, the original owner died and we lived up the street so it was the perfect opportunity.”

When Jacob Stockel took over the King’s Crown, most liquor stores were state-controlled, which created a guaranteed profit margin, Stockel said. Today, his competition is the big market stores which can sell the same alcohol for cheaper in a free-market system.

“It’s hard to compete with the big superstores like Stew Leonard’s,” Stockel said. “But at this point now, I’m going to retire from here.”

King’s Crown is located at 359 Manville Road and is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sundays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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