{"id":3006,"date":"2024-11-15T18:41:05","date_gmt":"2024-11-15T23:41:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/?p=3006"},"modified":"2024-11-15T18:41:07","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T23:41:07","slug":"elaine-kaufman-the-bronx-businesswoman-behind-the-iconic-elaines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/eternal-3006-elaine-kaufman-the-bronx-businesswoman-behind-the-iconic-elaines","title":{"rendered":"Elaine Kaufman: The Bronx Businesswoman Behind the Iconic Elaine\u2019s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Her Manhattan restaurant, <em>Elaine\u2019s<\/em>, became the nurturing ground for generations of notable figures, including writers, reporters, detectives, and cultural icons of New York. Elaine Kaufman opened the renowned bar and restaurant in 1963, and it operated until 2011, closing a few months after her passing. Named after the businesswoman herself, <em>Elaine\u2019s<\/em> was a reflection of her entrepreneurial spirit and perseverance. Let\u2019s delve deeper into the life of this remarkable woman on <a href=\"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/uk\/\">bronxanka.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a6bdcbaa0469\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #090909;color:#090909\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #090909;color:#090909\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a6bdcbaa0469\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/eternal-3006-elaine-kaufman-the-bronx-businesswoman-behind-the-iconic-elaines\/#Early_Years_Growing_Up_in_the_Bronx\" >Early Years: Growing Up in the Bronx<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/eternal-3006-elaine-kaufman-the-bronx-businesswoman-behind-the-iconic-elaines\/#A_Love_Story_and_Introduction_to_the_Restaurant_Business\" >A Love Story and Introduction to the Restaurant Business<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/eternal-3006-elaine-kaufman-the-bronx-businesswoman-behind-the-iconic-elaines\/#Elaines_A_Cultural_Icon\" >Elaine\u2019s: A Cultural Icon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/eternal-3006-elaine-kaufman-the-bronx-businesswoman-behind-the-iconic-elaines\/#Personal_Life\" >Personal Life<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/eternal-3006-elaine-kaufman-the-bronx-businesswoman-behind-the-iconic-elaines\/#The_End_of_an_Era\" >The End of an Era<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_Years_Growing_Up_in_the_Bronx\"><\/span>Early Years: Growing Up in the Bronx<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Elaine Kaufman was born on February 10, 1929, in Manhattan as one of four children. Some sources note that her parents were Russian immigrants. Her youth was spent in Queens and the Bronx, and here\u2019s what we know about those formative years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kaufman graduated from Evander Childs High School in the Bronx, which was, at the time, the largest school in New York City. Designed to accommodate over 4,700 students, the school officially opened in 1930 with a construction cost exceeding $3,027,000. Elaine had fond memories of her time there, although her fiery personality sometimes led to conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her early jobs included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Working in the stamp department at Gimbels, a wholesale fabric store.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nighttime cosmetologist at Astor Pharmacy, where she sold beauty products.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Selling cigars and unique hats at the Progressive Era Political Club in Greenwich Village. She took this job initially to help a friend, and it may have sparked her lifelong passion for cigarettes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"526\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2847\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/1.png 526w, https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/1-210x300.png 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 526px) 100vw, 526px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Love_Story_and_Introduction_to_the_Restaurant_Business\"><\/span>A Love Story and Introduction to the Restaurant Business<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Elaine\u2019s entry into the restaurant world came through her relationship with Alfredo Viazzi, a former sailor and writer who owned a popular Greenwich Village eatery frequented by theater publishers and creatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1959, Kaufman and Viazzi\u2019s professional relationship turned romantic. Their love story lasted four years, but it was long enough for Kaufman to learn the ropes of the restaurant business and inspire her to launch her own venture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although she couldn\u2019t afford a Greenwich Village location, Kaufman found an Austro-Hungarian restaurant on Manhattan\u2019s Upper East Side. She purchased it and became the sole proprietor, investing $10,000\u2013$12,000 to open her namesake restaurant, <em>Elaine\u2019s<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1143\" height=\"756\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/3.png 1143w, https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/3-300x198.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/3-768x508.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/3-696x460.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/3-1068x706.png 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1143px) 100vw, 1143px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Elaines_A_Cultural_Icon\"><\/span>Elaine\u2019s: A Cultural Icon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Opened in 1963, <em>Elaine\u2019s<\/em> quickly became a haven for writers, screenwriters, and editors, many of whom benefited from Kaufman\u2019s credit policies. Over time, t<a href=\"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/eternal-2972-bronx-club-culture-emergence-and-development\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/eternal-2972-bronx-club-culture-emergence-and-development\">he restaurant<\/a> attracted a broader clientele, including theater actors, filmmakers, and television personalities. Eventually, its reputation expanded, and notable figures from various industries began frequenting the establishment. <em>Elaine\u2019s<\/em> became especially famous for its Oscar night dinner parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The restaurant\u2019s early years were challenging. Kaufman often waited tables herself and even managed the bar alone during some summers. However, her entrepreneurial drive and savvy management skills helped the business thrive. By the late 1960s, she had purchased the building that housed <em>Elaine\u2019s<\/em> and later acquired adjacent properties, renting out apartments to fund the restaurant\u2019s operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2003, Kaufman received recognition as a &#8220;Living Landmark&#8221; from the New York Landmarks Conservancy. That same year, the Ellis Island Honors Society awarded her the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Personal_Life\"><\/span>Personal Life<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Elaine Kaufman\u2019s strong-willed and passionate personality may have made her personal relationships challenging. She married twice. In 1980, she wed Henry Ball, a fellow restaurateur. However, the marriage ended in divorce four years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2004, A.E. Hotchner published <em>Everybody Comes to Elaine\u2019s<\/em>, a book chronicling Kaufman\u2019s life and the iconic restaurant she created. The book was released by HarperCollins and showcased her as a trailblazing businesswoman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"937\" height=\"741\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/4.png 937w, https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/4-300x237.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/4-768x607.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bronxanka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/4-696x550.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 937px) 100vw, 937px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_End_of_an_Era\"><\/span>The End of an Era<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Elaine Kaufman passed away on December 3, 2010, at the age of 81, at Lenox Hill Hospital, located less than a mile from her famous restaurant. She succumbed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary hypertension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kaufman left <em>Elaine\u2019s<\/em> to her trusted manager, Diane Becker. However, Becker closed the restaurant shortly after Kaufman\u2019s death, citing that the business couldn\u2019t exist without its charismatic founder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elaine Kaufman\u2019s memory endures in the hearts of her patrons and friends. She was described as self-assured, kind, and larger-than-life. Kaufman visited her restaurant every evening to personally oversee its operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a spokesperson for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees once said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cElaine was like a big mom, teaching us how to live in New York: work hard, play hard, and always pay your check.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Her Manhattan restaurant, Elaine\u2019s, became the nurturing ground for generations of notable figures, including writers, reporters, detectives, and cultural icons of New York. Elaine Kaufman opened the renowned bar and restaurant in 1963, and it operated until 2011, closing a few months after her passing. Named after the businesswoman herself, Elaine\u2019s was a reflection of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":371,"featured_media":2845,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1036],"tags":[1867,1855,1862,1857,1854,1860,1861,1865,1859,1863,1866,1856,1853,1864,1858],"moimportance":[212,34,33],"motype":[1045],"moformat":[1353],"class_list":{"0":"post-3006","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-style-and-beauty","8":"tag-elaine-kaufman-achievements","9":"tag-elaine-kaufman-biography","10":"tag-elaine-kaufman-legacy","11":"tag-elaines-restaurant-history","12":"tag-famous-restaurateurs","13":"tag-female-entrepreneurs-nyc","14":"tag-greenwich-village-history","15":"tag-harper-collins-biography","16":"tag-iconic-businesswomen","17":"tag-iconic-nyc-restaurants","18":"tag-living-landmark-award-nyc","19":"tag-new-york-bar-stories","20":"tag-new-york-dining-legends","21":"tag-nyc-culinary-heritage","22":"tag-upper-east-side-culture","23":"moimportance-aktualnist-bilshe-roku","24":"moimportance-golovna-novina","25":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","26":"motype-eternal","27":"moformat-c-l"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3006","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/371"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3006"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3006\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3007,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3006\/revisions\/3007"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3006"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=3006"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=3006"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronxanka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=3006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}