Rocky’s serves hundreds of Brooklyn Tech students every day. Located on the corner of Lafayette Avenue and Fort Greene Place, the deli sustains much of Tech’s student body with their favorite snacks and drinks, from hot and iced coffee, to the ever-popular “Prince Teach” sandwich—a hot breakfast sandwich made with egg, hash brown, chicken cutlet, avocado, chipotle mayo, and cheese.

Rocky’s Then…

Rocky’s is a family business, run by Ali Saleh and Fawzy Saleh, the two sons of the founder, Abdullah Saleh. Abdullah immigrated to the United States from Yemen as a wave of Middle Eastern immigrants were buying bodegas throughout the city. 

“My dad came here in 1966 and started [Rocky’s] in 1983,” Ali said of his father, who supported his family and new life in America through the business.

In the 1980’s, New York City experienced an economic boom, with low unemployment rates and a high level of tax revenue. During this period, small businesses in particular were thriving, and Abdullah jump started Rocky’s as a successful young deli.

In the period after Rockys’ founding, the shop quickly developed a reputation among Tech students. 

Brooke Davis (89’) discussed her time at Tech and what Rocky’s was like as a young deli.

“It was a place where everyone would meet up, a place where people on their way to class could grab some coffee,” she said. “It kind of seemed like one of the cornerstones of student activity.” 

Rocky’s Today…

Fawzy, Ali’s brother, takes the afternoon shift, managing the flow of students and locals. He splits his time between America and Yemen. 

“I got back from Yemen earlier this year,” Fawzy said. “I was there for two years to see my family.” 

He and Ali are not alone in running Rocky’s. They have the support of Fawzy’s son Mohamed, who handles day-to-day operations—from receiving deliveries to restocking shelves. Mohamed supports his father and uncle, ensuring that the store runs smoothly and remains a neighborhood institution into the next generation. Mohamed is friendly with Tech students, greeting and keeping them in line when they pack the place.

Ali acknowledged that developing a small business was not easy.

“One big challenge for us was the competition around here,” he said. “It’s a good location here, [in] Fort Greene. We do good business.”

Local competition is not the only obstacle that has stood in Rockys’ way. In 2019 a fire that started in the coffee machine damaged the store and caused its closure for 7 months. Rockys’ insurance wouldn’t cover the damage. However, Rocky’s bounced back with community support.

“[Tech students were] bringing more business when they came to school…they [came] every day and supported [us],” said Ali.

Ali sees both stability and shifts in Rocky’s Fort Greene neighborhood, and in Tech students. 

“There’s a lot of change, but the students are still the same,” he noted. “They’re smart, they’re quiet, and they’re no trouble.”

While Tech students may have remained the same, Ali acknowledges Fort Greene’s gentrifying demographics over the years. 

Brooke Davis, a Brooklyn Tech alumna, also noted this shift in the neighborhood.

“The area became a lot more moneyed and a much wealthier area,” she said.

Fort Greene is indeed one of the most dramatic cases of gentrification across New York City, which has increased rents and property taxes.

Rocky’s prices have risen as a result. In the 1980’s, Rocky’s charged only $2 to $3 dollars for a sandwich, $0.25 for a bag of chips, and $0.75 cents for a cup of coffee. Today, those prices have roughly quadrupled, with sandwiches priced close to $10 or more, and small snacks like chips and chocolate bars setting Rocky’s customers back at least $1.50.

Despite such inflation, current students still value Rocky’s as a community staple. Biological Sciences major Abigail Glezerman (25’) views the bodega as a major aspect of student life. 

“I’d say the attitude is pretty much the same for everyone,” she said, “It’s this common hangout spot. Like, if you’re going somewhere, ‘Oh, let’s meet at Rocky’s,’ just [because] it’s so convenient and everybody knows where it is.”

Rocky’s appeal is very similar to what it was almost 40 years ago, and Glezerman explained why.

“It’s right there on the corner and it has everything that everyone loves from Funyuns—a personal favorite of mine—to sandwiches [on which] you can choose what you want or pick from the menu,” she said. “My favorite is something called the ‘Prince Teach,’ even though everyone knows it’s a typo, and should be ‘Prince Tech.’”