Beloved Park Slope Specialty Food Shop Temporarily Shutters After Fire

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — A beloved Park Slope specialty food store is reeling after a fire tore through the shop.

The blaze, which started at Hiller & Moon early on the morning of May 20, was put out in less than half an hour, according to the FDNY, but still left the shop gutted; displays of cured meats and imported cheeses were covered in soot, and the floors and walls were blackened, photos show.

"The fire destroyed the entire interior of the shop and will require significant time and money to rebuild," reads a GoFundMe created on behalf of the shop.

While the destruction is undeniable — the 814 Union Street storefront needs new electrics, cases and floors and is closed for the foreseeable future — store employees are trying to remain optimistic, taking solace in small things, like the fact that no one was harmed in the blaze and that the store's mascots remain (remarkably) unscathed.

"There's a bit of a road ahead of us, and we're grateful for all your continued support," reads a Hiller & Moon Instagram post from last week.

The shop didn't immediately respond to Patch's request for comment, but Claire Matern, a longtime store employee whose father started the shop, told The New York Post that support from the Park Slope community has been overwhelming.

"It’s remarkable. People are really coming out of the woodwork to help," she told the outlet, detailing how neighbors brought by water and bagels in the days after the fire, while others offered wine or graphic design support.

"Everyone is like, ‘We’re here to pitch in,'" she told The Post.

Matern's father, Ted Matern, opened Hiller & Moon in 2002 after a decades-long food industry career, including a stint at the iconic specialty foods store, Dean & DeLuca.

"He wanted to bring it to Park Slope, where he’s lived since 1979," the younger Matern told The Post of her father, who aimed to emulate the legendary (now shuttered) Soho grocer on Union Street.

Hiller & Moon quickly gained neighborhood acclaim, with the GoFundMe describing it as "the best small fine foods shop in Brooklyn."

"Please give what you can to help bring back Hiller and Moon better and stronger than before," reads the fundraiser, which surpassed half of its $50,000 goal Tuesday.

Find the "Hiller & Moon Fire Destruction Fund" fundraiser here.