Our Story

The Brooklyn Imports Story

Immigrating from Poland in the late 1980s, at a time when there seemed to be no end in sight to communism, Christopher packed his bags in search of the American dream. Just one year after arriving in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, he opened his very first store. It was there that his love for food, customers, and business all came together.

The store quickly became a success, but Chris wanted more. He envisioned offering a broader selection of European goods to his clients—something that had been difficult under the political climate in Poland. When communism finally fell, that dream became possible.

Chris sold the store and, together with his wife Doris, launched a new venture. Their first shipment was a container of syrups from Poland. It arrived on a scorching summer day, and they had to unload it by hand. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was theirs—and it was the beginning of something special.

That first brand, Belveder, was born, offering syrups, pickles, and sauerkraut made in Poland using family recipes. Through years of hard work and long days and nights, Chris and Doris grew their business—from one container to many, from a few products to hundreds. They soon outgrew their Brooklyn location and moved to New Jersey, where Brooklyn Imports could expand with more space and greater opportunities to import goods from Eastern Europe.

Fast forward over 30 years, Brooklyn Imports is still proudly run by Chris and Doris at their New Jersey location. They are now joined by their adult children, Alex and Kristoff, who have helped expand the once-small family business all the way to Chicago.