Over the weekend, we received the sad news that Kenny Moscot, co-owner of one of our neighborhood’s iconic businesses, passed away on Friday. Joining the family business in 1992, he was a driving force behind the transformation of Sol Moscot into an international brand. Kenneth Charles Moscot was 40 years old. He had been suffering from an illness for awhile, according to Moscot spokesman Matt Parkhurst.
A funeral was held for Moscot in Great Neck, New York yesterday. Parkhurst told us, in an email message: “Kenny was truly an inspiration. He was a leader, a visionary, a father, a brother, a son, and our friend. Quite simply, Kenny was a remarkable human being who was loved – genuinely loved – and admired by everyone who was ever fortunate to have known him. To say he will be sorely missed does not begin to do justice to the hole he will leave in so many of our lives.”
In September, I interviewed Moscot for a profile of the eyewear company, a fixture on Orchard Street for generations. At a time in which many historic companies have moved from the Lower East Side or shut down altogether, Moscot is a big success story. Kenny and his older brother, Harvey, are credited with turning a “mom and pop store” into a major force in the fashion and eyewear industries. During our discussion, Moscot talked about his fond memories working in the LES store and hanging out in the neighborhood. But he also emphasized the importance of embracing his family’s roots in the neighborhood.
If you would like to honor Kenny Moscot, the family asks that you make a donation to Moscot Mobileyes, a foundation dedicated to preserving eye sight and improving lives by providing free quality medical eyecare and eyewear to New York City’s underserved populations. Parkhurst says it’s a charity close to Moscot’s heart.
