60 years have passed after the Istanbul pogroms of September 6-7, 1955, which affected the Greek, Jewish and Armenian communities. A Jewish shop, which has survived those days, is on the cusp of shutting down, Turkish newspaper Today’s Zaman writes.

Women’s lingerie shop Kelebek Corset (Butterfly Corset) is managed by İlya Avramoğlu, while the business was opened by his grandfather and his brother as early as 60 years ago. A deep gouge still remains in the tiny store's wooden walls which remid of those days in 1955.

“Beginning on September 6-7, [1955] the Greeks, Armenians and Jews were thrown out of İstiklal. Now, we are the only ones left. But now, the priest of the St. Mary Draperis church is trying to get rid of us,” Avramoğlu said.

One of the chief landmarks of downtown Istanbul – the street of small villas, shops and cafes - is now moving into the past.

Avramoğlu, 54, is fighting diabetes, high blood pressure, competition with large shops and an eviction notice handed down by a Catholic Church, which owns the building housing the shop. Although he was in good relationship with the former priest, he alleges the current clergyman wants to evict him from his shop and has even filed two separate lawsuits against Avramoğlu's ailing bed patient father, who owns the business on paper.

The church wants to collect the increased back rent from Avramoğlu, which he is unable to pay in full; it’s becoming harder and harder to compete with large brand shops.  Consequently, the family may be deprived of their house.  

Avramoğlu is one of the few Jewish families left in Istanbul. Only 25 Karaite Jews, who refuse to acknowledge the authority of the Talmud, are left in the city, and Avramoğlu knows them all personally.

The Jewish shop-owner was already required to leave the premises by November 2014, but he has remained on his feet while the legal proceedings are underway.  

“If you come this time next year, I might not be around,” he said.