Yesterday the Sun had an article about how the soon-to-open Union Market on 7th Avenue between 12th and 13th streets means the South Slope isn’t going to be playing second fiddle to the more recognized area to the north for much longer. We’re not sure we totally buy the argument, though. On the one hand, home values in the area seem to be doing fine and dandy, and we’re sure that retail newcomers like Union Market and Beer Table are going to thrive. On the other hand, there are plenty of storefronts (especially on 7th) that are sitting empty, and a number of retail brokers have told us landlords are asking too much for their spaces and that anything south of 9th is still a distant second choice for most businesses scoping out the Slope. We think the real story is that the area’s retail is going to continue to develop at a slower pace than it did on, say, flashy Fifth Ave.—and, you know, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
New Supermarket Signals Change in South Park Slope [NY Sun]