The Times goes man-on-the-street in Red Hook and finds a wide range of opinions on how this week’s opening of Ikea will affect the neighborhood:

-It will change for the worse, said a musician.

-German Mendez, who runs a store called the Red Hook Bike Shop, called Ikea a blessing. All these people in the new houses, they don’t like it, he said, as he inspected a customer’s tire. They gave us back the pier, he said, referring to Ikea.

-Now this is Mayberry, said a customer in Mendez’s shop, with a big blue box.

-If it was a Wal-Mart, I’d be protesting, said the owner of a Van Brunt Street wine bar. This could be a really good thing.

-I’m taking a picture before the funeral, said a video artist. In a week from now, the deserted streets won’t be deserted.

And yourself?

Awaiting a Big Blue Box and an Altered World [NY Times]
Big Retailers May Follow Ikea to Red Hook [NY Daily News]
Photo by alphabetjenn.