Chain Gang Thrives in Brooklyn

I went to an IHOP once. We waited 30 minutes or more after ordering. When we finally asked what was up we were told the "chef" and the "manager" had argued to an impasse, prompting said "chef" to hop onto his Harley and ride off into the sunset.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 10:43 AM

It looks like people who live in Brooklyn are no different than in the rest of the country. At least when it comes to shopping at chain stores. I understand that the Target store is also one of the strongest in the nation. Also for a time the Home Depot in Gowanus had super strong sales, before it was allowed to dteriorate so badly. I can't imagine Walmart will allow this to go on for much longer without getting their piece of the pie.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 10:45 AM

Where does Randy Leigh want people to eat?

I love IHOP. I used to go to one all the time in Chicago. You put a POT of coffee in front of me the minute I sit down and I'm a customer for life.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 10:47 AM

Ihop is the best. And so is Walmart for that matter. Where else can you fill up an entire cart with everything from motor oil to fertilizer to clothing to groceries and still check out for less than $100. People (mostly overpriced small businesses) can complain all they want about big chains but for the consumer there is nothing better, especially in this time of big inflation.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:01 AM

Walmart is racist.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:02 AM

Whens Ikea opening?

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:05 AM

this is good news for those who want chain stores and proof that all of the whiners who bitch and moan about Applebee's, Target, BBQ, etc. don't know what Brooklyn wants.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:39 AM

Amen. Bring me a walmart, chilis, ruby tuesdays, and a decent 7-11 and I'll be good to go. People can keep their mom and pop rip off price no selection stores to themselves. While there are some very good small restaurants in Brooklyn, and all over the city for that matter, there are also some very good chains. Retail stores are another matter entirely. Bring on Walmart, Kmart and Target in abundance.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:44 AM

I'd like one in Park Slope, preferably on the courner of 7th Ave and Union, on the south side of Union, just up from the Food Co-op.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:47 AM

Who are all of you people? Especially you, 11:44. No one lives in NY because its cheap. You either live in NY because you were born here, in which case you're exempted from the coming tirade, or because you moved here knowing it was an expensive place to live. Part of the reason its expensive is because its unique, because there's variety, because its better than everywhere else. If you want IHOPs and Walmarts and Applebys or whatever other bullshit big box no character shopping, go to the suburbs where its already there. I like my corner bakery, my neighborhood bistro, the clothing boutiques, and the specialty grocers.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:56 AM

I'm an open-minded American consumner, so I tried the three chians that 11:39 mentioned. I won't be going back. I hear that the Dallas BBQ in Manhattan is better than the one on Livingston Street.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:56 AM

oh, so you mean where the Brown Harris Stevens just resigned a 10 year lease?

you know park slope well.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 11:57 AM

tell me where you find the corner bakery, the neighborhood bistro, the clothing boutiques and the specialty grocers in downtown brooklyn. You know where this IHOP is, right? Where would you have people eat instead?

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:00 PM

i worked at iHop for five years. the "flour" they use for pancakes is actually pulverized sheetrock. avoid at all costs.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:03 PM

"oh, so you mean where the Brown Harris Stevens just resigned a 10 year lease?"

Sure, why not? Check out some listings while you have your pancakes.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:07 PM

walmart would never come to downtown brooklyn. it's absurd to even say so.

with two targets saturating the market, walmart would do poorly.

in another area of brooklyn, maybe.

but the new york pr machine would do a lot to stop such a hated business from opening.

and btw, downtown brooklyn is not just fulton mall.

it is also many other areas, including the new improved shopping avenue that is atlantic.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:07 PM

Anyone know where they would put an IHOP in Bed-Stuy? Restoration Plaza? Broadway? Hate the idea of such a store, but BS has so few options anything would be an improvement.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:17 PM

The fact remains that many of the larger minority areas of Brooklyn will attract these chains.

People of color are known not to have the most outstanding eating habits, and if you walk by most applebees, ihop, mcdonalds, the majority of consumers are african american.

It's not good or bad, but these are places they like.

Just as though the white yupster set loves their Starbucks tall, vente, no skim latte whip on the side decaf mocha frap.

And the Gap.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:25 PM

This is the same story CostCo proved years ago. The 3rd ave store is the smallest in the whole chain and top the sales list.

When the store was built it was considered a huge risk.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:26 PM

IHop?
What is going on? The franchising of Brooklyn will inevitably lead the borough to evolve into a strip mall suburb that belongs in Jersey. We need more local merchants.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:31 PM

to the idiot at 12:25 it's not our eating habits it's what shoved down our throats. If you go to applebees, ihop, Mcds in the mostly white neighborhoods the customers are white.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:33 PM

Bushwick.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:34 PM

The CostCo on 3rd is a MAD HOUSE!
Super busy

Walmart may be racist, but they’ll open their lily white arms to those Hasids.

Im just sayin....

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:34 PM

I'm always amazed at how expensive the chain restaurants are. The 1 time I ate at the Fridays (at the old Gage/Tollner spot) I paid about $10 for a veggie burger. It was the only thing on their 8 page menu that didn't seem like a disgusting grease plate. I can eat better and cheaper than that at my local "red sauce" place, falafel joint, corner Indian spot, Thai, Caribbean, pizza and more. Sure we may get ripped off on bistros and brunch, but for a regular everyday nice weekday meal, why would anyone eat at a manufactured, characterless, test-marketed chain restaurant? They aren't a bargain! (Although I have the best childhood IHop blueberry syrup memories.)

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:40 PM

It must be cheaper for all these retailers to run the ghetto version of their real stores in Brooklyn. The shoddy quality of display, management, inventory, staffing and customer service would never be tolerated in a suburban setting, but the people of Brooklyn flock to it like flies on shit...

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:46 PM

"People of color are known not to have the most outstanding eating habits, and if you walk by most applebees, ihop, mcdonalds, the majority of consumers are african american."

This is an incredibly ignorant statement, even for Brownstoner poster. What color are most of the folks who patronize the McDonald's in Wyoming? or Colorado? Or Utah? Or Washington State? - three places where there are almost no black people and few people of color. The sheer stupidity of some of the people living in NYC is truly discouraging.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 12:49 PM

11:56 that is perhaps the most moronic post I've ever seen on brownstoner.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:03 PM

You're new to the blog, 1:03?

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:04 PM

"to the idiot at 12:25 it's not our eating habits it's what shoved down our throats. If you go to applebees, ihop, Mcds in the mostly white neighborhoods the customers are white."

so you are telling me the ONLY eating options in downtown brooklyn are ihop and mcd's??

ever heard of walking down to sahadi's and picking up some nuts and fruit? or over to montague street for some sushi (costs less than 2 big macs). or to the lovely thai place on montague or the 1000 other healthy choice alternatives???

don't give me that...it's all you have crap.

it's just that. CRAP.

try to take responsibility for yourself instead of blaming others.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:10 PM

You are comparing the customers at Ihop and Mcdonalds in Brooklyn to those in Wyoming, Timbucktoo? Ok fine.

And yes...they all have ONE thing in common.

They eat unhealthy food and are OBESE!

But we were talking about Brooklyn today and I see more overweight African Americans in Downtown Brooklyn than I do white people.

And notice they didn't say they were looking to expand in Carroll Gardens, Park Slope and Windor Terrace.

They said Bed Stuy and East New York.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:13 PM

Oh great, this thread has already devolved into
a rutti-tutti-fresh-and-fruity race war.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:15 PM

It's not a race war.

It's just a fact.

More black people by percentage are overweight. Why are YOU, 1:15 turning that into a race war??

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:17 PM

To all chain store detractors: I am not fond of chains but find your excessive whining laughable. If you are a truly unique, independent individual, you don't need to define yourself by where you eat and shop. Only "characterless" persons can be so concerned about "characterless" establishments.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:21 PM

Open one across from Dunkin DOnuts in the empty drugstore. Ka-ching!

Then again, maybe not. There are two excellent diners within a block.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:29 PM

Luckily for Park Slope, there are VERY few spaces that accommodate chain stores.

It is THE reason Park Slope has stayed more mom and pop shops than chains.

Most of the PS storefronts are 1000 sf.

Even the larger ones like the one now opening where the Hollywood Video is not big enough for many of the chain stores.

PS is lucky.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:36 PM

"But we were talking about Brooklyn today and I see more overweight African Americans in Downtown Brooklyn than I do white people."

Well! That settles it! You are officially an expert in the purchasing and eating habits of all Brooklynites. Now, let's return to reality: The U.S. is overwhelmingly white. For large national chains to succeed, they rely primarily on the support of WHITE customers. Certainly more blacks are overweight percentage-wise. But there are more overweight WHITES overall. To suggest that chains stores serve primarily black customers is just plain ignorant. But I wouldn't expect you to uderstand that.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:38 PM

11:56 Unique and special places like Keyfoods, C-town, and Associated foods charging $4 for the same oscar meyer franks Walmart sells for 99 cents? Or the corner cash-only food mart that charges $6 for them? Is that what you mean by unique and variety? I have lived here for many many years and there are unique experiences and expensive things which are worth the price of living here (ie houses that elsehwere would be 1/10 of their Brooklyn price). However paying crazy prices for normal name brand food and household products does not make me feel special. Maybe it does for you. If so then go ahead and enjoy spending 4 times the price for the same name brands people everywhere else pay. As a more sane New Yorker, I say bring on Walmart and all the other chains.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:39 PM

Ramble...I walked by the IHOP on Saturday morning and the place was packed with a line at the counter. Who cares which demographic visits the new IHOP; the area needs new development and the IHOP is better than what was there.

Comments about mom & pop being ripoffs do not apply to food in NYC, but certainly to home improvement stores.

And what about the restaurants on Montague? They mostly suck and therefore have no customers. And why are all the new good restaurants going places other than the Heights (Heche en Dumbo, etc)? No idea.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:43 PM

Can't wait till the new Mario Batali place opens up in the Slope!

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:47 PM

No you dummy. I never said that's our only option. and it is being shoved down our throats by the corp exes who mastered the art of taking back the hard earned pennies from the poor
You're were trying to be cute with that latte and gap shit you wrote and insulted a whole race.
Then it seems like you sang a diffrent tune in your second reply post
"And yes...they all have ONE thing in common.
They eat unhealthy food and are OBESE!"

But still want to target African Americans. Why?
Go back home or I hate knowing that your kind is among us in bklyn.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:47 PM

"You're were trying to be cute with that latte and gap shit you wrote and insulted a whole race."

I've never equated chain restaurants as bad and Starbucks or Gap as good or better.

That's your own sense of low esteem talking.

I go to plenty of chains and hate Starbucks and the Gap.

Probably even eaten at Ihop more than I've drank a nasty cup of Starbucks. And I'm as white as they come.

I was making an observation, not a judgement about an entire race.

You want to turn this into something it's not.

Every person I saw in THIS Ihop when I walked by was African American.

Period. Never said that was good, bad or the other.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 1:52 PM

1:47...your grammar is so poor, i can barely decipher your message.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:00 PM

Stop with the fucken grammar checks people.
Jesus!
You add nothing.

Read what the poster wrote. Glean as much as you can. Either abuse/agree with his comment and move on.

You people are so fucken annoying.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:07 PM

Are the grammar police worse than the people who whine and complain about the people correcting grammar?

Hmmm...you added so much to the thread, 2:07, I can't tell.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:09 PM

2:07: This is a grammar check. Please learn to f**king spell.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:11 PM

yes, PS storefronts typically are small, but it also makes many popular stores and restaurants there painfully uncomfortable to frequent.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:21 PM

I'd rather have a crowded, urban vibe (you know...the big reason many of us live in a city in the first place) than a street lined with large, ugly, poor quality chain food restaurants.

The way people talk about Park Slope being so crowded and cramped, you'd think we were talking about Wyoming here.

And I don't even live there...just happen to think it's a wonderful urban neighborhood.

Since they are so crowded as you say, 2:21:
1. It's clear a lot of people like them
2. You not wanting to frequent them only makes them more pleasant.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:29 PM

Stuff white people like:

#62 Knowing what’s best for poor people
http://tinyurl.com/yrt936

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:44 PM

1:47 or 2:00- Save the grammer for yo momma! Can you decipher that? You get my point very well.

Your orginal post was plain stupid and ignorant.I blame your mom and dad. Stop back peddling your making it worst.
If you would simply make more "observations" about your greedy ones in your race you would probally have a better understanding of the eating habits of the poor in this country.

Stank you very much!

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:48 PM

2:44, why are you equating non-white people with poor people? Sounds racist to me, which isn't surprising coming from someone who starts a post with the stereotyped comment "Stuff white people like:"

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:49 PM

2:48 also is equating black people with poor.

Interesting...not very helpful for your race, bud.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:52 PM

2:48, that's "Stop back peddling YOU'RE making it WORSE." I have to go out at 5pm, so I'll save the time it would take correcting all of the other grammatical issues with your post.

As for "greedy ones in your race" not understanding "the eating habits of the poor in this country"; there's enough racism between you and 2:44 to make a Klan member blush.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:53 PM

actually, 2:53 (and by extension, 2:48--though if you're going to be grammar police, 2:53, you'd better deliver the goods) it's "backPEDALING," not back peddle.

You're all frickin' morons! All of youse!

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:56 PM

Robb Report.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:57 PM

dont try it 2:52 i was not equating black people with poor

Poor white people eat fastfood aswell. it's just plain wrong to stroll through a predomintly black neighborhood and pass judgement and "say why dont they eat sushi or Tai like me".

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 3:04 PM

it's thai.

you know...like thailand.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 3:08 PM

Unless 3:04 was referring to Tai Babilonia.

Biff Champion

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 3:12 PM

Actually 3:04 the issue is not saying...whey don't you eat sushi or thai like me...it's your quote "...it's not our eating habits it's what shoved down our throats." that is disturbing.

NO ONE is shoving anything down your throat. You have a selection of food JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DOES!

If you argued that fast food was cheaper, fine we could try to talk about that even though I don't agree. But you are suggesting that there simply are no other options which I'm telling you is FALSE. I could name 10 places with 5 blocks of the new IHOP with better quality food for less, but you are so ignorant that you don't even know how to argue the actual point at hand and want to continue the same oh whoas me...I'm a poor black man that everyone hates crap that is so tired already.

Why don't you take a cue from our hopeful soon to be President Obama and realize that YOU are the one who needs to stand up for yourself and stop playing the victim.

I've never forced ANYONE to eat at IHOP.

You want equal rights, act like an equal not a poor helpful victim waiting for the white man to give you everything you want.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 3:17 PM

helpLESS not helpful.

sorry.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 3:19 PM

2:49 did you actually read what 2:44 posted? It is a blog that parodied racial stereotypes. I found it hilarious.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 3:23 PM

3:23, yeah, I read it. Sorry I just can't buy into the concept that all white folks should feel guilty. Parody or not, it's lame.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 3:58 PM

Geeze 3:17 you took the whole shoved down our throat comment that I stated at 12:33 too literally.
Again for the last time fast food corporations are not rich off of minorities they're rich because of the poor. What I meant by being shoved down our throats is offering cheap toys to wee ones and for 6 bucks you can get 3 cheese burgers, 2 fries and an orange drink tax not incl. Those are flat prices nation wide and poor folks in bklyn, west virgina,Appalachian mountains and East LA enjoy those bargins.

It's seems like you're overly excited that there's a platform where you can hide under your keyboard and spew deep political feelings out your ass all day. What a pussy.

For the record I can fully stand on my own 2 feet. Don’t get it confused because I orginaly wrote “our”. I find it pathetic and disgusting that you keep blowing smoke by mentioning race and now Obama. I will continue to blame your folks for your ignorance. You really need to go back home and do your “observations” from there. We don’t want your kind around here.

(spell & grammar check Pwease)

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 4:16 PM

I'm not going anywhere, 4:16. Sorry to disappoint you.

I belong here just as much as you do.

And I can spell beyond a 3rd grade level so there's a good bet I'll make it farther than you do.

Blame is so 1960.

Learn to evolve.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 4:21 PM

btw, you can't get a meal for 6 bucks at ihop anymore than you can at one of the healthier places someone else was referring to which are nearby.

this wasn't a thread about mcd's, 4:16.

are you ok??

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 4:22 PM

the only thing I was concerned with and the store owner was concerned with was that the coor of my money was green!you people are lame

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 4:31 PM

"We don’t want your kind around here."

This should be Brooklyn's new motto.

Brooklyn is the new Mississippi!

It disgusts me to live among WAY too many old, arrogant b#astards who think they created the world.

Step aside, grandpa, there's a new Brooklyn a comin!!

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 4:36 PM

When will we put aside these petty squabbles and unite against the scourge of stroller-milfs holding up friends of people who live in Williamsburg at gun point!!!???

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 4:41 PM

Dumb ass 4:21 so you're the juvenile spell checker? Loser! So,when you're embarassed you spell check others and skip all the way home to your apt?

This idiot can spell but cant read i seen it all. You gotta be like the Lord of all dumb asses. You were the first person to mention Mcdonald's.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 4:43 PM

I guarantee if you took a poll, 4:43 more people would vote you the "lord of the dumb asses"

Any grown adult who uses the word dumbass is well...pretty ignorant in my opinion.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 4:51 PM

Come on L.O.T.D.A, I expect a lot more from an adult. give it a rest already.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 5:01 PM

It's the end of the world as we know it
And I want pancakes.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 5:31 PM

i prefer my pancakes organic.

and with locally grown blueberries.

no thank you.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 5:54 PM

That will be $25. Thank you.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 6:01 PM

IHOP Sucks!!
Cracker Barrel is the best!!!

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 6:55 PM

fuck ihop!!!

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 7:24 PM

Sambo's is better than Cracker Barrel.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 7:25 PM

iHop is the Carroll Gardens of Pancake Houses.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 7:38 PM

ihop is the next product to be released by apple.

will be the hottest chain on the planet soon.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 8:24 PM

No, that's iHope, the newly rebranded Barack Obama.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 9:17 PM

In a few years NYC, with Brooklyn leading the pack, will have an obesity rate on a par with Dallas, TX. Just wait and see...

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 9:25 PM

Yep, thank heaven Manhattan has escaped the influx of chain restaurants.

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 9:27 PM

your brooklyn/dallas is a great comparison.

you know....because the two cities are so, so similar.

will we become obese from the hours of traffic we sit in every day like in dallas?

yeah, you're a moron.

chain = obese?

god, you're brilliant!

Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 9:50 PM

YES, NYC will become more and more obese. This Brooklyn IHOP leads ALL national locations in sales. Number one in sales!

Posted by: guest at February 26, 2008 8:38 AM

this thread has strayed way off base (as increasingly found on this site) Is this not a Craig's List rant? Please move it elsewhere. Gracias.

Posted by: guest at February 26, 2008 8:54 AM

de nada.

Posted by: guest at February 26, 2008 9:35 AM