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October 17, 2008

Commercial Klutch: October Edition

You’d think the Trader Joe’s opening was the Coming of the Lord the way the crowds keep coming. The 100th guy in line the first day told me he got a free shopping bag. Wow…99 cents inside. We do love what they do, and wish them well. Gotta be the loveliest grocery store in Kings County. Meanwhile, down the street in a different location Urban Outfitters is struggling. Why isn’t anyone buying?

Good news for office tenants – rents are dropping. Call volume is way down all over, mirroring what’s happening in residential. 16 Court Street cut prices for the third time this year and is now offering a couple spaces outside the pre-built program for under $30 psf (ouch) if a decent tenant takes them as-is. Morgan Stanley is putting two floors at One Pierrepont Plaza on the market for sublet shortly at competitive prices, we hear. That being said, Brooklyn still has a shot because of REAP, the City/State tax abatement program that grants heavy tax credits for tenants moving employees from the small island across the water to eligible properties on the big island. MetroTech, One Pierrepont, 16 Court, 186 Joralemon, Two Trees properties and others are eligible, because the program targets major renovations and new construction, to encourage same. Click through for more commercial news.

The party doesn’t stop in DUMBO. The new shared work space Green Desk continues to grow at 155 Water, serving folks both within and relocating to Brooklyn. Even Green Desk, though, has cut its prices, reducing single desk space from $450 to $375 a month. Working Today, the people with the cool Freelancers Union ads on the subway, are taking over 6,000 sf in 20 Jay Street at $20 a foot, we hear. Small tenants keep calling for space, not enough….When’s Sunset Park going to be ready? It is? OK.

CUNY's still flogging a lease to death for 2 MetroTech. Hope the government revenue fall doesn’t kill it #0151;space is needed badly by the University.
Commercial Klutch: September Edition [Brownstoner]
Commercial Klutch: August Edition [Brownstoner]
Commercial Klutch: July Edition [Brownstoner]

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Urban Outfitters is a complete misread on neighborhood demographics. The clothing is too young, too trendy, and way overpriced. The real question is why on earth the parent company put it there? A smaller Anthropologie store, which is targeted and older, bohemian-type consumers, would probably do well.

Trader Joes has a strange, hypnotic appeal. I hardly buy anything there, but I go in at least once a week. Even when it's so crowded it's hard to navigate the aisles, it's such a pleasant place to be in. The friendly and genuinely helpful staff are also in stark contrast to nearly all other retail experiences in Brooklyn, most especially grocery shopping.

Posted by: Brooklyn Chicken at October 17, 2008 10:59 AM

Brooklyn Chicken, you are so right regarding the Trader Joe's staff. It's worth going there just for the rare experience of seeing a New York grocery store cashier actually smile at someone. It's a wonderful addition to the neighborhood.

With respect to Urban Outfitters, I appreciate them opening a store on Atlantic, but when I went in there recently and observed maybe one other shopper in the large two-floor space, I did get the unsettling feeling that it might not last too much longer.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 17, 2008 11:23 AM

It does seem that odd location for Urban Outfitter. I would think need to be near a concentration of clothing stores and more foot traffic.
But as far as Trader Joe's , I haven't found it a pleasant experiece at all. Seems like too much (ceiling) space and not much product of interest. Hectic, noisy, rushed.

Posted by: Petebklyn at October 17, 2008 11:45 AM

I'm not sure that the problem with Urban Outfitters it that it's too hip. I think it's become an indication that the hipster aesthetic has become mainstream and as a result it has become less desirable. Kind of like when you could buy clothes marketed as grunge gear at K-Mart. Even those who are still committed to the hipster look tend to seek out other less mainstream stores in an effort to feel that their look is somehow more authentic. There's nothing wrong with that, we've all done it and it usually benefits small businesses. I agree with BC that it really is out of place on Atlantic.

Posted by: gigabutz at October 17, 2008 11:49 AM

Trader Joe's is terrible, much like the one at Union Square. Firstly, as Petebklyn rightly said, there is way too much ceiling space thereby emphasizing the totally inefficient use of the available real estate. Secondly, especially for such a big space, there are hardly any products at all. It is really tough finding things and there is hardly any choice. Thirdly, much of what they sell, whilst cheap, isn't of great quality being as they are primarily an own brand type of retailer. Thirdly, the queues are horrendous which can only lead me to believe that there is a dearth of alternatives in the area rather than people thinking it is a really great place to shop. I won't go there again unless I'm desperate.

A Whole Food/Fairways type of place there would do a ton of business and would have been a much better alternative.

Posted by: spoons99 at October 17, 2008 11:54 AM

Are smiling cashiers so rare? The cashiers at the Metfood on Fulton and St James always smile, and ask after my son if he's not there.

Not sure I understand "too much ceiling space," as it should pretty much correspond to the "floor space". If you mean the ceilings are too high, that's the first time I have ever heard that complaint on a real estate blog!

I look forward to checking it out when I am over picking up my son at 261.

Posted by: Putnamdenizen at October 17, 2008 12:11 PM

Putnamdenizen, I too am confused by the "ceilings too high" statements. Are they supposed to stock the cheese and milk on a shelf 50 feet in the air? Or should they lower the ceilings? The unique building is a big part of the charm. I don't really care whether or not they're not maximizing the use of their space.

Anyway, speaking of cashiers, you did remind me that I've noticed some exceptionally nice ones also at Perelandra Natural Foods on Remsen in BH. One was so delightful, I had to seek out the manager to tell him how pleasant the shopping experience there was.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 17, 2008 12:25 PM

Outfitter's location is just all wrong - there is no reason to be on that side of Atlantic. I think they may have been swayed by the BLS dorm that is near, but it is just too far from Smith St. And the Packer, St. Ann's kids do not hang over there.

Posted by: BH76 at October 17, 2008 12:50 PM

urban outfitters is super cheap. i just think it's a bad location. the demographics of the place are pretty young. needs to attract teens and younger 20 somethings.

Posted by: wine lover at October 17, 2008 1:50 PM

Urban is also not stroller friendly and has these massive stairs...its just not in the right place...

Posted by: Alexuma at October 17, 2008 2:13 PM

I'm from out of town... but been here for quite a while...

I find the Trader Joe's frenzy quite funny. I've lived in two other cities (Boston and Seattle) where there are a bunch of Trader Joe's in each so I'm not that excited. Though, I'm happy they've moved in.

Also - I think the Trader Joe's excitement (as I've said before on this blog when they first opened) is related to the general frenzy that occurs when ANY supermarket bigger/cleaner than a bodega opens up.

I don't think it's the loveliest market in Kings County -- like others have said above, that would require a selection that is that of a proper supermarket (i.e., one-stop-shopping... not TJ's type stuff that I wouldn't want to eat every day for every meal).

Posted by: tybur6 at October 17, 2008 2:23 PM

Someone doesn't like the high ceilings in Trader Joe's? Man, this is a tough crowd! I actually had hoped they'd add a mezzanine or something, but I'm betting the LPC wouldn't allow that. I love it. Reminds me of a big open-air market in my hometown. I also think it's got a ton of great products, and the prices are insanely low.

The Urban Outfitters, I think, was just a poor read on the demographics of the neighborhood. I hear all day long about how hipster Brooklyn is, but all I see around that area -- my 'hood -- are folks in their 30s/40s who are new-ish parents or look like they might be any moment. They may be liberals, or in creative fields, but they're not walkin' around wearing the clothes they already wore in junior high in the 80s. They looked bad then, they look bad now.

I swore a Gap was going to open there, and if it did -- with a big Baby Gap section -- there would be marauding hordes. No offense to those young parents who may still sort of think of themselves as the UO demographic, but let's talk turkey. It's baby-town over there these days.

Posted by: lucille at October 17, 2008 3:06 PM

I like Trader Joe's. Reasonable prices, and if you can go during off-peak hours you can get in and out of there quickly (especially compared to the 14th Street store). And their staff has very friendly and polite.

Yes, Whole Paycheck or Fairways would be nice downtown, but WF is very pricey and there is a Fairways down in Red Hook.

Posted by: gwbrubaker at October 17, 2008 4:35 PM

Yes, Whole Paycheck or Fairways would be nice downtown, but WF is very pricey and there is a Fairways down in Red Hook.

Posted by: gwbrubaker at October 17, 2008 4:35 PM

Re: Urban Outfitters-

Nice shoppe but poorly located and pricey.

Posted by: gwbrubaker at October 17, 2008 4:36 PM

Urban Outfitters, great place to shoplift. That's about it.

Posted by: Xander Crews at October 17, 2008 6:04 PM

Re: the friendly staff at TJ's. I tend to go during quieter hours -- weekday mornings soon after they open -- and a few times I've heard staff members discussing where they came from, i.e. TJ's locations elsewhere in the country from which they have been imported. This is why they're uncommonly helpful. In NYC, there is a different (more genuine) brand of friendly, IMO. Shopkeepers who get to know you and DO ask after your family, etc. The superficial friendliness of TJ's staff is more common outside NYC. "Hi. How are you? Do you need help? (smile and move on)"

Posted by: writeonadelphi at October 18, 2008 6:57 AM

I suppose I agree somewhat with above; when I first moved from SF, it was depressing to go into (mainly) food stores and not have the cashiers, far from smiling, even say thank you when you paid. Even, for example the wine store on 7th between Carroll/Garfield, or the Copy Shop, the staff were uniformly grim. I used to say pointedly, you're welcome, but gave up after a while.

Luckily, Associated, near me has tolerably friendly staff.

Posted by: cmu at October 18, 2008 12:36 PM

« Housing Starts Plummet Brooklyn's Own Tiny House Movement »

October 17, 2008

Commercial Klutch: October Edition

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