Streetlevel: Skateboards, Flowers and Dry Goods

"Skateboards, Flowers and Dry Goods"

Indeed. Retailers of questionable value/necessity = unmistakable gentrification signpost.

Posted by: East New York at May 4, 2009 2:06 PM

"So, did they just write down a bunch of items on slips of paper and then choose three at random out of a hat?"

HAR!!

"a gazillion salons and liquor stores are of a needed value/necessity."

Yes, many, many black people happen to frequent hair salons. That's why there are so many of them, many successful. Is there something particularly wrong with that? Read a bit about Madame C.J. Walker sometime. As for liquor. I guess a trendy bar is more "legitimate" than a liquor store, although both specialize in the same product.

Posted by: East New York at May 4, 2009 2:49 PM

"happen to frequent skate shops and garden stores. is there something particularly wrong with that?"

Nothing. I never said there was anything "wrong" with a skate shop/flowers/dry goods store. I said the store was of questionable value/necessity. Hair shops and liquor stores have proven their value and necessity, as evidenced by the fact that there are so many.

"take a walk down this block and tell me that having something, anything, functioning in that location isn't better for the community, whatever (you think) that community is or should be."

I do walk down the block from time to time. It's not Park Avenue or even Bleecker Street, but it's OK to me. And, the community has been there long before the store, so I guess it's managed to get along. This store might succeed, might not. They took a risk and now it's up to them to make it a success. That's business. If the community and its residents find the store useful, I imagine it will work out. I just wouldn't call this establishment especially valuable or necessary in terms of how I see the community. But that's just my opinion.

Posted by: East New York at May 4, 2009 3:32 PM

"At the same time, some of those products would be a bit controversial, no?"

How so?

Posted by: East New York at May 4, 2009 3:33 PM

"There's been some days where I am looking for a new skateboard"

You are (by your own description) a "dirty hipster," so that goes without saying.

Posted by: East New York at May 4, 2009 3:43 PM

"based on your criteria, there's no possible way anything new and unique (that's not a salon or liquor store, i suppose) could be "valuable and necessary," which kind of means your standard has no relevance."

Nice try. I didn't say "there's no way anything new and unique" could be valuable or necessary. I said I didn't find this particular concept to be particularly valuable or necessary. By the same token, the hair salons and liquor stores which have survived for years have proven their value, by their very survival and in some cases, success. Perhaps that will happen for this business. Time will tell.

Posted by: East New York at May 4, 2009 4:00 PM

"could be"

"COULDN'T be"

Posted by: East New York at May 4, 2009 4:05 PM

"based on faulty assumptions, without providing any reasoned argument"

Uh, no. I made the judgment based on my view of things. It's my opinion. I can understand if you disagree (which is your wont, based on your handle), but to say I based my OPINION on "faulty assumptions" is simply YOUR opinion. Furthermore, I didn't use "a measurement to which they cannot possibly be held" - to compare the businesses, I mentioned success - the goal of any business. You're not making any sense.

Posted by: East New York at May 4, 2009 5:48 PM

"my question to you is why you concluded, BEFORE this place has even had a chance to get off the ground, that it is of questionable value/necessity."

Are you kidding me? I made that conclusion based on my opinion that the products and services being offered at this store won't necessarily find enough of an audience to be successful. That's all. It's my opinion - I just don't think there are enough of a market - white, black, Chinese or whatever - that will support a skateboarders/flowers/dry goods store. After Santa made the comment about hair salons and liquor stores, I observed that the longevity and success of many of those business indicated that they indeed served the needs of the community. I only mentioned race because it's no secret that most of the hair salons in particular serve a black clientele.

I'll go further: while skateboards, "dry goods," flowers and hair salon services are ALL discretionary purchases, I'd wager that most of the people of this community - regardless of their background - would find a hair salon of greater use than a skateboarders/flowers/dry goods store.

OK, get it now? Mow, I'll say it again - this concept seems to me to be of questionable value/necessity.

"you kinda seem to be saying, "this place is for white people, who buy stupid crap."

A: I never said that, and that's not what I mean. What's wrong with you guys? You seem to take it personally that I don't think this is a viable business concept. I'll say it again: I don't think this business will prove to be of particular value or necessity to the community. Why? Because it has an odd mix of products (in my opinion) that the community - black, white, Hispanic, Filipino, South American, Caribbean-American, Hasidic, etc. - will not necessarily find useful. It has nothing to do with race. Now, as I have admitted more than once, I could be wrong. Time will tell.

Posted by: East New York at May 5, 2009 2:17 PM