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July 9, 2009

Streetlevel: Coffee Shop Coming to Berkeley Place

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A coffee shop from the owners of the South Slope's Cafe Regular is scheduled to open on Berkeley Place next week. The small storefront near the corner of 7th Avenue used to be home to Zuzu's Petals. Some posters on a Brooklynian thread about the opening wonder how it will coexist with Ozzie's, which is only a block away. GMAP

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im not trying to be negative, but like how many coffee shops do neighborhoods need? who is drinking all this coffee?

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at July 9, 2009 2:11 PM

Cafe Regular is supposed to be SO good. They serve La Columbe coffee, Jacques Torres hot chocolate and pastries from Marquet.

Posted by: 11217 at July 9, 2009 2:18 PM

It might co-exist with Ozzies by offering something better than the muddy swill that is served there.

Posted by: WonTon at July 9, 2009 2:21 PM

I'm drinking coffee right now.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at July 9, 2009 2:24 PM

11217 - I like that combo. Cafe Gourmand more like.

Posted by: dittoburg at July 9, 2009 2:26 PM

there are a shitload of coffee shops in park slope

Posted by: Santa at July 9, 2009 2:26 PM

They're going to compete very well with Ozzies. Can't tell you how many times I've walked right past there because the line has been out of control, there have been no seats, etc., etc.

And if the La Colombe/Jacque Torres news is true, then Ozzies will need to seriously up the ante.

Going out to get coffee....

Posted by: BrooklynButler at July 9, 2009 2:31 PM

Yes, it's true there are a shitload of Park Slope coffee shops. But there is no Park Slope coffee shop that offers the winning combo:
1. great coffee +
2.pleasant place to sit for awhile

Gorilla coffee is good, but the place is a dump. Starbucks on 7th Ave, Ozzies, and Prospect Perk on Sterling all okay to sit, but nasty coffee. Tea Lounge is a day care center that serves beverages.

Posted by: WonTon at July 9, 2009 2:31 PM

If we are all lucky the wont co-exist - Ozzies will be driven out of business - if you can't make a proper espresso, you have no business in the coffee business. Cafe Regular is great!

Posted by: fsrg at July 9, 2009 2:33 PM

The reviews on Yelp for Cafe Regular are great!

And the guy who owns the place sounds like a hoot!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-regular-brooklyn

Sounds like we're in store for a great new place here. I agree with Wonton. There really isn't a great place to sit and have a coffee up around here. I like Gorilla, but that's too far for me to walk every day.

Posted by: 11217 at July 9, 2009 2:37 PM

Gorilla: too strong but kind of a scene just to go

Ozzie's: sit there all day and no sour stomach

Tea Lounge: go there every day for a year, then never return

Starbucks: when you're hungover

Posted by: infinitejester at July 9, 2009 2:37 PM

Oh good. That's what Park Slope needs. A coffee shop.

Posted by: East New York at July 9, 2009 2:39 PM

ENY -

I'm not sure we NEED another coffee shop, but I have no doubt this place will thrive here. And it's nice to see these storefronts getting leased so quickly in this economic times. Zuzu's was great, but would have been better if they had plants instead of just cut flowers.

I also noticed yesterday that the former Tradewinds (kinda crappy furniture) place around the corner from here on 7th (next to Santa Fe Grill) has already been leased. Not sure to what yet.

Posted by: 11217 at July 9, 2009 2:42 PM

You're probably correct, 11217. Coffee shops have indeed found a fertile market in the Slope!

Posted by: East New York at July 9, 2009 2:50 PM

quote:
Tradewinds (kinda crappy furniture)

LOL now im thinking about tradewinds, the guido club on the jersey shore hahaha

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at July 9, 2009 2:50 PM

actually I agree that park slope has alot of bad coffee shops. Gorilla is good but not really a good place to sit at and sometimes its swamped. I went to Sit and Wonder on Washington and st. marks the other day and it was nice. I'll start going there more often. Kinda far away for alot of the park slopers tho.

Posted by: Santa at July 9, 2009 2:58 PM

That's my block. Frankly a bar would be much more welcome, although I'm sure I'll buy a bunch of coffee at this place.

Posted by: lechacal at July 9, 2009 2:59 PM

I called the # in the window about 6 mos ago and they were asking 2000/mo - I wonder what they got for the place for

That's a lotta coffee

Posted by: Cozzi at July 9, 2009 3:00 PM

$2000 a month is a steal when you consider that walking 20 steps up to 7th, rents start at around 8-10K...

Good on the owner of Cafe Regular for finding this little hidden gem.

Lech - I'm kinda hoping that Tradewinds place becomes a bar, myself.

Posted by: 11217 at July 9, 2009 3:05 PM

Another coffee shop is great and will do fine especially if it's a good one. The better joke about too much of something in Park Slope would be, "oh good another overpriced children's boutique". I stopped in a couple the other day. They were totally empty of shoppers and hadn't discounted much on their sparse sales racks. Holding out hope the recession ends within the next couple weeks perhaps. I saw a pair of shorts for an infant girl priced $62. I actually laughed out loud in front of the saleswoman. I just couldn't help it.

Posted by: traditionalmod at July 9, 2009 3:07 PM

Well if you live in South Slope you have Parco which makes a good cuppa coffee (they use Columbe)
I actually like Connecticut Muffin's coffee
but neither place above is good to sit in

Posted by: gemini10 at July 9, 2009 3:08 PM

quote:
I saw a pair of shorts for an infant girl priced $62.

hahahah. crazytown indeed!

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at July 9, 2009 3:16 PM

I've never spend $62 on a pair of shorts before.

Having said that, there is one cute kids shop where I get stuff for my nephew on 5th...Pink Olive I think it's called. It's the place that used to be a furniture store that I LOVED.

Posted by: 11217 at July 9, 2009 3:22 PM

"Pink Olive" never been so i cant comment positively or negatively, but it's the cheesy names like that with so many park slope boutiques that hurt my brain.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at July 9, 2009 3:26 PM

I live down the block and will definitely go to this place, especially if they open early (unlike Ozzie's).

Totally agree on the children's boutiques. People on PSP are always going on about supporting local businesses. Next time I need a $50 t-shirt with a picture of Che on it, I'll do that.

Posted by: Lesloaf at July 9, 2009 3:32 PM

Ozzies is TOO EXPENSIVE. A large iced coffee there is over $3.25. The iced coffee at gorilla's is better and only 2.25. I think if this place prices well and looks pretty, it should work out just fine. We should all meet there for coffee. I'll probably head there on the way to the gym when they open. I now walk to Gorilla and then to NYSC as my ritual.

Posted by: LincolnSlope at July 9, 2009 3:40 PM

Is Pink Olive in the old Matter spot? That was a fabulously curated store, but always empty. I kinda figured it wasn't gonna make it, even though their stuff was great. Think Matter and Oak were just a lil' too chic (exclusive?) for PS.
$62 kiddie shorts you can get away with in PS. $100 candles? Not so much.

Posted by: bkbornandbred at July 9, 2009 3:45 PM

quote:

Ozzies is TOO EXPENSIVE. A large iced coffee there is over $3.25.

hmm. is the one on 7th more expensive than the one on 5th? i know for a fact their large iced coffee is 3 dollars. unless they raised the price since this passed weekend. it's very bitter tho and they give you tude if you ask they not fill the whole cup of ice, tho the last few times ive gone in there they were fine when i said not that much ice please.

starbucks large iced coffee is 3.03 that 3 cents is mad annoying to always get back 97 cents. grrr it's also much bigger than the large they have at most places. and they have the lite ice option which is good. it's printed out on the label for the barista (hate that word too).

the cool thing about starbucks though is that you can bring in a thermos and fill it up with their milk so if you live close to one you can get all the milk you want for free and take it home for your cereal and coffee you make at home. unscrupulous yes, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at July 9, 2009 3:54 PM

Oh, and mazel mazel to this and any other quality coffee shop that wants to open in the slope. I would never want to find myself more than 1/2 a block from decent kawfee.

Posted by: bkbornandbred at July 9, 2009 4:07 PM

Rob, you're not alone...LOTS of PS parents fill up their kids' sippy cups from coffee shops' milk canteens. How do you think they can afford $62 infant shorts?

Posted by: bkbornandbred at July 9, 2009 4:10 PM

are you SERIOUS bkborn? they really do that? how gauche can you get! i havent done it a long time, but i did when i first was living in nyc.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at July 9, 2009 4:22 PM

wow, the large iced coffee at lil miss muffin's on park near the b/q is $3 too. i almost couldn't believe it, but i guess she's in line with ozzie's and sbux. bergen bagels has pretty good iced coffee for about a buck less!

Posted by: well_pHed at July 9, 2009 4:32 PM

my worry for them is they'll go the way of that scandinavian kaffe place that opened and closed on president and 5th w/in 6 months. twas like a pop-up store.

being a tiny place on a side street with no seating could be murder, no matter how good the coffee or pastries.

Posted by: goldie at July 9, 2009 4:33 PM

goldie, that basically describes Cafe Regular. They definitely have great coffee and the location is adorable. I like that they sell hard boiled eggs on a little stand.

Posted by: BHS at July 9, 2009 4:50 PM

Ever notice the whole milk canteen is always empty but the skim and half-n-half ones are always full?

Posted by: infinitejester at July 9, 2009 5:26 PM

I live at the other end of this block and i'm stoked that this is going to be a coffee shop. Ozzie's on 7th is nasty. The coffee is mediocre and the place is hot as hell usually. Starbucks is ok. Gorilla has good coffee but there are always lines and the place is a dump. Good luck to the newcomer.

Posted by: bklyndodger at July 9, 2009 5:45 PM

and ozzies always seems to smell of bleach in the morning

Posted by: goldie at July 9, 2009 5:55 PM

bkbornandbred:

Pink Olive is not in the Matter space. Matter is still alive and well...was just there over the weekend.

Pink Olive is much farther north...well not much...but definitely a few more blocks. I can't think of the name of the store it replaced though...

LincolnSlope: I go to NYSC too. Sounds like we live nearby and both make the trek down there...

Posted by: 11217 at July 9, 2009 6:15 PM

> $2000 a month is a steal when you consider that walking 20 step
> up to 7th, rents start at around 8-10K...

True enough, though it isn't a steal if your potential customers don't make those 20 steps down from 7th. Out of sight, out of mind, out of business...

Posted by: DitmasSnark at July 9, 2009 6:20 PM

Goldie:

When did Scandinavian Grace close?? I was there maybe a month or two ago....

I enjoyed that little place.

Posted by: 11217 at July 9, 2009 6:23 PM

I don't know Snark. Cafe Regular is also hidden off of 5th Avenue on a side street and from what I understand, they have quite the following.

If you bring a good product, they (we) will come.

This is going to be my new coffee place for sure.

Posted by: 11217 at July 9, 2009 6:33 PM

> When did Scandinavian Grace close??

You mean that little place on a side street? Maybe 20 steps of 5th?

> I was there maybe a month or two ago....

That won't answer *when* they closed but it might give a hint to the *why* part.

Once again: Out of sight, out of mind, out of business.

Or as Goldie noted above: "being a tiny place on a side street with no seating could be murder, no matter how good the coffee or pastries."

Posted by: DitmasSnark at July 9, 2009 6:57 PM

I really like the Matter store and would be sad if they left. I don't think it's one of those crazy overpriced stores. They offer unique, well chosen items in every price range. They have a beautiful, small glass anemone vase for $15 I've bought 3 different times as modest birthday gifts. The vase looks much more expensive than it is and people love it.

Posted by: traditionalmod at July 10, 2009 9:24 AM

I love Cafe Regular on 11th Street and Martin, the owner! Great addition to the North Slope--great coffee and frankly a more interesting vibe than Ozzie's.

Posted by: ssloper at July 10, 2009 10:50 AM

I also live on this block (there's lots of brownstoners on this block, it seems!), and yet I actually can't imagine I'd spend much time in a coffee shop just steps from my home. But I wish them well, and will certainly check them out on Sunday mornings when I go out for my NY Times.

Posted by: Park Sloper at July 10, 2009 1:31 PM

« House of the Day: 180 Adelphi Street Development Watch: Aloft Topped Out »

July 9, 2009

Streetlevel: Coffee Shop Coming to Berkeley Place

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