Shopping
October 9, 2009
So Long, Slope Socksmith
A construction fence recently went up in the gutted building on 5th Avenue between Degraw and Sackett that's hosted the Socksmith—that guy who sold socks, belt buckles and other stuff—for some time now. (Here is Park Slope had an interesting writeup about him a few months back.) We're not likely to see the Socksmith in that location again because DOB permits show the space is being renovated, and a person working in the vintage shop next door, which is called Monkey Whistles and Motor Bikes, said they'd be moving into the fixed-up digs when construction's complete. GMAP DOB
September 21, 2009
Brooklyn, the Frugal City?
According to online finance site Mint.com, residents of Brooklyn cut back on spending in 2009 in the first half of the year more than any other city in the United States. Compared to 2008, the average Brooklynite has spent 28 percent less this year, whereas the national average for spending per person dropped only 13 percent. One caveat: Mint.com collects data from its users; thus the sample pool for the spending data is self-selecting and most likely an inaccurate representation of the U.S. Even with Mint.com's particular demographic in mind, it's an interesting observation. Also, if you take a look at the graphic, you'll see that the greatest decreases in spending for which Mint.com has data were in New York and California—states with cities that rank highest for cost of living in the U.S.
The Most Frugal Cities in America [Mint.com]
August 12, 2009
Savings in Fort Greene
Looking to stretch your penny in Fort Greene? Gianna Palmer of the Daily News not only created an extremely handy list of wallet-friendly shops in Fort Greene, but she also broke it down into particular deals you can find in the neighborhood, like the five-dollar pizza at Black Iris, the three-dollar dry-cleaning at Chinese Laundry and Dry Cleaners, or the two-dollar dozen of extra large eggs at Fort Greene Food Market. It's a handy list, albeit geographically limited to a small stretch of DeKalb and a couple spots on Myrtle. Brownstoner readers, feel free to use the comments section to weigh in and make the list more robust!
Savings in Fort Greene [NY Daily News]
Photo by Jim
August 7, 2009
L Mag's Best and Worst Store Openings
Brooklyn makes a strong showing in L Magazine's annual list of noteworthy store openings. Writer Laurel Pinson also, appropriately, includes an R.I.P. section for those noble shops lost to these tough economic times. The Brooklyn retailers who made the cut were Smith + Butler at 225 Smith Street in Cobble Hill; The Brooklyn Bridge Flea, at the intersection of Water and New Dock Streets in DUMBO; and Dossier at 244 DeKalb Avenue in Fort Greene. Brooklyn Flea represent!
July 20, 2009
StreetLevel: Shoe Store, Hair Salon Opening on Van Brunt
Add two more to the growing list of new Red Hook retail offerings: According to a sign in the window, a "hair boutique" called Suite 352 is going to open on the corner of Van Brunt and Sullivan, and across the street a shoe store is opening. The owner of the shoe store said it should be open within a week and that the shop's name is still up in the air. GMAP
July 7, 2009
StreetLevel: New Market Opens in the Can Factory
A few weeks ago marked the first run of a bimonthly market in the garage of the Old American Can Factory on 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue. The market, which runs on the second and fourth Sundays of every month (next one is this weekend), is described as "a curated makers' market of art and design products and services. The market is a new place to find art and wares designed and crafted by a broad community of creative makers and organizations, including many based at the Can Factory." A list of some of the vendors involved—which include jewelry designers, chocolate makers, and textile artists—is here.
Can Factory Market [Official Site] GMAP
Continue reading "StreetLevel: New Market Opens in the Can Factory"
May 28, 2009
Whole Foods Rumor Bites the Dust
The Local dispels the rumor started by the developer of the 365-unit rental at 470 Vanderbilt Avenue that Whole Foods was under consideration for the site: "'There’s “nothing in the works here right now,' said Mara Engel Wedeck, contact for the Northeast region for the behemoth healthy foods chain." Oh well.
January 6, 2009
Closing Bell: FIPS Goes Undercover
FIPS goes undercover for a four-part series to expose the Target in the Atlantic Center Mall (or also known as "The Seventh Level of Hell"). What is your experience with the store?
December 26, 2008
No Recession at Target
On a lighter note...check out the wide selection of toys and clothing left at Target in the Atlantic Center on December 23. Recession? What Recession!
More photos on the jump...
December 16, 2008
Closing Bell: Nine Days Left for Shop Brooklyn
Yesterday at lunchtime the Dumbo BID hosted a cheerleading event for the Shop Brooklyn campaign in the Pearl Street Triangle. Front Street Pizza was handing out free hot chocolate and coffee and various paraphernalia was on display in front of Halcyon, one of the many participating merchants in Brooklyn.
December 5, 2008
Brownstoner on Etsy.com. Help!
Handmade mecca Etsy.com is putting together a video-streaming series of guest shopping picks next week and on Wednesday we'll be in the hot seat, highlighting some of our favorite finds. We've already got some ideas (Flea regular Reclaimed Home, for example, has been "upcycling" some of her vintage items for sale on Etsy), but we could use your input. Have any favorites? Chances are we'll be focusing on gifts that have some kind of salvaged or recycled element.
September 11, 2008
Retail Doings on the Slope-P. Heights Border
Although High Stakes Cheese Steaks bit the dust a few months ago and plenty of large storefronts nearby are sitting empty, there's a cluster of new openings on or near this busy stretch Flatbush. On the corner of Dean and Flatbush, New York Chess and Game Shop recently opened. The store is advertising group classes for kids and adults, and it sells all manner of chess gear. A block away, on Bergen between Flatbush and 6th Ave., an Aveda salon is opening in the storefront of a rental building that was extensively renovated. Meanwhile, on the southwest corner of Flatbush and Bergen, the space next to Pintchik Hardware is once again transforming into a Halloween costume emporium c/o Ricky's. Far as we know, Ricky's will, like last year, only take over the storefront for the season.
August 20, 2008
Fort Greene Co-Op Chooses Toiling
Despite the low-pitched groan that emanates from the Park Slope Food Co-op due to compulsory work slots, the impending Fort Greene co-op has chosen to follow Park Slope's model. The Brooklyn Paper reports that every member of the Greene Hill Co-op will work a shift in exchange for discounted organic groceries, though they're in favor of a less strict policy than Park Slope's, which has members work two shifts if they miss one. Can't have community unless all folks participate, they decided. Now they just need to find a space.
Workers of the Co-op Unite [Brooklyn Paper]
PSFC Produce. Photo by bluesage.
June 25, 2008
StreetLevel: Smith Street Losing Its Flirt
Sad news. The original Flirt boutique is calling it quits. An email that just went out from the store says the following: "Our building on Smith Street has been sold and we will be closing that location as of June 30th." The Flirt on 5th Avenue in the Slope will stay open. The Smith Street Flirt opened eight years ago and was part of the first wave of newer retail to the thoroughfare. Metromix reports that the shop is having a big sale before it says goodbye.
Flirt on Smith Street to Close [Metromix] GMAP
Photo from stroeadore.
June 20, 2008
Bird Blog: Week 7
Every week, Jennifer Mankins, owner of the Bird boutiques, tells us about the new 2,500-square-foot store on Grand Street in Williamsburg that she's getting ready to open. Last time 'round, the DOB granted the Bird crew work permits. This week, interior demo begins.
We finally had all the right information from all the right people – landlord signatures, proof of addresses, demo plans, the okay from the asbestos inspector, etc., - so our expeditor, Code LLC, was able to get the permit in just a few days. It was time to get excited, and we agreed with Bill that demo would begin the next Tuesday. But Monday night, I got a call from Stephanie. She explained that one of Bill's trucks had been tampered with (apparently there is real gold on the catalytic converters of Ford trucks?!?) and we'd have to put off the demo until Thursday. It felt a little anti-climatic after the long build up, but I guess I could wait two more days...
June 12, 2008
StreetLevel: Park Slope's No Meat Market
A reader writes in to tell us that what he believes to be "the last full-service butcher shop in Park Slope," Western Beef on 5th Avenue between 7th and 8th streets, "has abruptly closed its doors." Buzz is that the shop's proprietor owned the building and simply decided to call it a day. Anyhow, was this indeed the last butcher operating in the Slope? We know there are a couple of businesses like the Italian deli/butcher on 5th between 1st and Garfield that are still going strong, but we're not sure whether this was the last place in the Slope that was only a butcher, and nothing else. Anyone know? GMAP
June 6, 2008
First Bloom at Atlantic Gardens: Aveda
A developer's plan to build a mini-shopping center on Atlantic between 3rd and 4th avenues is starting to come to fruition. The first tenant to sign on for Barbara Koz Paley’s Atlantic Gardens, which consists of five storefronts joined together by a 4,000-square-foot backyard garden, is an Aveda salon operator. The business should open in August or September, says Paley, who's still luring other tenants. One of the spaces is set aside for a restaurant, and Paley would like to see a cafe take the lease for another. The developer thinks a high-end electronics or clothing retailer would probably work best in the final spaces. Two of the storefronts will be open to the public and feature installations this weekend as part of the Atlantic Avenue Artwalk. Click through for a rendering of the project and garden.
StreetLevel: Atlantic Gardens Retail Starting to Sprout [Brownstoner]
Atlantic Avenue Artwalk [Official Site]
May 30, 2008
Bird Blog: Week 5
Every week, Jennifer Mankins, owner of Park Slope- and Cobble Hill-based boutiques Bird, tells us about the new 2,500-square-foot store on Grand Street in Williamsburg that she's getting ready to open. Last week, we heard about preliminary contractor interviews for the store.
In addition to the initial list he made for me, my architect friend Mike recommended I contact Jason Linde, another young, very talented architect that he had worked with on several projects. One good thing about Jason was that he was a one-man operation with very low overhead. He could give us high design without the extra costs associated with a full-service firm. The hitch? He lived in Washington, DC and would only be available to work part-time on the project. I know, I was crazy to even consider it, but good recommendations are few and far between, and he had a lot of retail experience including working on the new Barneys New York in Las Vegas. In preparation for our initial meeting, I started researching inspirational designs and materials. After a walk-though at the site with him, he agreed that we should demolish the existing interior before starting to design. It would be much easier to visualize the space once it was stripped down to its shell. Eventually, all roads led to the architect for the Farm on Adderley (above), the Ditmas Park restaurant....
May 23, 2008
Slippery Slope: Two Down on 7th Ave.
The big news in Slopeland today is that Tea Lounge is closing its location on 7th Avenue. The coffeehouse is calling it quits because its landlord wants to double its rent, according to a story in the Brooklyn Paper. Tea Lounge opened on 7th Ave. and 10th Street in 2001. The business isn't the only one saying sayanora to the South Slope: five blocks down, the crafts store Greenjeans is also clearing out. According to a post on the shop's blog, the sustainable-wares store is "in the process of looking for a new location that will provide us with more space, more foot traffic, and greater accessibility." Greenjeans has occupied a storefront on 7th Avenue between 15th and 16th streets for a little over three years, and it's going to keep selling stuff through its website and at the Flea until it finds a new bricks-and-mortar location.
Tea Lounge to close in July! [Brooklyn Paper]
Greenjeans is Moving [Greenjeans]
Photo of Tea Lounge from Tea Muse.
May 21, 2008
StreetLevel: Swedish Fast Fashion to Invade Fulton Mall?
Intriguing...Racked is reporting via "an informant" that H&M's second Brooklyn location (the other's way down on Avenue U) is going to be at the Fulton Mall. If the rumor's true, it'll be a victory for the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, which has been pushing for more big-name chains to sign leases at the Mall.
Storecasting: H&M to Set Up Shop on Fulton Mall [Racked] GMAP
Fulton Mall ‘Mallification’ Inevitable? [Brownstoner]
Photo by wallyg.
May 16, 2008
Bird Blog: Week 3
Every week, Jennifer Mankins, owner of Park Slope- and Cobble Hill-based boutiques Bird, tells us about the new 2,500-square-foot store on Grand Street in Williamsburg that she's getting ready to open. Last week, Mankins wrote about examining the storefront she ended up renting.
It took a few weeks to hammer out the details of the lease. There were lots of issues to be determined, some easier than others. It only took a moment to decide on the hours of operation, garbage pick-up, real estate taxes and liability insurance coverage, but other issues proved to be more complicated. For instance, the matter of alterations. My landlord wanted written approval of the contractor I chose, as well as written approval for all structural and non-structural alterations, installations, additions or improvements made to the space. I thought this was excessive and could easily lead to my being in default of the lease, for something as small as changing a light fixture or repainting. The landlord is very reasonable, and I didn’t think I would have any problems, but I had to protect myself from being in default of the lease. What if the building was sold, and a new landlord wanted to kick me out and raise the rent? After much back and forth, we finally agreed that written approval would only be required on structural changes or changes with a value of more than $10,000. What next? A 10-step game plan that included compiling examples of inspirational spaces from around the world, like those above...
May 12, 2008
StreetLevel: Beers and Blowouts Coming to North 7th
Two well-loved NYC businesses are setting up shop right next door to each other on North 7th Street in Williamsburg. At 113 North 7th, which is between Berry and Whythe, East Village bar d.b.a. just signed a lease for its first Brooklyn outpost (there's one in New Orleans, as well). One of d.b.a.'s owners says the bar, which is known for its extensive beer selection, should be up and running in the Burg by the end of next month. Meanwhile, next door at 115 North 7th, The Beehive Salon, late of Lorimer Street, will be opening its new location this coming weekend. The salon's employees say they were booted out of their old salon because "it's being turned into condos." Beehive has made it onto "best-of" lists in the Voice, L magazine, and Citysearch. GMAP
Will IKEA Be a Traffic Nightmare for Red Hook?
Today's NY Post has a story that looks at the measures being taken to mitigate the car and people traffic that some believe is going to overwhelm Red Hook when the home-furnishings giant opens next month. First off, there's going to be a free Water Taxi running between Lower Manhattan and IKEA every 40 minutes when the store is open. Second, the MTA is extending the B61 and B77 bus lines so they stop directly in front of the store, and IKEA is going to offer a free shuttle between the Borough Hall/Court Street, Smith/9th Street, and 4th Avenue/9th Street subway stops every 10 minutes. The closest subway stop to IKEA, Smith/9th, is more than a mile away from the store. The retailer built 1,400 parking spots and expects 14,000 cars to flock to the store every Saturday. John McGettrick, co-chair of the Red Hook Civic Alliance, believes that number is going to be closer to 20,000, and he says the traffic is going to sink Red Hook's character. "There's been no IKEA in this country ever put in a situation like this; most others like the ones in Elizabeth and Paramus in New Jersey have direct access off highways," says McGettrick. "This is on a tiny peninsula that is basically a dead end."
IKEA Goes to Se-a in Red Hook [NY Post]
Photo by marko boni.
May 5, 2008
Broker Dreams Of Outlet Shopping At Revere Site
Good brokers don't just sell property, they sell a vision, especially when dealing with raw land or an area on the cusp of change. Red Hook might have missed this past gentrification wave but the sleepy neighborhood of 11,000 will no doubt be flooded with shoppers once IKEA opens June 18. Change is inevitable, considering IKEA openings in far less dense cities have caused deadly stampedes, rendered stoplights useless and clogged expressways so badly desperate shoppers simply parked and hopped the fence (things calmed down after awhile). Some people try to push back the tides of change, others surf on them. Massey Knakal director of sales Landon McGaw told us he thinks the neighborhood is ripe for an outlet mall and said Thor Equities' Revere Sugar Refinery site would be the perfect location. The refinery has been demolished, leaving a huge waterfront lot between Fairway Market and IKEA that allows 1.3 million square feet of development, according to Property Shark. "There's no outlet shopping in all of New York City," said McGaw, adding that he has a direct line to one of the nation's most prolific outlet shopping mall owners and knows developers here who have been mulling the idea. "Vorando, Related [Companies], they all have their eye on Red Hook." Just think, one day you could outfit your entire life for rock-bottom prices by visiting Red Hook's waterfront: Nab your pre-fab dining room set and bold curtins at IKEA; last season's J Crew khakis at Revere Outlet Mall; and gourmet fare at Fairway. See how Thor Equities responded after the jump...
Continue reading "Broker Dreams Of Outlet Shopping At Revere Site"
April 18, 2008
Front Page Forum: Used Office Furniture in Brooklyn?
We're in the process of moving into a new office space (more on that later) and so our thoughts have turned to things like file cabinets and conference tables. Any recommendations for good used stuff?
Latest Restaurant Additions
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Le Barricou
added November 20, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Der Schwarze Kölner
added November 19, 2009 12:00 PM in Fort Greene -
Oak Wine Bar & Café
added November 18, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Mr. Wonton
added November 17, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Casa Rosa
added November 16, 2009 12:00 PM in Carroll Gardens -
Cousin John's Café & Bakery
added November 13, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Elote
added November 12, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Miracle Grill
added November 11, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Phoebe's Cafe
added November 10, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Ruthie's
added November 9, 2009 12:00 PM in Clinton Hill, Downtown Brooklyn