Closing Bell: Happy Fruit Men Everywhere
The Brooklyn Paper reports that all is well at the Brooklyn Heights fruit stand that opened almost a month ago in front of the St. George Hotel—residents were at first more concerned with the legality of the street vendor than the quality of his fruit. Turns out, the owner’s free to hawk his cherries there….
The Brooklyn Paper reports that all is well at the Brooklyn Heights fruit stand that opened almost a month ago in front of the St. George Hotel—residents were at first more concerned with the legality of the street vendor than the quality of his fruit. Turns out, the owner’s free to hawk his cherries there. Meanwhile, Khan, the Park Slope fruit vendor who set up shop about the same time, reports open arms and wallets from neighborhood residents.
Heights Vendor Wants to Make People Happy [Brooklyn Paper]
mule:
1) true, except licensed venders need to comply with the health code too
2) not true
3) hardly
4) conjecture
As for the guy on Henry Street, the 84th Precinct is all over this. If the vender is legal, he’ll stay; if not, he’ll go.
What’s with the racist headline brownstoner? It’s like saying that those nice old black men that smiled reeeeel wide that shined your grand-daddy’s shoes were ‘happy’.
Yes, what a pleasant thing it is to sell fruit and be patronized (pun intended) by rich white folks that can’t seem to stop wearing flip-flops.
Well, since I’m also an immigrant, I suppose I’m just trying to make a dollar too – like the rest of you.
Jack- would that it were so simple. I’ve seen plenty of good, welcoming businesses that were assets to the community fall by the wayside. I’ve seen plenty of crap businesses stay on year after year too- without going into the reasons for any of this, when businesses close it affects the neighborhood. If a street vendor moves on, it affects convenience.
I agree Biff! If Brooklyn Heights were racist, that vendor wouldn’t be doing well. iluvclintonhill’s comment is completely uncalled for.
“he should set up shop in Clinton Hill where he is needed and where the residents wouldnt mind that he is an immigrant trying to make a dollar like the rest of us.”
Yeah, iluvclintonhill, because we’re all a bunch of racists in Brooklyn Heights. What a stupid comment.
I wish him well but he should set up shop in Clinton Hill where he is needed and where the residents wouldnt mind that he is an immigrant trying to make a dollar like the rest of us.
“…vendors (not unreasonably) want to make the most money they can and think that only in richer neighborhoods can they do that.”
They also want safety and the cushion of a nice/healthy local economy. Fruit carts like this mainly pop in areas that have lots of other walkable retail, but no decent selection of fruit. There’s a tipping point to where street vendors come in.
Also, I’m not in the mind that we should pity a stores overpriced rent. I support stores that support me and welcome me; I don’t look at their lease before buying something from them. It’s not my business and concern.
If you open a business, be an asset to the community and the goodwill and business will flow regardless of rent.
Yeah Jack- we need several, along with a few more stores that sell fruits and vegetables. I love hearing BH and PS are underserved. Right. What you mean is they don’t want to walk that far, unlike those of us in BS,CH and Bushwick who have to.
The neighborhoods that need them most aren’t getting them because vendors (not unreasonably) want to make the most money they can and think that only in richer neighborhoods can they do that.
Mule made good points- points that have been made about street vendors for a long time. Not to say I don’t think they shouldn’t be allowed- but not where they directly compete. We should be supporting brick and mortar businesses first and realistically they can’t compete with a street vendor’s prices. But when they go out of business don’t be complaining how your neighborhood is underserved while you stand in line at the fruit stand.
Mule, a fruit stand will not destabilize anything anywhere. If people avoid Brooklyn Industries because a fruit stand is there, that would be hilarious. It’s about as logical a complaint as the church going folks complaining that the Brooklyn Flea ruins their ability to worship. You might as well say that people bottling their own water is threatening to Poland Springs.
Also, Heather’s point about under-served neighborhoods is correct, but a business is still a business. After the Gristede’s fire and the closing of D’Agostino, the neighborhood is definitely under-served. And the location outside the St. George has lots of foot traffic.
Bedford Stuyvesant, Crown Heights and Bushwick need more than just a fruitstand.