Cobble/Boerum Hill Rumors: Trader Joe's & McD's
It’s a big news day in the food department for Cobble and Boerum Hill. This morning, The Brooklyn Eagle broke the news (well, it’s still technically a rumor) that Trader Joe’s will be moving into the Independence Bank building at Atlantic on Court. No sooner had we read that than a tipster passed on word…
It’s a big news day in the food department for Cobble and Boerum Hill. This morning, The Brooklyn Eagle broke the news (well, it’s still technically a rumor) that Trader Joe’s will be moving into the Independence Bank building at Atlantic on Court. No sooner had we read that than a tipster passed on word from a “fairly reliable neighborhood source” that the the Army Navy and Realty storefronts at Smith and Wyckoff (GMAP) were going to be taken over by McDonald’s. “If this is true, then, well, it f—ing sucks,” groused our man on the inside. Anyone else heard this?
Trader Joe’s Coming to Old Independence Bank [Brooklyn Eagle] GMAP
There’s no stopping McD’s…it’s actually (and unfortunately) a perfect location… The Gowanus Houses residents will keep
that McD’s going big time.
I’d like to say that Key Food (in Greenpoint) has expanded its ethnic and organic produce stock a lot. Their employees seem to be compensated well enough since they are all pleasant almost all the time. From checkout to stocker to Deli counter to management.
Sales are very good too.
3:57 here: WWIB, you are correct. With a few exceptions, the choices have become sadly inferior, and, if I might add, twice as expensive as those other neighborhoods. Here you can buy (cardboard) tomatoes for $1.29 lb..when they’re on sale. In Bay Ridge, you get a whole bushel of fresh vine ripe tomatoes for not much more than that. Needless to say, this year I’m growing my own tomatoes, green peppers & Italian eggplant.
2:43 – the reason I believe everyone has a starbucks cup is because very few local ‘coffee shops’ have any idea how to make coffee – I am only talking espresso here (I don’t drink all those other drinks so I cant say).
Now I am not saying that Starbucks makes a great espresso by any stretch but it is at least passable (especially now that they have taken the human element out with superautomatic machines), they at least know what crema means and that espresso isnt suppossed to fill a whole cup or be served in a 32oz mug.
Interestingly the local stores that do know how to make a ecent coffee seem to thrive – Cafe Regular, Gorrilla and D’amico come to mind
Lifer: I’m 3:57: Also Paris Court theater across from the “Rex” where D’Amico Day Care is now, and there was a theater on Clinton St somewhere near the BB tunnel entrance where my parents took me (a 6-yr old) to see “Some Like it Hot.” I remember laughing my head off at Jack Lemmon twirling his pearls….Yes, off topic, but who cares 🙂
“Bohack’s” props to 3;57, someone who’s been here as long as I…However, I remember Bohacks had torn candy and food bags that people would snack on as they shopped, it wasnt the cleanest, but it did have the sawdust on the floor, oh those were the days…That was when the Cobble Hill Cinema was one huge theater “the Rex”…and Sal’s pizza was actually good… sorry i got off topic, carry on
Sahadi’s will be fine no matter who moves in. They run a thriving wholesale business in addition to the retail store. But we DO need more decent grocery choices in BH, CH, CG. When I was growing up, there were at least six supermarkets in the area (Key Food, A&P, Pioneer, Bohack’s — where Thrifty Beverage-Tea Lounge-KC Art Supply are located on Court/Kane), as well as many independent greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers, and small grocery stores. The food shopping experience is nowhere near what it used to be (I’m talking 1960s, 70s, even 80s).
Trader Joe’s is a wonderful store. I lived around the block from one in Boston and it was a very small location, but was packed with good stuff – dried fruits and cookies for snacking, healthy frozen foods to bring for lunch and your basics like milk, bread, etc. In my experience, they don’t do a ton of fresh produce in small locations like this – it’s more of a pantry-stocking operation.
As for Sahadi’s, they will be fine. I love them for their low prices (near east coucous costs 1/2 what it does as evil key foods), and for their amazing spice collection. it really can’t be beat.
Here’s hoping the combination of the two stores puts Key Foods right out of business. That place is terrible – and it’s supermarkets like this, Gristedes, and D’Ag that suck the life out of our brooklyn neighborhoods; not TJ.
fight mcds hard. you will lose. they will make sure their signage and decor are “tasteful” and suited to your superior aesthetic. (clean lines!) and they will be wireless. & they will be successful because they serve salad, yogurt, and big macs. and stay at home moms who majored in english w/ a minor in women’s studies at kenyon will sneak in for a quick diet coke and will indulge in “just one” order of reg. fries and it will take her back to the memories of mcds in eau claire wisconsin. and the kids are welcomed there….