Cortelyou Road: Vintage Stores and More
Cortelyou Road has been getting some attention over the past year for its improving retail mix. One of the recent additions is Cortelyou Vintage at 1118 Cortelyou Road which opened last summer. The owner explained its raison d’etre to a NY Times reporter at the time: “I’m looking to capture the young hipsters who want…
Cortelyou Road has been getting some attention over the past year for its improving retail mix. One of the recent additions is Cortelyou Vintage at 1118 Cortelyou Road which opened last summer. The owner explained its raison d’etre to a NY Times reporter at the time:
“I’m looking to capture the young hipsters who want unique furniture and who are not going to go to Levitz and buy new,” said the owner, Nicole Francis, who works as a financial planner and lives in a 10-room Victorian house nearby. “The key market is couples with young children.”
We thought the store was cute and a welcome addition to the strip but, frankly, the stash of chandeliers at the Thrift Shop around the corner was a greater find. Seriously. There must have been a hundred of them–some of them quite nice.
Commercial Strip Gaining in Charm [NY Times]
Hey, the only reason we’ve gone to Picket Fence a half dozen times is to support the neighborhood and the commercial strip on Cortelyou. Otherwise, we would have applied the one, two, three strikes you’re out test. No doubt the place is kid friendly, provided you have patient kids (see service critique, above).
Friends of mine have tried to get the owner of the furniture store to rent it to them to open a fitness center. He refuses saying to is not a good business for the neighborhood. FDC has been working with them to find space….so if anyone knows the owner of that building give him a nudge.
The owner of Picket Fence does not run the Farmers Market…..the PTA of 139 does.
The deal between San Remo and Gabe fell through so they are not expanding.
I have to say, my husband and I eat out a lot, in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and overall we have found the food at Picket Fence to be quite good, although I have heard others say it is a little hit and miss. We live in the neighborhood, and usually wind up at PF at least once a month, and not in a grudging sort of way. It’s fabulous to have a place in the nabe where you can grab a quick burger and a beer, or something more involved. I think PPS has hit the place at an unfortunate time, or has just had really bad luck. Which is too bad, because everyone does need to support local businesses. I think the service is in some respects due to the crowd – there was a line out the door for Brunch last Sunday and I have seen the place full at dinner time on weeknights as well. I think all this says that Cortelyou CAN support more restaurants, including this new Farm on Adderley venture, and whatever else. Would love to see a SCHNACK type place open on Cortelyou. It thrives in Red Hook, no less in need of a commercial tune-up, so why not here. One of the owners even lives in the nabe, I hear!!! Also, I have seen Gerry up to something over at the seemingly moribund, though once so promising, Cornerstone. Any news on what’s happening there? Also, I’d love to see that dismal furniture store close and a gym, even just a Bally, open up in that site.
I live on the Parade Grounds and love it. I take my little tyke for walks in the park and to the playground almost everyday. We also either go to the Prospect Park Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Brooklyn Museum, or Library at least once a week.
I make the trek over to Cortelyou to go to the Flatbush Food Co-op and John’s Bakery next door (good Semolina bread). Walking amongst the Victorian houses reminds me of Buffalo, where I’m from.
It also very nice living on the Q/B and F lines…It’s easy to get to Target or Union Square for baby supplies.
I am guilty of still getting take out from Joya or Zaytoons in Cobble Hill where I use to live…they are just too good.
PPSer a little harsh on picket fence.
I know the owners they are a very nice couple.
But 1:17pm is right if we don’t support our local stores then more store won’t come. Though every thing does not have to be about Real Estate prices going up up & up. It’s about creating a community and that is what has happen to this area. I don’t want our area to become Park Slope or Carol Gardens. I love the area they way it is, a mix of people & culture. But a new restaurant is coming to Cortelyou Road soon call the Farm on Aderly. Also the local Pizza place San Remo supposal brought the store next store and is suppose to expand to a sit down restaurant also. So much more to come.
Thanks Mr. Brownstoner for showcasing Ditmas Park West neighborhood. Don’t forget Vox Pop bookstore and coffeehouse at 1022 Cortelyou Road down the street from the Vintage store.
anon 1:17-
Right on. Have to bite the bullet a little bit to support the neighborhood. I’ll admit to being guilty of shopping outside the hood from time to time, but am trying really hard to keep it local whenever possible.
Also, regarding Picket Fence, I might add that it’s a very decent option for delivery as well.
I think its asking alot for the owner to remember all his customers. I haven’t been there enough and I feel like he always remembers us and our children, even though he has a business to run and does alot of the cooking himself. I would also say that he and his wife have made it the MOST hospitable place for kids in ALL of brooklyn that I can gather which is a huge selling point for us. I think the food is pretty decent for the prices and remember that Picket fence also has to make a profit and probably doesn’t have the foot traffic that a lot of places in park slope do. Maybe on a friday/sat night its very busy because its the only game in town, but overall its weekly numbers are probably a lot lower. They are also neighborhood residents trying to raise two kids, run a farmer’s market and a restaurant. I think they deserve a lot of kudos from the nabe.
Just on a personal note, I am also a PPS’er and find the nearly unanimous view that courtelyou and church need to be supported, yet to do that you actually have to go to new businesses whether or not you can find something better in park slope. If you support it more busineses come, if not, you’ll get another corner deli. If you don’t get the logic, maybe you’ll get this. The more amenties in the nabe drive real estate prices like nothing else. So every dime you spend in park slope is supporting their nabe’s real estate prices, not your own.
Well I disagree…I think the food is fantastic there and the owner seems to remember me, my wife and my daughter…