Fulton Attracting 'Manhattan-Type' Customers?
The Observer has a Q&A with Al Laboz—chairman of the Fulton Street Mall Association and one of the strip’s big property owners—in which Laboz talks about new businesses like H&M coming to the corridor. He has this to say about the demographics stores are looking to cater to: “Now that downtown Brooklyn is experiencing a…
The Observer has a Q&A with Al Laboz—chairman of the Fulton Street Mall Association and one of the strip’s big property owners—in which Laboz talks about new businesses like H&M coming to the corridor. He has this to say about the demographics stores are looking to cater to: “Now that downtown Brooklyn is experiencing a renaissance, with 5,000 new apartments being developed in a four-block radius, we’re getting a new type of highly educated … I’ll call them the Manhattan type of customer. And the challenge that we have on Fulton Street right now is really to keep our core local customer while also embracing the new customer that’s starting to come into Fulton Street.” Laboz also says “major, large-scale retailers” are eying 505 Fulton. Meanwhile, a reader sent in the photo above yesterday, which shows that work’s kicked off at the future home of the Shake Shack on the Fulton Mall—not a Laboz property, but certainly an example of one of the commercial corridor’s newcomers.
Albert Laboz Has a Mall in Brooklyn He’d Like to Sell You [NYO]
To answer the question of the post: No. Why would someone from Manhattan come into Brooklyn to shop at stores that are and have been located (in the multiples) in Manhattan for decades?
To all those defending the current state of Fulton Mall, enjoy yourselves. It makes me sad everytime I walk through it, since to me it represents a crumbling state of commerce, but I guess that just makes me a racist, since I don’t appreciate the stores that sell cellphones, T-shirts and the presence of two-two!-Footlockers. Even the Duane Reade is pathetic. Also, having an Aeropostale location or Aldo does not really class the place up.
And WTF is a Moonface? Can we please stop with that?
There’s nothing wrong with a mix. But to call its current state a ‘shopping ghetto’ or otherwise imply that a mix is necessary to make this stretch successful is insulting.
“Ha ha – Let’s face it – Fulton mall is a shopping ghetto”
Well, as BHS says, it takes a certain kind of person. And don’t tell me you were only talking about the types of stores. We Brooklyn types are smart enough to read code when we see it.
Bloefeld and I were discussing this yesterday. What’s wrong with a Mix… there are a number of sites that aren’t open and an uber-ugly Macys parking lot they could redevelop and still keep ALL the cell phone and sneaker stores. The new Citypoint building is going to have a Target with Supermarket I heard, that caters to all of the spectrum.
Rob sez: “yes im white, but im far from White-White. there’s a big difference.”
First big laugh of the day.
“Not every street in Brooklyn should be 7th avenue or Smith Street.”
worth repeating.
I walk down the Fulton Mall at least once a week, and do not see it as a ghetto at all.
I can only assume that people look at the skin tone of the shoppers to make statements like that.
As several others have mentioned, there are a large number of national and local clothing stores, along with a wide variety of other shops.
Not every street in Brooklyn should be 7th avenue or Smith Street.
The comment about “Manhattan-type” people is really offensive. Sure Fulton was never 5th ave., but it was always successful. I’ve seen the changes in Fulton St. The assumption that to come from Manhattan means you are highly educated is about as ignorant a statement as I’ve ever read. I’ve shopped Fulton St. for years- long before the “manhattan types” took an interest. Believe me, and I rarely say this, but I understand where rob is coming from and why. New type? Puhleeze. Just the same old elitist types.
no offense, but Apple stores are just as nauseating as 5000 cell phone stores. i fail to see how either are any different. sheeple come in all colors you know!
*rob*