High Rents Killing Montague Street
With a high concentration of wealthy residents and plenty of nearby businesses, Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights should be a vibrant retail strip but it appears to be a victim of its own overinflated sense of self-worth: Eight storefronts on the five-block stretch are now vacant, victims, The Daily News reports, of too-high rents. “The…
With a high concentration of wealthy residents and plenty of nearby businesses, Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights should be a vibrant retail strip but it appears to be a victim of its own overinflated sense of self-worth: Eight storefronts on the five-block stretch are now vacant, victims, The Daily News reports, of too-high rents. “The common denominator is high rent,” said the Brooklyn Heights Association’s Judy Stanton. “Little businesses will come here if they think they can make a profit, but it handicaps itself with the high rent.” Recent casualties include Heights Books (which is moving to Smith Street), Blue Rose and Spicy Pickle, which by all accounts wasn’t any good anyway. Do you think landlords are going to get a clue?
Montague Street Hitting the Wall [NY Daily News]
Photo by tosca2002
“Once again, do we lose that gain tomorrow or Thursday?”
If Oprah can fall off the horse, anyone can.
I’m not a fan of Theresa’s either.
Granted I still shed a tear every time I look at the Heights Cafe (which I actually do like) since they took over the Promenade Restaurant. Love Promenade’s rice pudding….
For my the Grand Canyon or Happy Day’s satisfies my diner needs. Clark’s, up Henry St, is great too.
I remember FOffe’s! And actually i disagree that there are no good places to eat on Montague. At least, there used to be. I think the problem is not the businesses- its jsut one of those odd interactions of locale and demographics. It’s a lovely, charming street but never seems to have carved out a real personality for itself.
Theresa’s has great perogies but the last time I ate there the place was filled with octogenarians and I had to sit next to a family who allowed their son to pretend he was some kind of wild cat the entire time and growl and snarl loudly at strangers or them when they tried to get him to eat.
Boofer, The reason Tango survives is that the owner bought the building 25 years ago. Let’s not overlook Theresa’s which is great and has a diverse clientele.
> “At 11 a.m., the Dow Jones industrial average was up 249 points or 3.9 percent.”
Once again, do we lose that gain tomorrow or Thursday?
Brooklyn Heights is filled with curmudgeonly old people who are set in their ways and annoying super high-income families with pretentious teenagers who have lived there for 15+years.
These people shop at Lassen and Hennings and Key Food and that’s it. Occasionally they might go out to Noodle Pudding or Henry’s End because these are what they are familiar with. Young twenty/thirty somethings either cannot afford to live there or are put off by said old people and a lack of businesses catered to them. The few young people that do live there tend to hang out on Atlantic or Smith St. Montague will never change. The lunch crowd is all people from the courthouse and hipster brats from Packer, so fast food chains it is. No chef or restaurateur with serious aspirations is going to test the waters of Montague St. The only boutique that can survive is Tango because they stock expensive boring clothing that makes the Packer moms feel hip. I lived there for many years because I thought it was the most beautiful neighborhood in NYC, which it probably is. I had had enough by the fifth or sixth incarnation of the corner of cranberry…
Jebby,
Foffe’s. Ha. Funny that you mention that place.
My dad talks about that place a lot. My uncle took him and his buddies there during my mom’s bridal shower back in the early 70s. Apparently it was a high point for my dad and his friends (they were broke recent college grads, my uncle was older and had some money).
The Foffe family still owns the building (the florist is in it). My mom actually grew up with them, classmates with one of the children I believe.
Montague has always been a tough street. Crazy big lunch scene so stores that cater to the business set do well. It’s a bit of an after thought street after 6pm as many have mentioned, so more tradition sit down places don’t see the same type of rush/clientele. The north Heights has developed nicely into a solid business district.
I cannot understand why GAP closed instead of expanding. The idea that a GAP at Atlantic Center was for the same demos is just wrong. GAP (I know, a chain store) is still a good place to pick up basics for both those who work and live in the neighborhood (it always seemsd to be busy no matter how tiny it was) — and I have to believe that a GAPKids would do very well. The BR store seems to do well, as does the Aerosoles store.
And the only good place to eat/drink are always crowded. No one who lives in the area would ever eat at any place on Montague if you could help it. Those who only work at MT have no idea that there are so many great restaurants — just not near.