LeNell's Days Are Numbered
LeNell Smothers, owner of the eponymous wine and spirit shop in Red Hook, has been searching for a new space for her beloved store since last summer. Unfortunately — for LeNell and for all of her fans across the borough — her lease is about to run out and she’s still got nowhere to go….
LeNell Smothers, owner of the eponymous wine and spirit shop in Red Hook, has been searching for a new space for her beloved store since last summer. Unfortunately — for LeNell and for all of her fans across the borough — her lease is about to run out and she’s still got nowhere to go.
In a note to the shop’s mailing list (which wasn’t published online), LeNell explains that her current landlord, who apparently works for Baluchi’s, won’t renew her lease because he is planning to open his own business in the space. (No official word on whether he’s planning on opening another branch of the Indian chainlet.) LeNell says that she had a draft lease for the vacant lot next to Good Fork, but it fell through this week. One of the owners of the lot is Red Hook developer Greg O’Connell, who owns the Fairway building, among many other properties. LeNell writes:
“We had architectural drawings, had agreed on basic lease points, and I’ve been thinking all along that we were just finalizing details. The space included the store on the first floor and the bar on the second. After discussing this project for nearly a year now, I get a visit from Greg recently telling me that he has just realized constructions costs will be more than he wants to pay. He won’t entertain thoughts of my partnering in building out the space. Just flat out pulled out at the last moment…which happens to be a few days before the end of my current lease. I’m in shock.”
The second space LeNell was considering won’t work out, either, as her landlord wants her to sign a five-year lease, and she’s looking for a ten-year commitment. At the moment, LeNell’s is covered in plastic sheeting, due to a leak that the landlord isn’t interested in fixing, but there’s still time to stop by. The lease is officially up this month, but in LeNell’s words, “I know it will take months for a formal eviction should it come to that.”
Photo by jasminepark
I can’t believe Polemicist doesn’t like whiskey. I knew there was something wrong with him.
Polemicist, you are, as usual, talking out of your ass. Just because you “feel” like she hasn’t been there 5 years, does that make it true? And as a Red Hook resident with an income of well over 50K, I’d LOVE to know what your searing eye thought of my property and what you estimated my worth to be. The neighborhood is already teeming with people on the weekends, plenty of business for everyone.
This thread is reaching a new low, even for Brownstoner.com.
Sad news. A great store. As some here have indicated, LeNell herself can be a bit ornery, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the store is a treasure that enriches Red Hook and the City. I plan to buy as much product there as I can afford before the place disappears.
It’s a fine shop, if you like whiskey (which I don’t). I feel like LeNell’s opened up like 3 years ago. It was definitely not 5 years ago.
Further, the place was never so special in my mind it deserved schlepping on the bus or paying $20 for a car to take me out there. Retail in Red Hook has always been painted in this david and goliath light, but the problem – as with all retail – is population density.
The vast majority of Red Hook residents live in the projects. I’ve pretty thoroughly checked out the neighborhood on my bike, and I’d estimate that at most – the population of people who make above $50K is probably in the hundreds. Maybe 1,000 people. That is just not enough of a population to support these bars, restaurants, and a whiskey shop.
1:04 PM,
Re: “Lenell’s is neighborhood institution that is fiercely loved”
Give me a break! Did you move to RH two days ago? The annual fish fry at Sonny’s, Visitation Church, the VFW Hall, the latino food vendors in Red Hook Park, the pool, old timers’ day in Coffey Park, the waterfront barge and Miss Perry, a retired PS 15 kindergarten teacher are beloved neighborhood institutions. Lenell is hardly in that league. Plus, the joint went down hill once she hired that long haired blonde dude.
Um. Mr. or Mrs. anonymous coward posting at 12:53. This is her “ex-husband” as you would like to call me. Before you go spouting your mouth…
1) If you don’t like shopping there, don’t
2) No one “left” anyone. We’re still best friends, just not together anymore.
I suppose ranting and raving without knowing any of the details is fine when you can hide behind your computer.
As for “it’s just a biz transaction”, it’s not easy to move a bar or liquor store. Licensing is mess in NYC right now.
Red Hook has been a place where you could work on handshakes, sure it’s better to have things in writing, but one of the things that has attracted people to this neighborhood is that it’s a bit of a big family.
I love the fact that the article failed to mention how when the ceiling came down, folks from the neighborhood came in and lent a hand and gave the landlord a hard time.
As for eviction proceedings, she is not planning on stiffing the landlord rent. She’s been an ideal tenant and gone up and beyond to try to take care of the building, more so than the landlord ever has.
Also missing from the original post was this “When you come in and I’m dazed, bitchy beyond normal, on the phone like a lunatic, please don’t take it personally. Everything I’ve worked so hard for is hanging in the gallows.”, don’t forget we’re talking about people’s lives and dreams here. She puts it all out there, which is more than most folks are willing to do.
My wife is from Alabama and anytime that she has interacted with Lenell, she says that the latter deliberately exaggerates her southern drawl for dramatic effect.
There are plenty of empty places in the area and, if this business goes under, plenty of other liquor stores around to serve you. If you have a car, drive to BH. If not, shop elsewhere and ride the bus home. no big deal.
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! More sadness hits Red Hook. If only it could be frozen in time, but it is doomed to be overrun with mediocre Indian Food and disposable furniture. I love the rare and delicious whiskies! Don’t go, LeNell!