Newcomers Find Crown Heights Retail Lacking
North Crown Heights may be luring more affluent buyers with its gorgeous—and recently landmarked—rowhouses, but some of the newbie homeowners think the area’s shopping scene leaves a lot to be desired. According to an article in today’s Sun, as more buyers see the neighborhood as an affordable alternative to Prospect Heights, they’re also anxious to…
North Crown Heights may be luring more affluent buyers with its gorgeous—and recently landmarked—rowhouses, but some of the newbie homeowners think the area’s shopping scene leaves a lot to be desired. According to an article in today’s Sun, as more buyers see the neighborhood as an affordable alternative to Prospect Heights, they’re also anxious to see a retail renaissance on thoroughfares like Nostrand. A Wall Street worker who recently closed on an $870,000 Hampton Place home, for example, says he’s ready to see more restaurants in the ‘hood: “If there was something to patronize, I’d willingly spend money there. I’d like to see more amenities. People have money here. Somebody has to be the pioneer and open up something. It’s just a matter of time.” Think he’s right?
Retailers So Far Fail To Follow Homebuyers to North Crown Heights [Sun]
Photo by ultraclay!.
The problem is that the existing merchants have a real opportunity to invest in their businesses and take advantage of these new residents – BUT the vast majority wont; they’ll sit back, ignore the opportunity, do nothing about the fact that their long-term lease is coming up in 4-5 years, and keep doing business as usual.
THEN in 2012 when the LL comes back to re-negotiate expecting market-rate rents, the merchants will complain that the LL are greedy and close up shop and there will be posts on boards like this calling the LL evil and greedy and how Brooklyn is ‘over’.
However there will be a few (hopefully) that see that a clean, efficient store with good merchandise will appeal to many demographics, while providing overall better margins, they will wisely approach their LL now and will pay more now to extend their leaseholds so as to save $ in the future, and these buisnesses will thrive.
10:01 am …You could always go back to were you came from if they don’t change fast enough for you!
you know things are out of control when street names that you only heard of in rap lyrics start popping up in gentrification debates.
Crown Heights: please see Clinton Hill; repeat.
9:59 I could not agree more.
Crown Heights has the most beautiful side streets that I have ever seen in Brooklyn such as Dean, Bergen, St. Marks etc… But Norstrand and Bedford are ugly… No trees signage is way too big. UGLY new construction. TOO many young guys hanging out on the corner doing nothing…. All these things have to change like yesterday…
Here’s the real problem. Just because you bought a house in Crown Heights for $1 million does not mean you are living in a neighborhood of people who can afford $1 million houses.
Whatever the selling prices are now, only a small percentage of your neighbors have actually paid them. The fact that you just put a Gaggenau stove in your townhouse does not turn your neighborhood into the Upper East Side.
Them’s the trade-offs of recent gentrificiation, pal. You don’t just add water and get an instant yuppie neighborhood.
boo hoo
sounds like the idiots in kensington who dont understand why everything is a discount store and/or caters to muslims
colonizers swoop in and expect the hood to change to accomodate them
fucking pricks
Ah… it’s just like A Year in Provence!