Streetlevel: Organic Boom on Cortelyou
The changing demographics in Victorian Flatbush are having a big impact on the neighborhood’s food market scene. On the heels of a new organic market opening on the cornering Cortelyou and Stratford a couple of weeks ago (and the Green Market opening this past weekend) comes the news, via a neighborhood tipster, that the Food…
The changing demographics in Victorian Flatbush are having a big impact on the neighborhood’s food market scene. On the heels of a new organic market opening on the cornering Cortelyou and Stratford a couple of weeks ago (and the Green Market opening this past weekend) comes the news, via a neighborhood tipster, that the Food Co-op will be buying out the Associated on Cortelyou and Marlborough. According to our source, Associated owner Leon Boyer is selling because of all the “damned yuppies.” What’s the impact of this on the folks in the area who can’t afford organic fare? Do they still have other options?
Photo by Kate Leonova for Property Shark
Slope – I like that idea. I mean, CIA couldn’t really get any worse. Though it does already have some cool stuff on it, like Madina, the Russian baths, and that South Asian grocery that sells cricket bats.
Cha’s closed? Well, there goes that one. And that just goes to show, I haven’t been over there in some time, because I’ve been holed up working on a project for a long time. Oh well. That place was cool. Any idea what’s going in there instead?
And anyone have any idea if there are any new plans for the Cornerstone’s old space? I heard that the Dunkin’ Donuts got the kibosh put on it already, thankfully.
I hear ya 2:56. I liked and used Associated a lot too, but had the same probs with freshness there and other places. I also don’t have a car. I end up buying most of my things from Target and Pathmark, as well as a quick stop at green grocers in Park Slope or other things at TJs.
And it’s a pain in the arse when you’re lugging all those things home via subway nonetheless. So excuse me if I don’t patronize the stores far from a subway stop. I already have enough of a walk from the Cortelyou Q or Church F back home to think about lugging armloads of groceries to my apt.
While I’m on a rant, that Cortelyou Q is not able to handle the increasing number of people on the platform. I wish they could pass the B express there as well. People are getting up to stand by the door at Beverly stop to get out on Cortelyou!
I say put all the commercial needs on CIA. It’ll be a vast improvement on what’s there now. Make it like Steinway, keeping the side streets local. Put in your bank, Starbucks, Pathmark, Old Navy, whatever. It would be a great asset for both the growing DP and Kensington neighborhoods.
I heard the reason they were closing is because they can compete with Supermarkets that have parking lots, so it’s not the damn yuppies, it’s the damn car drivers that are at fault. I’m a yuppie, recently moved to area (but am a 25+ year resident of Brooklyn). I shop at that Associated, and don’t have a car, so don’t go blaming me for the closure.
While having the Co-Op in a bigger space will make it better for shopping, it still will not provide me with a place to buy an affordable breast of chicken, a pork chop, (and the occasional hunk of red meet), non pricey fresh fruit and veg and the stuff that you need for daily meals. Yeah I could go to the Duane Reed to buy toilet paper, soap, etc. But for perishables the Associated was less deradful then the Met food, and I would never trust any of the area delis for anything other then 99 cent potato chips and luke warm soda.
Was the Green grocer at Newkirk Plaza Cha’s? It closed last month.
I have grown up in DP (over 20 years) and the ‘hood has changed for the better. However, we still need basic staples like a bank, gourmet deli and a decent supermarket (besides the organic stores, although they are nice additions).
I still bring stuff back from Whole Foods and Pathmark (Atlantic Center).
Totally agree that the coop is overhyped. The prices are better at Whole Foods.
Agree so much about that barnwood place…I was so disappointed that that spot didn’t become something we could actually use, like a decent bar, or a small yoga studio, or really *anything* but a faux-country furniture store. People are right, a decent greengrocer would be great. I don’t think we need a “gourmet food store” – I think that would be as silly as the barnwood place. Talk about only serving the more moneyed newcomers. You can already get all that stuff right here, if you just look. It seems like we have the two extremes – crap and higher-end – but not a lot in the middle. However, that is only speaking about Cortelyou. It really isn’t that hard to walk over to Newkirk for other stuff. Cha’s is great and cheap, if you don’t mind conventionally grown produce. They’re an example of a store trying to serve everyone, and they don’t seem to be doing too bad a job.
If you are willing to take the Q/B a few stops, check out the area around the Kings Highway station. There are a couple of amazing Russian markets and a cool Turkish shop, all very cheap and interesting, and some excellent Turkish restaurants, both fancy and not. It’s like having a cheaper, unpretentious Zabar’s close at hand.
2:29: I am a TJs user. The difference is that TJs is extremely well priced compared to the Flatbush co-op. And the selection is pretty good (ok, not the fruits though).
That said, I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding needing basic services for apartment dwellers and middle of the roaders. I’m one of them as well so don’t feel out of place here. 🙂 Obviously, not a lot of people need the amish barnwood furniture as I’ve noticed they’ve vastly expanded to sell many other mid-range items.
I just feel that whoever is spearheading development in this area is so busy trying to attract the hoity toity sloper demographic, that they aren’t seeing the things we really need. Yes, the coffee shops and a few nice restaurants are great. But I still end up going to the slope and manhattan for my groceries. when places open up on church/cortelyou offering food that I don’t have to hem and haw whether they’re going to make me broke or make me hurl, i’ll be more than happy to shop locally.
11:42 here again. I see no difference between the Flatbush Coop or a Trader Joe’s. TJ to me is a good occasional visit for a treat, so is the Coop, but NOT a regular places to get staples.
I am a modest homeowner in Ditmas Park West and really feel out of place on Brownstoner sometimes when conversations tend toward recommendations for a “basic” toilet is a $750.00 model and traveling to Trader Joes or Fairway is a reasonable alternatvie for everyday shopping. Something’s missing – basic services for apartment dwellers and middle-of-the-roaders like me. These basic services dwindle, replaced by stores selling silly Barnwood furniture made by the honest Amish folk or whoever (WHO wants that rustic stuff in a Victorian House anyway???) this stuff does not make a great neighborhood -basic services do.