Invasion of the Chain Stores?
The New York Times on Sunday proclaimed that, having already conquered Manhattan, chain stores were preparing to take over the boroughs and lay waste to the charming neighborhood feel of mom-and-pop stores in the process. The boroughs are all going down like bowling pins, says urban planner Jeanne Giordano. From where we sit, it’s a…
The New York Times on Sunday proclaimed that, having already conquered Manhattan, chain stores were preparing to take over the boroughs and lay waste to the charming neighborhood feel of mom-and-pop stores in the process. The boroughs are all going down like bowling pins, says urban planner Jeanne Giordano. From where we sit, it’s a little simplistic to generalize like that. Like architecture, the answer has a lot to do with context. While we’d hate to see places like Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Smith Street in Cobble Hill or Fifth Avenue in Park Slope get Soho-ized, at this point we think a Starbucks or a Gap would have a positive impact on the stretch of Fulton in Clinton Hill. Of course, we’d prefer a local boutique or gourmet store, but they’ve been a long time coming.
Big-Name Retail Chains Will Take the Other Boroughs [NY Times]
ps..weren’t you same folks “up in arms” over the thought of Applebee’s moving to the neighborhood?
serious
Anon 1:15pm,
One more thing. I don’t believe you ever lived in Soho. EVERYONE who lives here loves it here. The only reason anyone moves out if for more space for less money. I know. I have lots of tenants and they almost NEVER move.
Soho is the best location for living in all of Manhattan. Greenwich village, Little Italy, Nolita, the East Village, Chinatown, Union Square, Wall Street,in short EVERYWHERE WORTH GOING is just a short walk away.
You either don’t know Manhattan at all or a suburban housewife who’s scared of city life.
5th Avenue is great, but it ain’t Spring Street by a mile.
I don’t think anyone objects to adding some nicer stores/bodegas to the mix..but we have enough chains…you guys are funny…had Starbucks..et al been here when you purchased..you would have paid a lot more..so quit ya belly aching
Anon 1:15,
If you think Soho is “horrible,” I can’t imagine what you think “nice” is.
Don’t tell me you do most of your clothes shopping at “boutique” stores on 5th Avenue in Park Slope. I don’t believe it.
I’d bet 99.9% of the folks who live in Brooklyn purchase 99% of their clothes at chain stores or department stores. Sure, your wife might buy a purse, hat, or dress at a small store once in a while, but big chain stores are the only places that sell nice new clothes for affordable prices and you all know it!
Concerned About Brooklyn,
I understand everything that you are saying. But, if I pay over $800,000 for my home, I want some amenities–nothing special either. In the early nineties Greene Ave Farm opened up right next to an old bodega on Greene and not Carlton, but close to that, across the street from the park. Anyway, I was counting the days for the demise of that nasty old bodega. But the bodega faught back. It cleaned up its act. Washed those windows. Mopped the floor! Added new flavors of Haagan Daaz! Broadened its product base in general.Sold some flowers! This taught me something valuable. Those yellow-plastic-awning-ed stores are a blight. They should not be tolerated. They do not have to look like that. Shop owners will do what the must in a neighborhood. When the Korean markets came to NYC they changed all of the rules. They did it better. If a nice market opened up to battle those nasty bodegas they would improve. They would still get a lot of traffic, especially from the old-timers, but they would have to improve. Or maybe they could remain a source of beer, a beans and candy while someone else handles the salad.
Some of the chains like Dunkin, Starbucks and Riteaid, eckerd, are in nationwide major expansion so no area is immune. Would not take it as a sign that your neighborhood is being taking over by the wealthy. I see the same things happen upstate(in far less than upscale shopping areas) . Its America folks.
The stupid NYTimes article mentioned banks as chains. Is that stupid or what. Of course most small banks have long been swallowed up by bigger fish…and local neighborhoods have been clamoring for decades for bank branches… I don’t think anyone is complaining about that.
I thought Brooklyn had ALREADY been attacted by chains.
Exactly, 11:58. The entrance of a store like Starbucks to a strip that hasn’t been able to attract more upscale local businesses would have huge signal value. Heck, we don’t even drink coffee, but a Starbucks on the corner of Classon and Fulton would bode extremely well for the nabe. Obviously, there’s a slippery slope here and we wouldn’t want even that stretch to be predominantly chain, but if it would help get the ball rolling, then it would be worth it in our opinion.
I just left soho and was so relieved to get out of there – it really is horrible and shopping is not interesting or hip, unless you think chanel and louis vuitton and old navy are hip. too many people who don’t have a stake in the local life. I love shopping in brooklyn at various boutiques who carry great lines, also found in manhattan – stores like bird, stuart and Wright, butter, etc.
I also ran away from stores like starbucks – I don’t mind paying fair price for fair wages, but I want to have a connection with my local coffee/tea store. I want them to know what’s happening in the neighborhood. I want to know who they are and vice versa. I find that kind of shopping/consuming experience has the ripple effect on a community. shopping at chains where disgruntled employees have no incentive to build a base of customers and therefore are inclined to treat said customers with attitude can make for a bad day.