Bleeker Street Syndrome
As the Brooklyn civilization advances, I thought it might be worthwhile to caution the citizenry about a phenomena we’ve had here in Manhattan. There was a time, about 8 years ago when Bleeker St between Hudson and Christopher was a charming collection of small and unique business – antique stores, craft stores, book stores, a…
As the Brooklyn civilization advances, I thought it might be worthwhile to caution the citizenry about a phenomena we’ve had here in Manhattan. There was a time, about 8 years ago when Bleeker St between Hudson and Christopher was a charming collection of small and unique business – antique stores, craft stores, book stores, a frame shop, even a Kim’s video store. Then the gentrification started – and one day the Italian restaurant closed, and then Clarey & Co antiques, and then Kim’s video… all mysteriously shuttered. And we all sensed something coming. That something was the Mallization of Bleeker Street. Now in the place of these neighborhood centric stores,we have Cynthia Rowley, Ralph Lauren (2 stores), Coach, Juicy Couture, Brunelli Cucinello (sic), James Perse, Marc Jacobs (2 stores). The rarified money crowd now trots up and down Bleeker, clearly not citizens from the area, with their high-powered tans, polo shirts, flashing gilded watches, and Hedge Fund gazes… they seem to be wondering where the Chauffer was off to. Oh well, that;s what happens – you live in a place like this for years because it ISN’T all this crap, and what you get is all this CRAP. So my friends, be wary of too much success in your revitalization plans – The Fortune 500 are not too far behind you, ready to push those commercial rents to the sky, and put you back in a rarified shopping mall. You can just move to the East 60’s if you need that.
I think his point was that too much success is not a good thing. A syndrome that, unfortunately, happens all the time. It must be a curse of developed nations, as no one is immune.
Broadway below Houston was industrial, with a smattering of interesting shops (same can be said of all of SoHo)Now it is a glorified strip mall.
Ebay used to be a cool place to get unusual things, collectibles and good deals. Now it’s dominated by “entrepeneurs” selling watches, cameras, Ipods, and everything imaginable knocked off in China. You can even bid on wholesale lots of same to resell on Ebay.
I think the OP is warning us that we here in Brooklyn need to balance the charm of our neighborhoods and the desire for upscale commerce and amenities, against too much success which prices 80% of us out of the neighborhoods we’ve helped create. Not a bad point to consider.
Bleeker street has not been interesting since the late sixties or early seventies.
Is there a place called the red lion?
I heard of a place called the lions den which was next to the stonewall.
Bleeker street went thru so many changes it is hard to keep up.
Thought ‘bleeker street syndrome’ was when 17 year olds puke on the sidewalk outside the red lion.
Very funny Putnamdenizen…..made it worth reading the initial post.
which brownstone Brooklyn neighborhood is Bleeker street in? I would like to do some shopping at those awesome stores mentioned.
“high-powered tans”. sheesh. at least spell it correctly. bleecker really hasn’t been interesting in more than 20 years.
what’s a “hedge fund gaze??”
isn’t it easier to seek what out what you desire than to lament what you have lost? change is inevitable, and YES you are still free to react how you wish…..
Read this guy’s other post where he actually used the word “ta-ta.” Bleeker Street was interesting in the late 80s. I think I am safe for now – Fulton Street is still firmly in the Kennedy Fried Chicken stage of development.