Change in Carroll Gardens Squeezing Little Guy
In an article lamenting the fact that the owner of a local Carroll Gardens pharmacy recently had to sell out to Eckerds because of the economics of gentrification, The Daily News notes a couple of specific changes on the retail landscape of the increasingly popular nabe: The pharmacy in question is slated to become a…
In an article lamenting the fact that the owner of a local Carroll Gardens pharmacy recently had to sell out to Eckerds because of the economics of gentrification, The Daily News notes a couple of specific changes on the retail landscape of the increasingly popular nabe:
“They’re making it very difficult for the small businesses to stay in business,” says the displaced pharmacist. “Everything changes. I guess they call that progress.”
Becoming a Link in a Chain [NY Daily News]
To Anon 11:56 pm: LaScala Motors was the used car dealer that occupied the site of the current Eckerd on Smith & President where you live. After two generations (father & son), the son retired/closed the business and sold the land to a landowner/developer (whose name escapes me right now but he also owns a parking lot somewhere near the Gowanus). He put up the building…but not without work-stop orders due to lack of a proper permit (digging for a foundation over the F train tunnel) and a fight from the residents of CG who insisted on having at least part of the building provide housing. The battle went on for a couple of years with several community meetings in the interim with the developer and architect. The developer eventually obtained the proper permits, and then acquiesced to the community and constructed the apartments. I don’t know if he is the one who rented the space to Eckerd, but I would guess that if he maintained ownership of the building, then he did rent to them. As for the plaque to Bobby, I’m not sure who Bobby was, even though I’ve lived on President for 50 years.
Anyone remember Cristardi’s Pizza, just behind the Clinton Apothecary? It closed shortly after we moved here in ’97.
I’ll ask one of my neighbors about Vermont Pharmacy. Curious myself.
I live above that Eckerd. I assume Eckerd didn’t build the building. In fact, the building is actually dedicated to “Bobby” who was an old neighborhood guy who, I THINK ran the used car lot that once stood on this corner. (La Salle’s?) Wouldn’t that mean that a local person built this building? Whoever built this place put a plaque out front saying “This building is dedicated to “Bobby” (air quotes actually included). Loving husband, father, friend who created a vision and inspired others to make it a reality” (I can recite it by heart) So, who is it that rented the space TO the Eckerd? (And TO the Dunkin Donuts and TO the Dominos Pizzas and Starbucks). I’m not sure what I’m trying to say, but this building seems to be a perfect example of the inaccuracy of thinking of it in terms of We (neighborhood folks, new or old) and THEM (corporate behemoths). Perhaps there is a grey area here.
Can someone explain the BEDBUG CLUB on Smith and THE VERMONT GENERAL STORE (I think that is the name) across from Naidre’s on Henry? Two completely puzzling sort-of-stores that don’t seem to be stores but what the heck ARE they? PS: I like the idea of the POT-POURRI on Court but it’s another place where I want to like the goods, but can’t really get behind buying those chatchkas !!!
the Metfood on Henry & Degraw delivers for $1…I don’t know how far they will go, but we have friends over on 1st & Court, and they get their food delivered from them. Also, if you don’t see something that you’d like, write the name down and give it to the owner, Mr. Kim…he’ll try and get it for you.
The great thing about Court Street is that there are legends in retail. Marty who used to run a shit and rubbish shop where you could buy stamps, send a fax get your VCR fixed, he moved on to his coffee shop, then to what Boca? Josie’s Joint, where she’d insult anyone not like her but give you credit for you daily coffee and bagel. It was something to get in her book. But more it was her stopping you on the street asking what you landlord whose name ended in a vowel was charging you for rent. The food markets between 3rd and 4th place, Caputos with its excellent foods and goods, and the deli across the street with its fresh produce and health food goods. ( love you Sue), Le Petit, that grew from a counter and a few seats to a backyard and a grille… these are businesses that work for old timers and new comers. Places like the Italian market next to the deli, suck. They are filled with long time locals who spend 20 minutes buying 50 dollars in lottery tickets. Or the coffe shop next to the racist florist next to citibank.
Some of these shops need killing. They don’t provide a service,they are simply hang outs for the goodfellas who haven’t sold yet and moved to Staten Island or Bay Ridge… and Someone explain that guy with curly hair who wears shorts in winter who sells coke, and yet never get put in the joint. HEY THE OLD SKOOL PJ HANLEY crowd. I say screw all the old time Carrroll gardeners as all they want is to keep the nabe a slum. filled with sanitation workers on disibility, and if you live there you know what i mean.
In the absence of Key Food, you can shop at Met Food on Henry & Degraw or Met Food on Smith & Baltic. I know it’s a hike for you, but it’s a hike for me too. I live three blocks from Key Food and I won’t shop there. I’d rather go out of my way (and I don’t have a car) and be relatively sure that my groceries are fresh, clean, and I won’t be overcharged. Key Food has always been a problem. I think it’s the site…its predecessor was A&P, and it was bad, too. We thought Key Food would have been an improvement, but we were very wrong.
For those of us who live down in the tail end of CG – where are we supposed to shop if Key Foods closes? Pathmark is a disaster and walking there is not exactly pleasant. The deli on Court btw 3rd and 4th is great, but doesn’t have a huge selection and is VERY expensive, and the grocery store next to is (can’t remember the name?) is it’s own kind of disaster – you have to blow the dust of the items you pick up on the shelf. Though Key Foods has it’s problems (that smell) it IS better than it used to be, it has a better selection, just don’t buy your produce or meat there!
I’m inclined to believe it’s health insurance economics rather than ‘yuppies’ that push out the old pharmacies. Many health plans demand that you get prescriptions online or from a chain these days.
The pizza place went on it’s own accord.
A bad grocery was replaced by a drug store chain.
‘Three’s a trend’- except when it isn’t.