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New Storefront on Bedford
By The Changeling | September 25, 2007
You know that sinking feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you first start watching a movie that you think is going to be good and then after a couple of minutes Steve Zahn appears on the screen and then you know you’re screwed? And then you glance at your watch to see how much of your life you’ve already invested in this movie and you weigh and balance your chances of getting out? And then you try to figure out how not to ever accidentally start watching a movie that has Steve Zahn in even the tiniest role because you know that you’d be better off spending your time counting the number of rats in the Broadway G subway station? Yeah, that feeling. That’s the feeling I get when I look at this storefront. I’ve been watching it, and I’ve invested my time over the past couple of weeks paying attention to it and now I can see the Steve Zahn-ness of this place. It’s small, it’s corny, it ain’t gonna reach its fullest potential, and it’s going to ruin an otherwise decent stretch of Bedford that is moving in the right direction. So just like Steve Zahn in any movie, this place is going to be something completely unnecessary and annoying.
I can’t tell you why I feel so pessimistic about this place. Maybe it’s the wood paneling inside. Maybe my predictions are wrong. It’s located on a good corner (Bedford and Greene), not far from the subway station, the YMCA, and a community garden.
If you’re interested in making this space something useful then call 718.399.9300.
September 25th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Hey -
I live on the block and walk my dog by every morning and night, so I’ve been watching too. I wouldn’t worry too much about the place itself, as it just needs renovation. I would worry about what will go in there and who will rent - as potential is there……. The space itself is actually quite big, if you use something like Tiny Cup in relation. The wood paneling is clearly old.
September 25th, 2007 at 10:50 am
I really hope that it’s going to be something worthwhile, but some of the things we need so badly are too large for this place (a pharmacy and REAL grocery store immediately come to mind). I’ll try to be more optimistic. The minute you see someone/something moving in, please let us know.
September 25th, 2007 at 11:46 am
we live down the street and are keeping our fingers crossed as well- it is a sunny space with lots of potential-on a busy corner of an excellent block-one only need to look at the success of tiny cup to see how well the neighborhood can support a good business.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Changeling -
In terms of grocery store, I go to Bravo, and whiloe it isn’t whole foods, I find adequate for meat and dry goods. I would kill for some good produce in the area, however.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Bravo is ok, but their garlic situation is pathetic. The corner store where I live also only seems to carry moldy and spoiled produce. A simple produce store would be great. Or a pharmacy!
September 25th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
i wouldn’t move to bed stuy if i had a gun to my head. oh wait, i’ve already moved to bed stuy and i do have a gun to my head. i love crime
September 25th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
A produce store! A store with a selection of cross-cultural foodstuffs (especially Italian and Asian condiments!)
A SUSHI PLACE THAT DELIVERS!
uh-oh, that urqhardt guy is gonna tell me I’m bougie again …
Actually there is a produce store on Nostrand further south towards Fulton which is called I think “African People’s Farmers Market.”
Anybody know the place I mean?
September 25th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Sorry guys it won’t happpen. As a “Long Timer” or is dat “Old Timer?” in da hood the main problem with this ropeerty and the one next to it is the management company G-Way. There are asking too much for rent for this area and me thinks they are trying to make up for the housing bust. If you have a Gway apt or storefront expect your rent to rise over current market on your next lease renewal. 3 gway properties had tenants last year ,this year 2 have been empty for all of the year and the third will be clear by the end of the month. Reality? Expect that nice storefront to be broken in a few weeks. and gway rents to match manhattan UES
September 25th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
the korean deli and the sushi and the wine bar will all be here in time…it’s inevitable. why? becasue the demand is there and growing. this is on the border of clinton hill/bed stuy remember…
September 25th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
“It’s small, it’s corny, it ain’t gonna reach its fullest potential, and it’s going to ruin an otherwise decent stretch of Bedford that is moving in the right direction.”
You gotta be joking. You should have been around for the last ten years to watch the mountains of crack and dope sold at that corner. The storefronts trash cans were a regular stopping ground for the drunks from the Clifton liquor store to take a piss. I remember at least four murders on that corner. How long have you been around, for real? Fullest potential? Call me Mr. Low-Expectations, but a ninety-nine cents store is a buck better than anything that’s been around that corner for the last decade. If you want to find a storefront to rave about, pick on the Kentucky Fried on Lafayette. Or how about Dunkin Donuts? Development a la 125th in Harlem seems all the rage in Bed Stuy these days. North Bed Stuy, in addition, was left out of the rezoning that limits commercial development in this area. Get ready for Cheaperia on a much grander scale than that offered by the storefront under your current eye.
September 25th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
I think the problem for a supermarket is to get a large enough space. So many of the storefronts are narrow and don’t support a large market. There is the supermarket in Restoration Plaza, but that is only one and we need more of that size.
A Korean deli would be great. So would a bank or two. (I refuse to pay a fee at some ATM at the corner bodega!)
BIGD, I think you are right about the rising rents, but it would take a long long time for rents to come anywhere near the UES. However, many stores were converted to housing once the commercial market dried up years ago. Don’t know if the conversions were legal. Since commercial space rents for more than residential, anyone living on a zoned commercial strip should not be surprised if owners try to re-convert the spaces.
September 25th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Hey, check it out: you made New York Magazine’s web site!
http://nymag.com/
September 26th, 2007 at 8:48 am
For produce, we just joined a local coop called Kalabash Food Buying Club. You join for 50 bucks (refundable) and then pay 25 to pick up a box of produce on Sat. So far we’ve gotten two, and they have both had a good amount, variety and were very fresh. The location is 248 Tompkins Ave. b/t Lafayette & Van Buren. You can email for info at kalabashfood@yahoo.com.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
There’s another empty storefront on Franklin & Greene. It used to be a beauty salon. Anyway, it’s the same management company.
They have dunkin donuts in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens and they’re none to happy about them there either. But they fill a need. As does the one on Lafayette & Nostrand. But at least it’s not the only place to get a cup of coffee around there.
September 27th, 2007 at 6:12 am
Hey, what’s with all the Steve Zahn bashing? I love Steve Zahn!
November 21st, 2007 at 3:05 pm
thanks for the GREAT post! Very useful…
November 21st, 2007 at 3:11 pm
If you’re being genuine, Whatever-ishere, then thank you.
If you’re being sarcastic, then I can only assume that you are Steve Zahn.
September 24th, 2008 at 7:36 am
[...] year ago I didn’t have very high hopes about the space available at the corner of Bedford and Greene. I knew that the business that would [...]