Intrigued by recent comments about developments on Malcolm X Boulevard, I took a walk over there last Friday. Here’s what I saw:
Flea Market and Food on Saturdays at Janes United Methodist Church, corner of Monroe. It’s also a venue for other events, such as the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium’s annual festival.
One thing I noticed was a lot of gorgeous architecture. I particularly like the hanging bays on this block between Putnam and Jefferson (home of the Twofiftyeight Cafe). This photo isn’t quite sharp enough to show them in detail, but I adore the terracotta rosettes around the third story window arches.
The avenue has an active merchants’ association with a cool logo.
MXB definitely has an art/design/flea market thing going on, as you will see. This flea market may well contain hidden treasures. Located at 253 Malcolm X Blvd, between Hancock and Halsey.
The tattoo parlor is right next door, at 255 Malcolm X, in case you’d prefer to decorate the skin you live in.
This place, Mind Body & Soul, might be a candle shop, I’m not sure. Initially I thought it was a barber’s, because of the gold leaf sign on the window. It was nominally opening hours, but I couldn’t see anybody inside. It certainly smells like a candle or fragrance place. Between Macon and Macdonough.
Down a block and across the street, on the corner of Decatur, Bessie Thompson was hanging out in the doorway of her cute interior design shop, Thompson Interior Design (718 493 0399).
Here’s a shot of the attractive goods for sale within.
The exterior of the Brooklynite Gallery at 334 Malcolm X (at Bainbridge Street). The opening for their Aiko show is on 13 September and features a live performance by Soul Sonic Force (7-9 pm). I love the aluminum paint on the facade and I hear they have a nice courtyard out back. That black rectangle in the first-floor frieze is actually a Jenny Holzer-style electronic news ticker.
The new farmers market on the corner of Malcolm X and Fulton Street.
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Not on MXB, but I decided to walk home via Fulton Park and went past the volunteers setting up for the Kid Flix Film Festival to the rhythm of Ben E. King’s “Supernatural Thing.” Some of them were dancing, too.
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Wow. I never noticed how nice the architecture is on twofiftyeight cafe’s block! Thanks for pointing it out.
I live right off Malcolm X from TwoFiftyEight Cafe and always admire the buildings on that block.
I believe there might be a new cafe coming to MXB btwn Decatur & MacDoungh St, these old commercial space that’s being worked on as we speak. I give MXB about 1 1/2 to 2 more years before you really start to see a big boom of shops moving in. Now is the perfect time to secure a spot before prices go up…but keep in mind, there should only be businesses that enhance the quality of life on that street.
How many more hair, nail salons, corner stores and crown royal fried chkn. spot do we need.
Ha! This is all right near me. The antique spot is right near where I live on Hancock. I didn’t notice the architecture near twofiftyeight either. I’ll have to check it out next time I go. I agree with Tripp though, MXB has the potential to be the hotness in a year or so. I remain hopeful that we’ll get more quality businesses in the area.
I pass by these stores everyday and seeing these pictures, I guess I’ve never really appreciated them.
But what about the hardware store or the cute eyeglasses store also on Malcolm X?
Eyeglasses store is closed and building is for sale from Flateau realty. That’s a nice hardware store, love what they did with the storefront. There’s also a pet boutique across the street from it.
And Brooklynite Gallery is really raising the bar for Malcolm X!
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A strong Malcolm X blvd. and a strong Nostrand ave are the best thing for the Bed Stuy community.
There is a new restaurant opening on Nostrand and Halsey this fall that will do wonders for that strip.
We went looking for the flea markets today, and both were closed. boo hoo.