How you feel about what this photo shows depends on whether you view it as an instance of the glass being half empty or half full. Or something like that. On the right is Kyoto, a Japanese restaurant on Smith Street that has just opened. Normally, we would have included this in a Brooklyn Nibbles item, except for the left of the photo. That would be the dry cleaner that is closing. It, in turn, replaced a bodega several years ago, so the long, long line of businesses being priced out of the neighborhood continues. We were told the dry cleaner is closing because–surprise–their rent has gone up and they can no longer afford to stay open.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // Jul 16, 2007 at 5:18 am
The dry cleaner has only been there for about 3 years. It used to be a bodega. I am just speculating but the bodega probably couldn’t afford the rising rents.
2 Anonymous // Jul 16, 2007 at 7:00 am
3 years is lot longer than most of these restaurants last.
3 who walk in brooklyn // Jul 16, 2007 at 7:58 am
it’s like ancient history now but… the surest sign Smith St. was TOTALLY fucked was even before the greatest # of chains (whether national or local) showed up how many of ya’ll remember when
Club Sushi & Wasabi
opened up almost directly across from each other? that wasn’t “the end” then, but the signs were unmistakable: that we’d move to generic $$$ opportunism (some of it by local landlords too, it must be said) MUCH sooner than later.
Before that, the loathesome Uncle Pho– pronounced as the French “faux”– was the bete noir of South Brooklyn, as Alan Harding morphed from semi-respected haute “chef” to Epcot Center-style fake-culture “entrepeneur.”
weirdest Smith St failures: the Korean tea house (open a month or two before it went fake Thai) & the 24 hour gay breakfast bar. (did I remember that right?)
The Jordanian joint Tabouleh (RIP) that many mistook as “just” middle eastern was wonderful their first few years, & gave hope that other Arab joints might follow if Atlantic Ave was too pricey. Alas, it was not to be.
wwib
4 Anonymous // Jul 16, 2007 at 8:13 am
Why doesnt the dry cleaner raise their charges? Dry cleaning is a good biz- unless there are tow many of them in the hood- basic econ 101.
But I had a “Gentification” moment two weekends ago I have to pass along.
Standing outside a realestate storefront, get talking to a CG oldtimer. Talking about the old Mom and Pop stores closeing down and how the newcomers are changing everything, forcing people out, etc. As she walked away I noticed she had a coffee and bag of dougnuts from Dunkin Dougnuts.
5 Anonymous // Jul 16, 2007 at 8:26 am
The downfall of Smith St. started the day the old fashioned street lamps were put in.
6 who walk in brooklyn // Jul 16, 2007 at 10:35 am
11:26 speaks the truth, though it must be said few, if any, knew it would go down like that. in fact, something far too rarely spoken of today is how magical 1990s South Brooklyn was. the bookstores were here & ever other shop offered at least some interesting weirdness.
the first Smith St change was the purse lady at Refinery but always seemed cool, low-key. Harding and Patois didn’t start off terribly, either, but that’d soon change.
meanwhile, with no immigration but rich “ex-pats,” much of the ‘hood threatens to become the lamest in BK, if still some valuable degrees more varied than BK Heights or the worst of 212.
note also, even the odd ethnic “revival” goes largely unnoted. what do i mean? walk north on Columbia St from Freebird & see yourself. while not as bizarre as the Jamaican joint on Van Brunt was during its brief existence (bc there are almost no West Indians in the area, & at the time– 2000-2001 i think– Red Hook was hardly a food destination, soccer fields aside (& barely known by whitey then)), it’s still pretty weird…
& welcome.
wwib
p/s: 11:26, do you remember Dave’s on Court St, & the smell of coffee in the air near the Gowanus, along with its other, more familiar– & worrisome– scents?
7 dth20k // Jul 16, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Same on Fifth Ave: My shoe repair, my record store, and now my dry cleaner have closed in the last six months — most recently, the dry cleaner near the Commerce Bank, 5th and 2nd, I believe. And there sure is more sushi. NYC neighborhoods are always changing of course, but there seems to be a tipping point when you have to wonder if you are one of the lucky ones who can afford the increased cost of living that such changes bring.
8 Anonymous // Jul 17, 2007 at 12:18 pm
dth20K- isnt it obvious- you need to buy more records, shoes and clothes.
Support local businesses- even if they just sell out and rent their stores to banks.
Yes, I am still bitter about Leonardo’s.