Shakespeare’s Sister, the ecclectic shop at 270 Court Street is closing. (Its the shop with paintings of Gowanus by Regina Perlin.) Here’s the email with the news:
After almost 15 years on Court Street, Shakespeare’s Sister will be closing. We are sad to leave, especially when it means saying goodbye to so many loyal Brooklynites who have been there since the beginning in 1994. Everything in the store will be on sale for the next few weeks, so stop by for some bargains or just say hi and let us say thank you!
So, what will come next?
3 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // Apr 12, 2008 at 6:37 am
Yes, she had mentioned this when I was in there weeks ago. I know it’s hard, but, she could have revamped the store with different inventory to suit changing tastes. I always bought cards from her. The best selection and NO Hallmark garbage. It will be sad to see another store close. I guess it will become another room for that nasty Sweet Melissa or the 3,000,000,000 baby store. I wish her luck.
2 Anonymous // Apr 13, 2008 at 2:35 pm
This store opened when i first moved into the nabe, and it was way ahead of it’s time. There was a coffee bar in the back where you could sit and do whatever. It was a refuge. Over the past 10 years they closed the coffee, and it never really felt welcoming.
but the inventory never changed. The store was dusty. There was no focus. I used to buy cards there, but I guess I outgrew my need for vintage sexual innuendo and kitsch.
Sorry to see it close, but even sorrier they didn’t try harder. This was a neighborhood gem in it’s day.
If one more baby store or realtor’s office opens in it’s place, I’ll scream.
3 JackSzwergold // Apr 14, 2008 at 7:55 pm
To the first anonymous comment, why the hate towards Sweet Melissa? They’re a great local pastry shop… Or is that shoppe?
Regarding the business, I think it also reflects the changing state of local small business nowadays. In the past you had small shops like Shakespeare’s Sister and such. But nowadays, people sell their wars on Etsy, eBay or even their own sites. And there are more and more crafts fairs nowadays as well for people to sell stuff on weekends. Heck, look at Brooklyn Flea! The thing is a perfect example of the modern way artists are selling their small run stuff nowadays.
What is sad is Court Street is becoming a dead-zone. It’s amazing how uninteresting it is and how their are huge gaps in retail.