Sunday, May 10, 2015

From Candy to ... ?

Looks like something's coming in to that ideal corner location at Austin and 72nd Ave., formerly home to the candy store. Between this and the work going on at the former Bonfire Grill location further down, and the construction of the new building a little ways away (once planned to be another walk-in medical clinic, and now who knows?), a lot's going on all of a sudden. By the way, doesn't Reef look great now that the scaffolding has been removed? Which got me to thinking: how many years are they going to keep the scaffolding up  at the corner of Austin and 72nd Road, across from the church? It's been up there for like two or three years it seems. Isn't there a legal limit on these things? One of our neighborhood's most charming eateries, La Boulangerie, has had to put up with this ugly scaffolding for all of this time. It's a shame!!

21 comments:

  1. The former candy store is going to be a crystal/jewelry store .. Think Swarovski crystals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope you are wrong. Swarovski would be a colossal loss for a chance to put some useful place to serve all the community. i think we have enough hair and nail places, banks, phone stores, pubs, medical storefronts and junk stores...... how about an authentic Italian deli like Iavarone? with really good take=out. The Natural is a decent upscale retail food shop but the prepared foods are very lackluster showing a lack of culinary training on the part of whoever is making them. Gloria has some decent Italian take-out from its menu but it lacks the specialty retail items that shops like Iavarone or Ceriello's on LI have. In any case, anything but a crystal shop. How boring and depressing that would be ... and we all know that type of shop would have a half-life of less than a year in this neighborhood.

      Delete
    2. We have one already: Mr Vino Cucina -- check it out

      Delete
    3. Wonderful as Mr. Vino's Cucina is, it's a completely different type of place than either Ceriello's or Iavarone.

      Delete
    4. If something like Iavarone opened up here, I think my mom would explode from happiness. :)

      As for me, a crystal shop wouldn't make me especially happy, but I'm mostly just hoping the spot won't remain empty for the next three years. Too many vacant storefronts on Austin street!

      Delete
  2. I have no idea what this place will be but these are my Austin Street dream spots - a nice low-key place for a cocktail (drinks before dinner kind of spot). The kind of bar that plays good music and doesn't have TVs. Or a mom and pop kids toy shop. Toys R Us is the only option in the area... The rents probably don't make either one of these viable but one can dream!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pretty good ideas! Another thing I'd like would be something similar to the Homefront Decor shop that closed a couple of years ago - miscellaneous antiques and home goods with a cute, whimsical aesthetic.

      Delete
  3. Thank you for mentioning the scaffolding. I truly think NYC scaffolding is the doom to most businesses and neighborhoods. Is so ugly. I think BonFire would have done so much better without being trapped in scaffolding. I don't think its a coincidence that both the Italian Ice place and Bonfire both closed. There really SHOULD be a legal limit and the land lord should be ashamed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The permit posted at the front entrance of the residential entrance to the building indicates that the permit was issued on April 10, 2014 and expired on April 10, 2015, so, as it stands now, it would appear that there is no up-to-date permit for the scaffolding, or at least not one that's posted. For what it's worth, keeping that scaffolding up doesn't usually come cheap, so it's in the building-owner's interest for the work to be completed as soon as possible.

      Delete
  4. "cute and whimsical" doesn't pay the rent...in NYC anyway.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Won't stop me from wishing for it. :)

      Delete
  5. Sign went up and says "Gineva Murano Glass Jewelry"

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sammie's To Go closed. It looks like all of the retail units in 72-34 Austin are getting priced out as soon as their leases are up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I noticed that too. That macaron shop near C-Town that closed about a year ago was really cute and different! Exactly the sort of thing Austin Street needs MORE of.

      Delete
    2. Also, one of the nail salons closed in 72-34 as well.

      I noticed some activity this morning in the vacant, floor-to-ceiling glass retail unit adjacent to the old Sammie's To Go location. It looked to be a worker of some sort measuring things. Maybe they'll combine the two units and have another small restaurant or something... who knows.

      Delete
  7. They misspelled Geneva.

    ReplyDelete
  8. If this is their website, "Gineva" is spelled correctly.

    www.ginevajewelry.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Strike one for misspelling. I despise a business that tries to put one over on the public by using a bogus name. Can we assume that their merchandise is authentic as in Made in Gineva, rather, Geneva? Would you buy a Rolex watch from a "Rolecks" watch dealer?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For all we know, "Gineva" is the owner's last name. Let's wait and see if the store's any good or not BEFORE we decide we hate it, shall we?

      Delete
    2. ^Thank you for being a voice of reason. People are so quick to criticize on this blog.

      Delete
  10. Would love a toy store..Barnes and nobles is currently my go to place for buying toys as gifts and not sure where to go now that it's closing!

    ReplyDelete