There is a bunch of empty retail space in Forest Hills these days as we emerge from the craziness of the past few years, but for my money this one, at the corner of Austin St. and Ascan, is one of the best in the neighborhood. Great corner location on a quieter but still very busy corner of Forest Hills with tons of foot traffic and a gorgeous building to boot.
What can you see coming in here? A cafe or some other kind of eatery? (Dunkin is right across the street.) Long-time readers will know I've been saying for years one of the few places we can use here in Forest Hills is one of those make-your-own salad places.
The other thing we could use here is a bookshop, which are staging a comeback these days as more people embrace taking a nice break from all their screens and getting lost in a relaxing good real (as in physical, print) book. I can only imagine the rent for this prime space so it might be out of the reach of a bookshop at this point in time, but I'm sure someone can figure it out. If not here, then there are plenty other available retail spaces right now for a bookshop to open Forest Hills.
We definitely do not need a single new cheap, well, ANYTHING here. I hope for something more upscale. Fine dining. Higher end goods. Anything but another cheap chain restaurant, nail salon, hair salon, dress shop, etc. I think we could use more things of quality, not quantity.
ReplyDeleteYes a salad 🥗 place def or at least a Whole Foods orTraders 😊 just saying
ReplyDelete100% agree that we need something UPSCALE!!
ReplyDeleteIt’s a beautiful looking space.
ReplyDeletePlease oh please not an eyeglasses or marijuana place (I've counted four in a few blocks, not including the convenience store/smoke shops). Nothing against weed but it's enough stores. And not another hair salon...we are maxed out. Sorry, but I disagree with the salad thing. There's enough uninteresting food here...overpriced cookie blobs, two (count 'em) Korean hot dog places, coffee hangouts, etc. And Natural right across the street does custom salads. We just got a poke bowl place. Some noodle thing is coming to QB where Chee-Burger was. These are hardly inspiring choices and are just alternate versions of fast food. We lack adult restaurants that aren't playing TVs with games on or blasting music that eradicates conversation. The space is way too small for a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe's. I doubt an indie bookstore could afford the rent on that prime corner...but that would be nice. Frankly, I wish the Wine Room on 69th Ave. would move over here because they actually know about wine and sprits...they don't just sell, they're passionate about it, can answer your questions and give great recommendations. It's a more upscale store. But there's already a liquor store a block down on Austin. Shame. The couple who own Wine Room are great. The store would fit in perfectly over here...tastings, etc. Ah, well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about all the unusual, new openings. Austin St is really losing a lot of its charm with the weed shops and Asian fast food. There’s so many uninspiring things on Austin now: Hear USA, a new Geico office (woo hoo!), the Spectrum store, apparently there’s a new place called Manhattan Medical Arts coming- all things that would be better off in boring office buildings and not what should be a fun, vibrant street. Losing Cheese of the World was another blow. The neighborhood definitely needs a Whole Foods but I just don’t see any space for them. The only place I could *maybe see them coming is that new tower being built on the south side of Queens Blvd in Rego Park, the ground floor retail space looks huge; the new building where the Key Food was looks too small for a WF; does anyone have an idea of what be coming there?
DeleteDoes anyone know what’s going on with East ocean palace on Queens Blvd?
ReplyDeleteWould love to have an upscale restaurant. Restaurants in this area are mediocre to say the least.
ReplyDeleteSadly it will probably be a salon or a vape shop.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a wonderful independent bookstore in Kew Gardens, Kew & Willow - one of only a handful left in Queens.
ReplyDeleteI would honestly love to see a sweetgreen there it seems like the perfect spot
ReplyDeleteJust walked by there, I had figured it would be something lame since we get a lot of that around here and unfortunately I was right, in that beautiful double wide store we are getting the new home of Brown Harris Steven Realty, I know, so exciting they’re moving to the other side of the street, yay!
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