Blogger/journalist Paul Berger, who previously wrote about the Flatbush Pavilion anagrams for the New York Times, has another piece in that paper yesterday, this time on the creeping chain store takeover of Flatbush Ave. near Grand Army Plaza.
Brooklyn is one of the few places left in America where “Mom and Pop vs the Big Boys” is still a remarkable story, so go read this article now, which chronicles the Crunch Fitness squeezeout of Christie’s Jamaican Patties, the American Apparel takeover of the old Flatbush Pavilion space (and formerly anagrammed marquee), and… and… well, can’t all good trends be broken down into 3 bullet points?
Perhaps a third example is the Blockbuster across the street, which doesn’t exactly fit Paul’s story, as it’s not a “new” entry among the retail storefronts of Flatbush Ave., but it fits the character of “Future Flatbush” quite well. Blockbuster is certainly the villain in countless vintage “Mom and Pop vs the Big Boys” stories, since that chain wiped out perhaps thousands of independent video stores seemingly overnight (note that the photo accompanying Paul’s article does subtly bring Blockbuster into the story).
Small business owners on Flatbush, beware: the pace of change is likely to grow exponentially in the next few years, especially now that virtually no one outside of Prospect Heights seems to oppose Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project (at least, that’s the sense you get from reading this editorial from Bruce Ratner’s “partners” at the New York Times).
New (York Times) Discussions on the Prospect Heights Message Boards:
About that blockbuster–what a piece of crap!! I’ve long since stopped going as i now enjoy the bliss that is Netflix, but back in the day, i would think of a movie–not a totally obscure movie, mind you–and guaranteed, Blockbuster would not have it. Then they had the set-up so it was like a maze, and then ultimately a trap, where you’d be cornered in the kid section with nowhere to go. And eventually i’d be forced to rent Land Before Time VII.
yeah don’t forget the new Dunkin Donuts/ Baskin Robins down near bergen or st marx
just a comment, because it’s easier to react to this blog entry then to paul berger, but Crunch didn’t “squeeze out Christie’s Jamaican Patties.” Christie’s moved to a bigger, better, and CLEANER space now then before.
i’ve noticed the change on flatbush over the past four years and am surprised at how quickly it is cleaning up. i still shop from the independent vendors. blockbuster is crap and they always have fun. i see more people in the small vidoe store on the corner of park place and flatbush then in blockbuster. i think though the big business are encrouching, there is enough money and neighborhood support to keep the small guys going to retain the Brooklyn neighborhood feel.
Good point about Christie’s bright new digs, but according to Paul, the owner “lost his lease” and then had to pay $40,000, presumably out of his own pocket, to renovate the new space. Sounds like a classic “squeeze out” to me.