Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Now In Greenpoint: Brooklyn Industries
From the New York Shitty Inbox:
Hello Miss Heather,
My name is (excised), marketing manager for Brooklyn Industries. As a personal fan of your blog (Thanks! — Ed. Note) I wanted to reach out and let you know we will be opening a new BKI store in Greenpoint tomorrow. While we will be hosting a party for the opening on June 14th, I would love to be able to show you around the store beforehand if you are free.
I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you.
I have elected to decline this offer. The following advertising copy should shed some light as to why. (NOTE: I have bold-faced passages I found of special interest):
Brooklyn Industries will open its newest and most architecturally innovative retail store to date on Brooklyn’s historical Manhattan Avenue on Friday, May 18th. Like all Brooklyn Industries locations, Greenpoint will be powered using 100% Wind Power and having purchased only 6 pieces of sheetrock for the construction, this location differs due to 98% of the store being re-constructed from recycled material. Transitional art installations and a small scale BKI Museum will seamlessly merge with sales merchandise to create an artistic and uniquely inspiring shopping experience.
With the opening of the Greenpoint location, Brooklyn Industries continues a tradition of supporting emerging neighborhoods by being a part of their renaissance and the new retail space will celebrate the history of the brand’s evolution. BKI’s first production factory was on the boarder of Greenpoint and Williamsburg, producing innovative and socially responsive products such as the famed Billboard Messenger and Gas Mask graphic tee. As the initial style to launch under the Brooklyn Industries brand, the Gas Mask Tee was designed to support a local environmental group fighting against the development of an area power plant. While the environmental group eventually won their battle, this t-shirt solidified to not only the local community and social causes, but the environment.
The new location is part of the brand’s strategic business strategy to focus on the New York market. At Brooklyn Industries Greenpoint, a knowledgeable sales staff will be available to inform customers about the latest products from Brooklyn Industries including signature styles and collections such as the premier line of locally manufactured handbags and graphic tees.
Brooklyn Industries Greenpoint is located at 658 Manhattan Ave Brooklyn, NY 11222
ABOUT BROOKLYN INDUSTRIES
Brooklyn Industries is a cutting edge design company that sells its innovative clothes exclusively through its 15 retail stores and online website. Founded by visionary artists Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar in 1998, Brooklyn Industries’ stores engage the local community in art, clothing, design and style.
Brooklyn Industries was honored as a “Green Power Pioneer” by ConEdison Solutions and Community Energy, Inc. in recognition of its commitment to using Wind Power in its stores and office headquarters. In 2006, Brooklyn Industries was recognized as a top entrepreneur with Crain’s New York Business’ coated “Small Business Award.” The company also ranked in Inc. Magazine’s 500 list, which highlights the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.
Brooklyn Industries continues to grow every year as an innovative and creative vertical retailer, staying true to its Brooklyn roots.
So:
- Manhattan Avenue is “historical”?
- The place I call home is an “emerging neighborhood” and is currently experiencing its “renaissance”?
- And there’s a “business strategy” involved?
Thanks but no thanks. But for the rest of you all…
Brooklyn Industries
Status: Open
Opening Party: June 14, 2012
685 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Coming To Manhattan Avenue…
A person we’ll call “N” writes:
Just witnessed the sign being installed for a louie g’s in the right side of stones. Still nothing on the left.
To wit I replied:
Yeah, I saw they were taking that one storefront a day or two ago methinks!
N countered:
I was hoping for something more exciting.
Being ever so hopeful, I opined:
Well, at least it is not another bank… 🙂
He concurred. However, I forgot something else this community probably does not need more of: nail salons. No worries, we’re getting another one of those as well:
So it goes and to each his/her own I suppose…
Uncle Louis G Italian Ices & Ice Cream
674 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Lilysa Nail
685 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Spotted At 685 Manhattan Avenue: Lollipop
If my memory serves me correctly, these folks applied for— and Community Board 1 approved a license for this, Greenpoint’s first and only Vietnamese restaurant, to serve wine and beer. No suds just yet— but the menu (which you can see by clicking here) appears to be pretty vegetarian friendly. Check it out!
Lollipop Vietnamese Restaurant
Status: Open!
Hours: 7 Days a week, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m
685 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Greenpoint Food Watch: Happenings On Manhattan Avenue
Yesterday I shared the good news about a Dunkin Donuts slated to grace Freeman Street. Today I have a few more food-related items to pass along. Without further ado, here they are!
685 Manhattan Avenue
These chaps were a mite bit shy about letting me film their work in progress, but they were more than happy to tell me that a sandwich shop will be opening up in this space. Their estimated opening date for this establishment is June 27th.
Sandwich Shop
Opening Date (estimated): June 27, 2011
685 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
676 Manhattan Avenue
A hop-skip down the block is this wonderful old-school storefront. This it will not be for much longer; per the gentlemen working there it is slated to become a fried chicken restaurant. I cannot honestly profess to be terribly excited about this but then again, I am a vegetarian!
Friend Chicken Restaurant (Take-out)
Opening Date: t.b.a.
676 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
And that’s all she wrote!
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Goodbye, Manhattan Furrier
A woman named Jennifer writes:
I’m a longtime resident of Greenpoint and I’m making a documentary about Irving Feller, the furrier who owns a shop at 685 Manhattan Avenue. After 60 years of business, he is finally closing shop at the end of the month. We will be there this Saturday, March 19th from 12pm-5pm. If anyone wants to swing by and buy up his native american jewelry & vintage fur coats…or simply give their regards…I know he would appreciate it. Greenpoint is losing one of it’s finest gems…the era has finally ended.
Manhattan Furrier R.I.P.
March 19, 2011 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.
685 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
How much do you want to bet, fellow Greenpointers, this space will be occupied by an(other) “eating and drinking” establishment? Emphasis on the latter.
Miss Heather
Photo Credits: the Webmaster himself, the inimitable Kevin Walsh of Forgotten-NY.
Williamspoint Photos Du Jour: Urban Fur
Filed under: 11206, 11211, 11222, Crazy Cat Lady, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Broadway
South 5 Street
Manhattan Avenue
Lorimer Street
Clifford Place
Meserole Avenue
In closing, here’s an item that might be of interest to you dog lovers out there: Dog Habitat’s Black Friday Adoption Event!
Jay Lombard (of Dog Habitat, who sent me the above image) writes:
Hey lady! We wanted to invite you to visit our adoption event tomorrow from noon to 5 p.m. Eight rescue dogs available for adoption from puppies to adolescent age. Pure breeds and brooklyn mutts. Please help us find homes for these beautiful pups!
I was initially confused by Jay’s missive. There are no ladies at New York Shitty. But I do appreciate the sentiment and will certainly make it a point to swing by and say “hi” these lovely pups. You should too.
BLACK FRIDAY ADOPTION DAY
November 27, 2009; 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Dog Habitat/Unleash Brooklyn
216 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222
In closing this post goes out to Lisacat who did her best to assuage the suffering of an auto shop cat named Bondo. I am certain wherever he is (junkyard cat heaven?) he is grateful for your hard work. I know I am.
Miss Heather
P.S.: While I am (ostensibly) on the subject of fur, I discovered something on Manhattan Avenue today that really bothered me.
The above photograph graces Forgotten-NY’s Greenpoint page. Regarding this wonderful example of old school signage Kevin Walsh writes:
When you’ve got a good sign, you don’t need to ever replace it. The old school phone number, probably EVergreen, is still there too.
That is, of course, unless you are Belvedere Partners Corporation. In which case you drill a “For Sale” sign on top of it. I can’t honestly say I am surprised that they saw fit to do this. These folks have been peppering north Brooklyn with balconized Neoclassical crap for years. One of their latest opuses graces Skillman Avenue. It’s a real beauty. It goes without saying you can look forward to seeing it on New York Shitty. Soon.
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