Chairman moving after 30 years!

longtimesloper

I swear i walked by this store last week and did not see any signs. But tonight, the place was empty and there was a big sign in the window saying he was moving to 5th avenue and Degraw Street. i can't believe it, he has been a fixture at that location for almost 30 years!! WTH is he moving all of a sudden?


the fancy pants kid's clothing store on 7th between 2nd and 3rd is going out of business, 7th Avenue is becoming more and more of a ghost town!!

veets

I hope the new location for Chairman is a good move for this business. Perhaps geting off of 7th Ave is a good business move for the owner.

It is a sadness that 7th Ave sems to be on downturn and 5th Ave on the up. Who would have perceived this 10 years ago? Answer someone who saw what was coming and signed a long lease at short price before the trend was clear.

Even in this crazy economy...IMO 5th ave is the place to be.

squindar

Yeah really. Ten years ago I would have not believed you if you said 5th was turning around (and people who lived near 5th told me that, and no, I didn't believe them. Oh wait, I lie, it was more like 15 years ago. Damn I'm getting old. How did it get to be 2010 already?)

new2hood

What's Chairman? And Carmine's is indeed going out of business. But, the new Mack's place just opened, as did that weird wine bar, and there's a place going into the old La Bagel spot.

longtimesloper

Chairman is the store that is in between Starbucks and Claypot, it has been there about 30 years.

Yes, but even with those 3 stores you mentioned, there are still a lot of empty spots on 7th avenue (miracle grill, living on 7th, Chairman, fancy kid's boutique, (and I know I am missing some here)

belzjm

i walked the strip of 7th and 5th over the weekend and there are more storefronts for rent on 5th than there are on 7th.

7th still has some great stuff...d'vine taste, back to the land, olive vine, oshima, barrio, fondu, chiles and chocolate, mango thai, that new thistle hill tavern coming to 7th and 15th is going to rock, beer table, brookvin, there's a brand new spa on lincoln and 7th called voluspa, and there's something coming to the fruitstand at president and 7th.

it just so happens that the block of 7th around carmens, living on 7th, etc is not doing great right now. but that's also center of the slope not near the F train nor near the Q/2/3/ trains in the north so the middle always seems to be the part which suffers most.

personally, while i don't like to see people lose their jobs, this is a chance to get rid of the stuff we don't need (like all the silly boutiques that nearly everyone says we have too many of anyway) and get a few more things we need and want.

i mean is carmen's a loss? aren't there 10 other places to get 75 dollar kids outfits with a 5 minute walk?

belzjm

oh, and my 2 favorite stores...matter and 3R living (both on 5th avenue) are closing.

that's sad, as both had interesting and unique items instead of the typical nonsense that other ps boutiques carry.

longtimesloper

belzjm wrote: i walked the strip of 7th and 5th over the weekend and there are more storefronts for rent on 5th than there are on 7th.

7th still has some great stuff...d'vine taste, back to the land, olive vine, oshima, barrio, fondu, chiles and chocolate, mango thai, that new thistle hill tavern coming to 7th and 15th is going to rock, beer table, brookvin, there's a brand new spa on lincoln and 7th called voluspa, and there's something coming to the fruitstand at president and 7th.

it just so happens that the block of 7th around carmens, living on 7th, etc is not doing great right now. but that's also center of the slope not near the F train nor near the Q/2/3/ trains in the north so the middle always seems to be the part which suffers most.

personally, while i don't like to see people lose their jobs, this is a chance to get rid of the stuff we don't need (like all the silly boutiques that nearly everyone says we have too many of anyway) and get a few more things we need and want.

i mean is carmen's a loss? aren't there 10 other places to get 75 dollar kids outfits with a 5 minute walk?

Believe me, I was not at all shocked that the children's fancy pants boutique closed up, nor am I crying over it. I just hate to see so many empty storefronts.

And, I too bemoan the loss of 3R Living

longtimesloper

nevah mind

pisces22

belzjm wrote: i walked the strip of 7th and 5th over the weekend and there are more storefronts for rent on 5th than there are on 7th.

7th still has some great stuff...d'vine taste, back to the land, olive vine, oshima, barrio, fondu, chiles and chocolate, mango thai, that new thistle hill tavern coming to 7th and 15th is going to rock, beer table, brookvin, there's a brand new spa on lincoln and 7th called voluspa, and there's something coming to the fruitstand at president and 7th.

....

Also down on the South end...Anthony's, The Hoff, Grab, Union Market, Slope Cellars......

belzjm

yes, flexi!

and vespa salon...love that place!

i think 7th gets a bad rap, but i actually like a ton of stuff on 7th.

a few more: bagel hole, moim (technically not on 7th, but right off it), cafe regular du nord (also right off 7th), and the park slope flea market!!

the chipster

i agree with you belz, as many of these shops were vanity projects for the investment banker's wives and their uberspring,-Matter, Carmens, Living..No more $150.00 candle/moisturizer/pillow shops for me. kthanks.
Loved Chairman-he and/or Joseph from Josephs's Hair gets my vote for "best ole timer" on 7th.
3R was a perfect example of a park slope owned and engineered shop; with local and knowledgeable employees who were dedicated to their mission. They served our needs and we couldn't support this one shop?! They recycled your crap too! I don't understand how they went out, when they had everything park slope wants-organic, sustainable, nice folks, free samples, community service projects, a certain earnest fair trade gifts--this stunned me. I bought all my cleaners and assorted gifts from them. ALWAYS. I MISS YOU 3R!!!
see my post on the 3/50 project.

elgoats

LongTimeSloper wrote: nevah mind

lol
nice

lnelson

Does anyone know what's up (if anything, I don't want to start rumors) with City Casuals? (Next to what until recently was Living on 7th). Their awning is extremely damaged and has been for a while, and and they've been having various permutations of major sales for the past several months. I've always found their inventory to not really include anything I need, but they seem like nice people. ...

longtimesloper

They have also been around forever, at least 20 years, I hope they are ok

veets

City Casuals is alive and well and has some interesting clothes IMO.
I shop there often.

eggcream

The Chipster wrote: i agree with you belz, as many of these shops were vanity projects for the investment banker's wives and their uberspring,-Matter, Carmens, Living..No more $150.00 candle/moisturizer/pillow shops for me. kthanks.
Loved Chairman-he and/or Joseph from Josephs's Hair gets my vote for "best ole timer" on 7th.
3R was a perfect example of a park slope owned and engineered shop; with local and knowledgeable employees who were dedicated to their mission. They served our needs and we couldn't support this one shop?! They recycled your crap too! I don't understand how they went out, when they had everything park slope wants-organic, sustainable, nice folks, free samples, community service projects, a certain earnest fair trade gifts--this stunned me. I bought all my cleaners and assorted gifts from them. ALWAYS. I MISS YOU 3R!!!
see my post on the 3/50 project.

Living was not run by an "investment bankers wife" as I'd bet the others weren't either. They had unique items in all price ranges.. clothes, shoes, handbags and stuff for the home.The economy probably did them in. Sorry but not all PS'ers care about "sustainable, fair trade" items or items like $52.00 cardboard deer heads. Good riddance.

lnelson

eggcream wrote: [quote=The Chipster]i agree with you belz, as many of these shops were vanity projects for the investment banker's wives and their uberspring,-Matter, Carmens, Living..No more $150.00 candle/moisturizer/pillow shops for me. kthanks.
Loved Chairman-he and/or Joseph from Josephs's Hair gets my vote for "best ole timer" on 7th.
3R was a perfect example of a park slope owned and engineered shop; with local and knowledgeable employees who were dedicated to their mission. They served our needs and we couldn't support this one shop?! They recycled your crap too! I don't understand how they went out, when they had everything park slope wants-organic, sustainable, nice folks, free samples, community service projects, a certain earnest fair trade gifts--this stunned me. I bought all my cleaners and assorted gifts from them. ALWAYS. I MISS YOU 3R!!!
see my post on the 3/50 project.

Living was not run by an "investment bankers wife" as I'd bet the others weren't either. They had unique items in all price ranges.. clothes, shoes, handbags and stuff for the home.The economy probably did them in. Sorry but not all PS'ers care about "sustainable, fair trade" items or items like $52.00 cardboard deer heads. Good riddance.

We should remember that the people who work in and own the shops we frequent (and frequently dis, myself included) also read this board. Remember Cafe 11, the ill-fated Illy-serving coffee shop on 11th and 7th? The couple that worked there really worked themselves to death, 12-hour days, no profit. That was the closest coffee shop between where I lived and the subway for a while, and yeah, it wasn't the best, but the husband and wife poured everything they had into into that place and felt shitty for failing. Maybe they had bad judgment for opening across from Naidre's and the old Tea Lounge, but then, that Tea Lounge tanked too. I know they were really hurt by what people wrote after they went out of business. I guess I'm just saying I think we shouldn't shit on small businesses after they've failed, whatever the reason.

booklaw

=D> =D> =D> =D>

veets

lnelson wrote: Does anyone know what's up (if anything, I don't want to start rumors) with City Casuals? (Next to what until recently was Living on 7th). Their awning is extremely damaged and has been for a while, and and they've been having various permutations of major sales for the past several months. I've always found their inventory to not really include anything I need, but they seem like nice people. ...

Just to go on about this (I do have information) the inventory is not huge but well selected and for years, at this time in the season (at the end of every season) there are sales because next years "winter" clothes are ALL that current year's stock.

Old fashioned... but the right way to run a business.

prezst

bravo inelson

stooplady

The store property owners were always whores and a lot of interesting stores moved on. The north slope was ignored especially. When the fire destroyed the old Zuzu's Petals and the green grocer next to it....why hasn't it ever been taken over.
Now we have bank after bank and some mediocre, but local yocal businesses. Seventh Avenue lost its pizazz after the late 90s recession. It is basically boring but homey (except for a few shops).

belzjm

"When the fire destroyed the old Zuzu's Petals and the green grocer next to it....why hasn't it ever been taken over."




Because it's being renovated:

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2010/01/plans_finalized.php

longtimesloper

Yes, it is being renovated now, but, seriously, how long did those two stores sit empty? 3?4?5? years?