The Vacant spot left by Climax, 775 Franklin (corner of St Johns)

Brooklynian

@goldemi1 ... walk in and use the secret phrase ("I'm with Brooklynian"). They will give you room for cream at no extra charge.

whynot_31

Employees of Starbuck's corporate office were in 341 Eastern Parkway today, measuring the space.

ap

Any word on what might be going in the old Climax space? I get so tired of seeing these vacated spaces full of trash, just waiting for someone to clean 'em up!

whynot_31

The owner of Climax is in no rush to get it occupied.

He is reportedly considering waiting until more of the big developments are complete, and (as per his calculations) the storefront is worth more vacant in the interim.

http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/44634/links-to-the-big-16-developments-in-western-crown-heights/p1

Remember, over the next 2 years, many of the stores that along Franklin that have become familiar will soon come up for lease renewal, and the strip will again change.

whynot_31

Or, in cruder terms, the owner of Climax sees no need to rub himself raw.

He knows the right mate will come along if he waits and uses his imagination.

whynot_31

Summary to date: Climax vacated its space in Jan 2013. For approximately the next year, it flirted with Starbucks, but did not close a deal. It then marketed itself privately for more than a year (all of 2014?). .

UPDATE Feb 26, 2015: The space has now been vacant for 2 years. I believe this is the first ad to the public I have seen. It went up 3 days ago.

---------
Quote:
"Space Available:1,580 SF
Rental Rate:$109 /SF/Year
Space Type:Retail (Other)
Lease Type:NNN
Date Available:Feb 2015
Lease Term:60 Months.
$109 /SF/Year$109 /SF/Year$9.08 /SF/Month$172,220 /Year$14,351.67 /Month

Description
Store is comprised of one 830 sqft front space and 750 sqft extension. Conjoined first floor. Separate basements. Store was originally split in 2, front store on Franklin Ave (830 sqft) and side store on St Johns Pl (750) and negotiations for the lease of either or both sections can be made. See attachment for rough dimensions of the store.

Leave contact info at the laundromat on 770 Franklin Ave if needed. No fee. Pictures still include some old inventory from previous business but premises will be thoroughly cleaned prior to lease agreement.

Landlord will not permit sale or storage of alcohol on the premises.

Prime corner store in an excellent location. One block away from 2345 Franklin Ave train station. Just one visit to this location at any time of the day and you will see the buzzing atmosphere. Plenty of foot traffic day and night. Excellent spot for both retail sales and restaurant"

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/19112627/775-Franklin-Ave-Brooklyn-NY/

The agent with the listing specializes in leasing medical and health care spaces.
-------

The fact that the landlord will not allow a business that sells alcohol certainly impacts its marketability, and losing Starbucks to 341 Eastern Parkway was a huge setback in this regard.

It looks like he is done waiting and using his imagination.

dl

This would be a great location for a Beacon's Closet type store, or a nail salon. (My two personal preferences for what should come to Franklin Avenue next.) No alcohol means no bar or restaurant (except maybe a take-out oriented place?) and PLEASE GOD NO MORE COFFEE SHOPS.

xlizellx

I vote another Starbucks.  The other one is too far away.

whynot_31

While some may disagree, I see the present mix of businesses as STILL lagging behind the changes in residents, and their preferences. I think a salad-bagel place, or one that sells burritos would be awesome.

I love that in March 2013 I thought a burrito place would be awesome, and now we are almost over run by them.    

crownheightster

I'd like a really good pharmacy.

sunnyfriday

@whynot_31 moral: be careful what you wish for!

@crownheightster seconded. Not sure if the space is big enough though. I'm dying to have a pharmacy nearby that actually carries my prescriptions, so I don't have to take the train all the way to Borough Hall just for a Duane Reade...

whynot_31

There are some big chain drug stores closer than that.

Has this medium size drug store on Bedford and Prospect opened yet? http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/44102/1417-bedford-at-prospect-place-is-brought-back-to-life-as-a-drug-store-/p1

@sunnyfriday -
Why don't my wishes work when I want a housewares store?

crownheightster

Oh, I'd like a housewares store. Like Cook's Companion!

whynot_31

Yup.

In Park Slope, it takes the form of Tarzian West
http://tarzian-west.com/contact/

I think one could thrive on Franklin. ...all those thirty somethings need to equip their kitchens.

crownheightster

LOL. All people need stuff for their kitchens! I need new wooden spoons because I warped mine in the dishwasher. Lesson learned. But still need new spoons.

whynot_31

You and I may need spoons on occasion, but the real money is made from people who are buying their first quality mixer, pots and pans.

pragmaticguy

With operating costs of $16,000 a month give or take I can't see any retail business being able to survive. Don't even think a restaurant could survive there. Gross sales would have to be about $400,000 a year just to pay for cost of goods and rent and utilities.

whynot_31

The realtor with the listing specializes in renting out spaces to health practitioners.

So, I think it is reasonable to infer that he took this listing believing he could fill it from his list of health care clients.

IE He decided that HIS likelihood of success was commensurate to the amount of work he believes finding a tenant for this space will take.

Needless to say, he'd be delighted to rent it out to a non healthcare tenant, but that isn't his usual strategy.

pragmaticguy

In any event, no matter who he rents to if he gets one month rent from the landlord and one from the new tenant he's made a great commission and if the tenant goes bust in a year he gets to re-rent the place.

whynot_31

As a result of having a glass storefront and being on Franklin Avenue, this is a prime site for the Brooklynian Stalker Squad to work on.

We could entertain ourselves for the next three months taking photos of prospective tenants scratching their chins as they decide whether to sign.

eastbloc

Yup.

In Park Slope, it takes the form of Tarzian West
http://tarzian-west.com/contact/

I think one could thrive on Franklin. ...all those thirty somethings need to equip their kitchens.

All those thirty-somethings without Amazon Prime subscriptions?  Show them to me.

Retail stores are a thing of the past.

whynot_31

They certainly need to not compete with Target or Amazon Prime to survive.

I'd go high end, almost housewarming/wedding gifts.

BTW, I think Climax is best suited as a healthcare space. This thread has me talking about something that I would like locally, but not necessarily at Climax.

clayfilms

A bookstore would be nice. 

bkarchitect

@clayfilms - have you checked out Hullabaloo? It's on Park, just off Franklin

eastbloc

Workers observed in this place now along with construction materials.  Any word yet?

whynot_31

Someone should call Rashad, and ask him if it is still available:

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/19112627/775-Franklin-Ave-Brooklyn-NY/

For best results, ask him whether he was able to lease it, while implying you have a similar site to list.

Then ask what it will become.

whynot_31

No longer listed with Rashad. Now listed with the local king of storefronts, MySpace.

MySpace will get it filled, but is not cheap.

For those keeping track, this space has be vacant for 2 years, 3 months and counting.

whynot_31

Still sitting vacant.

A combination of the high rent, and the landlord's unwillingness to allow profitable alcohol sales.
 
http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/19168905/775-Franklin-Ave-Brooklyn-NY/

...I don't think a housewares store could pull it off.

crownheightster

At this point you'd think the landlord would give up his white whale of a price and just let some business in!

whynot_31

Imagine that you were once hit on by the person you find the most attractive in in the world, and then they changed their mind.

Now imagine that you believe that was not a freak occurrence, but evidence of the potential mate you deserve.    

...Starbucks flirted with him, and he may never recover.

[that said, the guy owns the ongoing location of Climax.   So, isn't like he is too crazy  https://www.google.com/#q=climax+fulton ]