Busiest block of Franklin

booklaw

This discussion was created from comments split from: Rosebud Vintage on Franklin near Sterling to close by Jan 31st..

whynot_31

There certainly were a lot of stores on what was the busiest block of Franklin.

Now that the first wave of stores has been priced out and/or beaten down by the competition, I think we should begin speculating about what this stretch will become next.

-On a recent Saturday, I counted 12 children under 3 in Berg'n at the same time.

-With the exception of Franklin Park and 95 South, I see the after 1 AM crowds thinning.

-The operators of the Jewish Hospital Complex are increasing their rents, and are now attracting tenants that are a little older and care about the local schools....

Are others seeing this?

What should fill the space left by Rosebud Vintage, and the others nearby?

...remember they have to financially survive.

theburgerking

Or Yogumoo, or Climax, or Stork, or Owl and Thistle, space next to Barbancino, space at corner of Park and Franklin, place next to Cool Pony, and so on and so on...

whynot_31

I say with certainty that Climax is waiting for a tenant as high paying as Starbucks.

crownheightster

What has to come next is a large, full-service pharmacy. All those kids with their ear infections and boo boos! But existing Franklin Ave storefronts are not big enough for a full-service place. Maybe the future pharmacy will be an anchor tenant in a big new condo/rental building.

crownheightster

I also think a nice card/stationary store would do nicely on Franklin, in a small space. All those kids with their birthday parties and gifts that they have to write thank-you notes for!

crownheightster

I'll end my lunchbreak speculation with...I think Franklin Ave could totally support a small spa catering towards the area's mothers. I'm thinking luxurious pedicures and manicures, facials, massage, etc. Nothing too high-end, but I'm think of a spa where you can buy mom (or dad)  a really nice mani/pedi for mother's day or her birthday or something like that.  

mugofmead111

I also think a nice card/stationary store would do nicely on Franklin, in a small space. All those kids with their birthday parties and gifts that they have to write thank-you notes for!

Owl & Thistle has some nice cards, but it already had to move south of Eastern Parkway though. 

whynot_31

The demographic that lived on and around Franklin between 2005 and 2010 has shrunk to the degree that I would not go south of EP in search of them.

...I would retool my store to serve the new demographics.

Schmu

Owl and Thistle is just a brief walk to the other side of EP. They have amazing cards. The store is well curated.

whynot_31

I agree. And think it serves a broad demographic. ...lots of people need housewarming gifts.

She was wise to move her store to an area where she was not competing with other uses.

dl

I second the motion for a mid-level nail and waxing salon...my ideal would be a place that is clean but no-frills, with relatively inexpensive services. It seems like you can find a place like that nearly everywhere in New York City EXCEPT Franklin Avenue. (If I'm wrong and there is a nail place in this area that I don't know about, I would love to hear about it!)

naturegirlbk

AMEN!!

xlizellx

I second the motion for a mid-level nail and waxing salon...my ideal would be a place that is clean but no-frills, with relatively inexpensive services. It seems like you can find a place like that nearly everywhere in New York City EXCEPT Franklin Avenue. (If I'm wrong and there is a nail place in this area that I don't know about, I would love to hear about it!)

agree 100%

there was a really nice place at 666 Franklin that was really nice - but they didn't last due to inconsistent business hours it seems...

eastbloc

I don't need housewarming gifts every day, though.  I need them maybe every six months.  That's a good model if you want to be the proprietor of a store with very little foot traffic.

I'm a stranger to a nail clipper more often than my wife would like, but I can fourth the notion that a decent mid-market hair-and-nails place would probably find its mark on Franklin and do all right.

Along the same lines, I'm glad that Benny's on Classon seems to be doing well enough that they always have multiple barbers on the clock.

mike dunlap

I don't need housewarming gifts every day, though.  I need them maybe every six months.  That's a good model if you want to be the proprietor of a store with very little foot traffic.

Owl & Thistle has more than just housewarming gifts. They have a lot of cool stuff. In the past few months I've gone to them for a wallet, thank you cards, candles, coasters, a couch pillow, etc. They have all kinds of good stuff for use around an apartment.

goldemi1

Along the same lines, I'm glad that Benny's on Classon seems to be doing well enough that they always have multiple barbers on the clock.

I hope that's the case, but he's mentioned to me potentially looking at other smaller or shared spaces.  Maybe business is picking up, but may be just scratching by which is too bad because it's a solid value.  I'm surprised it doesn't get lots more neighborhood guys.  He had an interesting account of a cheap and basic (but good) barber in Park Slope thats often empty whereas the hipster $50 place across the street is packed. Clearly aeasthetics matter in a place, as does the psychology of feeling pampered and getting better quality if you just pay more.

nateasensky

Benny is the man. Cheap, great cuts. Fun guy to talk to. Everyone go there! Go!

theburgerking

Looks like Stork was rented. ??

saraxx

I'd love for a Beacon's Closet (or Beacon's Closet type place) to open on Franklin.  I'm just going to put that out in the ether and hope that it happens.

whynot_31

What has to come next is a large, full-service pharmacy. All those kids with their ear infections and boo boos! But existing Franklin Ave storefronts are not big enough for a full-service place. Maybe the future pharmacy will be an anchor tenant in a big new condo/rental building.

Has anyone been to the new Urgent Care place in the base of the new building at the corner of EP and Franklin?

...you don't have to tell us what you or your family member was treated for.

dl

Ooooh, @saraxx, I would love a Beacon's Closet! 

naturegirlbk

Totally agreed!! A Beacon's Closet would be awesome!

Davina

I would be crazy about a mani/pedi place too, especially if they had built-in massage in the pedicure chairs.

I haven't been to the urgent care place but kinda happy that we have one closeby. Hopefully they take my insurance. I've heard rumors that some of the walk-in clinics are very expensive.

whynot_31

Yes, they are. One should go not go to urgent care if one merely can't go to their MD. One should go to urgent care only if they have an urgent (but not emergent) health need. This chart may help: http://www.scripps.org/assets/documents/erorurgentcare.pdf

Needless to say, one should definately not be choosing between going to urgent care and a mani/pedi place.

mugofmead111

I could have used this urgent care place last winter. It was a Saturday, so my regular doctor wasn't available, and I certainly did not want to go to the ER at Kings County.

whynot_31

In the near future, I see Washington Avenue poised to attract a lot of the stores that can no longer afford Franklin. It's foot traffic has a lot of the buying power of Franklin's, but with less expensive rents.

As I see it, Vanderbilt and Franklin will continue to be the streets with lots of bars and restaurants for night time fun, while Washington is poised evolve into a strip that is very useful (but pehaps not as exciting) to have nearby on a Saturday afternoon.

Washington has far more storefronts that Franklin, and they are largely full because they met (and meet) preferences and means that are ongoing.

terekete

Stopping by to note that this thread, which was split off from a thread about a thrift/vintage store closing on Franklin, now has multiple posts about people wanting a thrift/vintage store on Franklin.

Davina

Thanks @whynot, and yes, it would definitely be more of an alternative to the ER. Which by the way, has very expensive copays.

xlizellx

Has anyone been to the new Urgent Care place in the base of the new building at the corner of EP and Franklin?

...you don't have to tell us what you or your family member was treated for.

No...what's the branding of this place?

whynot_31

Statcare

And according to its website it will opens in late January:   http://www.statcarewalkin.com/

So, having learned that, it would be pretty unlikely that any of us have gone yet.