What would you put at Troy and Union?

whynot_31

Troy Ave and Union seems to right on the border of the orthodox jewish area, and the neighborhood to the east.

While Bunch O' Bagels seems to have a customer base that includes "both" neighborhoods, few businesses do.

What do you think would work in this space?

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/19091480/307-Troy-Ave-Brooklyn-NY/
307 Troy

@southeast this seems to be your neck of the woods.

ldarippa

Coffee shop or Bakery/Cafe.  Both are lacking east of Nostrand Avenue.

morralkan

In order to draw on the Orthodox base, the store has to be strictly kosher and under the supervision of the local kosher authorities. 

dl

A good bread bakery could easily meet the kosher requirements the Orthodox community would need in order to support it, and being that there is no place to buy good sourdough bread, baguettes, etc., in the area, it could do well.  A coffee shop would also appeal to all segments of the local population, and could even sell kosher pastries from a local bakery to draw the Orthodox crowd in. Any other food establishment would probably find the kosher requirements too difficult to maintain.

whynot_31

I'm surprised to hear there are no good bread bakeries on Kingston.

...Yes, I think a coffee shop that stocked local kosher pastries would do well with the younger, laptop obsessed crowds of various hues and attire.

southeast

This area can use a kosher sit-down sushi spot, a shipping store, and a good cleaners with tailoring.

On a side note, what is going on the the building across the street, the southwest corner of Union and Troy?  it seems that the building is finally vacant.

morralkan

If one is looking for more esoteric breads, that's not what you will find on Kingston or Albany. Still, if one wants a good rye or challah, as well as rolls or baguettes, that is easy to find at the three bakeries on these two avenues. In any case, to attract the local, religious groups to patronize a coffee shop, the  establishment would have to be under the supervision of the local kosher authorities. Kosher laws can be quite daunting.

By the way, there is a kosher sushi restaurant on Kingston near Empire and sushi is also available at the bagel store on Troy and at Mendy's on Kingston and EP. Since I find the idea of raw fish totally revolting, though, I cannot comment on the quality of any of these.

There are a couple of shipping stores here also: on Kingston (Montgomery/Crown?) and on Albany south of Empire. There is also a very good dry cleaner on Kingston north of President that does tailoring, though I've never used them for anything aside from dry cleaning. Actually, there are a couple of other cleaners here too, one on Albany near Union and another on Kingston. 

I'm not saying that the area could not use other businesses, just that we are not a desert over here. 

crownheightster

There is a wonderful bakery on Kingston and Union, called Gombo's. Fantastic babka and doughnuts. 

whynot_31

Several yummy bakeries on Kingston, although I don't frequent them enough to know their names.

southeast

@morralkan -   

Empire and Kingston is the only store specializing in sushi and don't have much seating. The other places you mention do not have the sushi made on premises.  The bakery on Kingston between Crown and Montgomery makes sushi on premises, but they have bakery hours.  I want a sushi place where I can sit down for a late'ish dinner.

The shipping stores you mention are not only shipping, and as a result, are not even close to a UPS type of store.  I want a proper shipping store which specializes in shipping and related functions.

And cleaners - well, there are a ton of them, but I want one closer.  One where if I'm a short a shirt at 7:30am, I can run over an pick up my cleaners I dropped off previously, and where I can drop off my stuff when I get home from work at 7pm.  I want a good cleaners with long hours close by... yes; it may just be too much to ask for.  I am currently using another one, but it's getting to be a hassle getting my stuff over and back.

A man is allowed to dream...

southeast

There is a wonderful bakery on Kingston and Union, called Gombo's. Fantastic babka and doughnuts. 

Kingston and President.

morralkan

I'm not particularly fond on Gumbo's -- their stuff is much too sweet, at least for my taste. Still, they do seem to do good business and the owner is a nice guy. The challah is definitely much better at Albany bake shop.

Mendy's does make sushi on site and is open later, but I'm not sure at what hour you usual crave sushi. 

The cleaners on Kingston and Union is just a couple of blocks further away and the one on Albany and Union only one block away. I don't know how many dry cleaners more the neighborhood would/could support. One problem with dry cleaners is that many building owners do not want to rent to a cleaner that does the work on the premises because of dry cleaning fumes. 

As to the shipping services, I'm not sure what else you want a shipping store to do for you. I know they will do packing and that they carry shipping supplies and boxes. 

One of the problems with kosher restaurants around here is that they tend to be expensive and not all that many people make a habit of dining out. While I agree that it would be great to have a really nice, local restaurant in which to eat out, I don't see the neighborhood supporting such a place, at least not at this point and not off the main drag (Kingston Ave.).

southeast

Thanks @morralkan.  I didn't know Mendy's made the sushi on premises.  Every time stop by, it seems like they just have the fridge stacked with packaged rolls.

morralkan

Welcome, southeast. There's an Asian guy who has a stand at the right end of the food prep counter, at a right angle to the steam table. I imagine that the prepared sushi boxes are intended for those who want to simply pick up sushi quickly. Again, since I can't stomach the idea of raw fish, I don't know the details.

One thing I know I would love nearby is an Indian restaurant. Still, I wonder if a kosher one would be a hard sell around here. Perhaps a vegetarian one? Basically, it's either an unkosher one because of the cream sauces or a vegetarian one, I guess. :-(

ldarippa

To me, any sit down restaurant - Indian, Italian etc would be welcome close to Utica Avenue.  

morralkan

I totally agree, Idarippa -- OK, not sushi for me, but almost anything else

whynot_31

Indian restaurants are often the first sit down restaurants to set up shop in an area.

whynot_31

still for lease: http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/19091480/307-Troy-Ave-Brooklyn-NY/

southeast

Walked by today, and the front door was open.  Inside, it appears that the floor and joists where taken out and being replaced. I was able to see straight to the floor of the cellar.  On the street, there was a pile of steel c joists which appeared to have just been delivered.

Anyone know if this place has been leased?  Are they prepping for someone or is this just to make it marketable?

whynot_31

I have no info re: a renter.

Sounds like they are going to pour a concete floor.

In case people want a photo:

southeast

Rental sign is down.  A dumpster was parked out front over the weekend.

southeast

Walked by today and saw a couple sharply dressed gentleman looking around.  I'm really curious about what is going to go there.  It seems that in addition to putting down a new floor and joists, they are doing some excavating in the basement.  DOB doesn't appear to have any note on permits.

So curious...  That corner can have a major impact on the area.

whynot_31

From the above ad:

"Space Available:1,000 SF
Rental Rate:$3,200 /Month
Space Type:Street Retail
Lease Type:Other
Date Available:Feb 2015
1000 sf available to rent.

Lots of windows, exposed brick, high ceilings. Basement storage available. Central air/heat"

I think this will be the first of many new businesses on Troy.

I think a non-kosher, cafe sandwich place would do well on this corner. Turkey sandwiches and diet coke.

southeast

This morning...

Looking at DOB, I don't see anything listed, but they did have DOB documents posted on the plywood.  Next time I'm walking by, I will stop and have a look at what it says.

http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByLocationServlet?requestid=0&allbin=3037713&allstrt=TROY AVENUE&allnumbhous=307

whynot_31

The sign stating it is for rent would seem to indicate that this renovation is being undertaken by a landlord who would like to make the space more attractive to potential tenants by making improvements most tenants will want:

New glass
new electrical
new A/C

...fill that dumpster!

Shaniebanannie

Ok so I live 1/2 a block down from this corner. There are A LOT of hipsters moving into the area. It would be great to have a secular diner some where. The Jewish population shops largely down Kingston Ave. The rest of the population has to go to Utica for most secular stores besides bodegas. But still there is not one single sit down American Resturant in the area that we know of. One that actually serves good old fashion burgers and fries (that weren't frozen previously) meatloaf, etc. PLEASE someone open a secular American style diner with quality food. Even our tenants/prospective tenants have been known to ask about this.

Shaniebanannie

Coffee shop or Bakery/Cafe.  Both are lacking east of Nostrand Avenue.

There's good kosher coffee shops/bakeries on Kingston as well as Albany and several secular ones on Utica. All within 2 blocks or less of Union.

southeast

It seems like they did all the "other" work they needed before the permit was pulled.

southeast

The quality of the picture was reduced.  One appears to be for the fence.  The other is for first floor renovation without change in use, etc.  Both issued July 2nd.

whynot_31

"One that actually serves good old fashion burgers and fries (that weren't frozen previously) meatloaf, etc. PLEASE someone open a secular American style diner with quality food."

Said places require venting, fire surpression equipment, and lots of electrical for refrigeration.

A much larger financial investment than a coffeeshop, burrito joint, or bar.

ldarippa

 I have found that none of the bakeries on Utica are worth anything but for their bread.  

Coffee shop or Bakery/Cafe.  Both are lacking east of Nostrand Avenue.

There's good kosher coffee shops/bakeries on Kingston as well as Albany and several secular ones on Utica. All within 2 blocks or less of Union.