Tea Lounge on 7th Ave Closing
It makes me sad.
I heard (from one of the people who work there) that apparently the landlord wants a restaurant to open there (or she wants to open it, not sure) so she raised the rent beyond what they can afford.
I know Tea Lounge falls into the category of "Places We Love to Hate" here on the board, but it makes me angry that yet another long(ish) time place is being closed out by rising rents. I also really like their chai and it is so convenient for me.
Not to mention that between that and Red Hot not being there, it pretty much kills that corner.
I heard (from one of the people who work there) that apparently the landlord wants a restaurant to open there (or she wants to open it, not sure) so she raised the rent beyond what they can afford.
I know Tea Lounge falls into the category of "Places We Love to Hate" here on the board, but it makes me angry that yet another long(ish) time place is being closed out by rising rents. I also really like their chai and it is so convenient for me.
Not to mention that between that and Red Hot not being there, it pretty much kills that corner.
Comments
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The only business that will be able to afford the new rent is Citibank.
7th Avenue does not have enough 24 hour traffic for any restaurant to survive with what these greedy landlords are asking for.
7th Avenue will be a ghost town. As early as 7 pm on Thursday, walking on 7th Avenue between 10th and 1st streets, every other business/store front was closed. Depressing. -
I am sorry, but to me, the closure of the 7th Ave Tea Lounge is the death of Park Slope I loved. While I was living there, it was really the streets I was in love with - not the stores or the restaurants, but the strips of concrete that I found really welcoming, and I always felt so home when that strip of concrete led to Tea Lounge some late nights. I feel like I moved out at the right time though, Park Slope is really starting to lose its charm.
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I think Raw is (unfortunately) accurate on his assessment of 7th Ave being a ghost town after dark. I live close to 5th Ave and iI walk the dogs late ;even on a week day, it becomes pretty obvious that there is more activity on the street.
Except for the area near Methodist Hospital there is little foot traffic on 7th Ave in the evening. How much pizza from Smiley's can those doctors eat? Even the Purity closes early. Never happened years ago at their old location.. they were open till 2AM (and later on weekends).
The Tea Lounge is doomed. It is a big space and I see it as the next not necessary bank or being subdivided in to spaces to be rented to businesses that will or will not survive. -
seems that barrio at 3rd and 7th has added a new burst of life to 7th avenue. the place has been buzzing everytime i've walked by...
when there's a huge thread on here with people saying how terrible the coffee is at tea lounge, one really can't be all that surprised to hear it's closing. -
hoovesontheturf wrote: I am sorry, but to me, the closure of the 7th Ave Tea Lounge is the death of Park Slope I loved. While I was living there, it was really the streets I was in love with - not the stores or the restaurants, but the strips of concrete that I found really welcoming, and I always felt so home when that strip of concrete led to Tea Lounge some late nights. I feel like I moved out at the right time though, Park Slope is really starting to lose its charm.
Park Slope lost it's sense of history and some of its charm when Benneton opened a store on 7th Ave not so long ago. However, what everyone should realize is that all of NYC is a big rotating circle. Events and places combine to make constant change. Change can be different or repeated. -
heh, benneton.
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While the coffee was nothing to write home about, and the baby strollers made it completely inaccessable during the day, this is sad. If nothing else, they have had a few good bands come through to play in the evenings/weekends. I saw Brooklyn Qawali Party play there more than once, and any place that lets BQP play was ok by me.
I shudder to think where all the baby strollers will go during the days now. -
hoovesontheturf wrote: I am sorry, but to me, the closure of the 7th Ave Tea Lounge is the death of Park Slope I loved. While I was living there, it was really the streets I was in love with - not the stores or the restaurants, but the strips of concrete that I found really welcoming, and I always felt so home when that strip of concrete led to Tea Lounge some late nights. I feel like I moved out at the right time though, Park Slope is really starting to lose its charm.
UGH!! :? I HATE THAT PLACE!! Have I said it enough? They suck ass, they serve ass in a cup, and you sit on ass-stinkin couches. Tea Lounge opened way after Olive Vine was there, so it wasn't like it was some sort of frontier bravery there. I hope something nice opens, I pray it's a Press 195! Or something like Cafe Habana or Beso. Tea Lounge was never charming, nor were its arrogant owners. Good riddance! -
I really hope a nice place to eat opens and not another bank. All the banks make it easy to take out money, but seriously, where are we supposed to spend it?!
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Good riddance to that eyesore. charlesbklyn is not going to be happy after his glowing review.
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eggcream wrote: Good riddance to that eyesore. charlesbklyn is not going to be happy after his glowing review.
I agree with the eyesore comment. It really does look like a mess in the front a majority of the time. -
My husband spoke to the manager yesterday, who was very bitter. He said the owner of the building wants to attract a chain store and is raising the rent so high that only a chain store can afford it. According to him, the same thing happened to Red Hot and the greedy owner still hasn't found a tenant who'll pay the newly inflated rent.
The TL owner is not looking for new space in the South Slope because he said all the landlords are trying this tactic. They are halfway through their lease at the Union Street location and hope to hang on there when lease renewal time comes.
I'm not a huge fan of the TL coffee or its stroller infestation from 10AM-4PM, but I'd much rather have a local independent store than an ATM or drugstore. -
Idlewild wrote: [quote=hoovesontheturf]I am sorry, but to me, the closure of the 7th Ave Tea Lounge is the death of Park Slope I loved. While I was living there, it was really the streets I was in love with - not the stores or the restaurants, but the strips of concrete that I found really welcoming, and I always felt so home when that strip of concrete led to Tea Lounge some late nights. I feel like I moved out at the right time though, Park Slope is really starting to lose its charm.
Park Slope lost it's sense of history and some of its charm when Benneton opened a store on 7th Ave not so long ago. However, what everyone should realize is that all of NYC is a big rotating circle. Events and places combine to make constant change. Change can be different or repeated.
That Benneton was ages ago! wow, wasn't it where Hagen Daaz is? -
gooner wrote: While the coffee was nothing to write home about, and the baby strollers made it completely inaccessable during the day, this is sad. If nothing else, they have had a few good bands come through to play in the evenings/weekends. I saw Brooklyn Qawali Party play there more than once, and any place that lets BQP play was ok by me.
Bands played at the 7th Avenue one? How did they fit into that small space?
I shudder to think where all the baby strollers will go during the days now. -
whoa....a Press 195 on 7th would be fabu... a girl can dream :-)
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LongTimeSloper wrote: [quote=Idlewild][quote=hoovesontheturf]I am sorry, but to me, the closure of the 7th Ave Tea Lounge is the death of Park Slope I loved. While I was living there, it was really the streets I was in love with - not the stores or the restaurants, but the strips of concrete that I found really welcoming, and I always felt so home when that strip of concrete led to Tea Lounge some late nights. I feel like I moved out at the right time though, Park Slope is really starting to lose its charm.
Park Slope lost it's sense of history and some of its charm when Benneton opened a store on 7th Ave not so long ago. However, what everyone should realize is that all of NYC is a big rotating circle. Events and places combine to make constant change. Change can be different or repeated.
That Benneton was ages ago! wow, wasn't it where Hagen Daaz is?
Yup! Before that Haagen Daaz was at the CT Muffin locale on 1st. In fact Haagen Daaz has been in the Slope for over 30 years. It was here before HD became world famous. -
As much as I'd love another Press195 - I highly doubt that would happen. I was in there last week and the owner said they were about to undertake a renovation/expansion to the kitchen on the 5th Ave store. There won't be any more seats, but they're switching from an all electric kitchen as they are now and including a fryer so they can have frites (!!!) like they have at their other location in Bayside. I doubt they could afford to take on a third location - which seems pretty unsuitable for a restaurant anyways - at least not without some major renovation. Kitchen in the basement, anyone?
I, for one, am hoping it isn't a bank, chain, mediocre japanese or thai place. But that might be too much.
I don't drink coffee so obviously have no opinion as to whether the TL coffee sucks or not, but their chai and other teas are the best in the neighborhood... Almost every other place uses the pre-boxed stuff which is icky. At least at TL it was loose, and not already sweetened. I'm sorry so many other people hate the TL - I agree it is grungy and I do avoid it during the day and weekends cause of the strollers blocking everything, but I will miss it (though I appear to be the only one!). -
The Brooklyn Paper wrote an article about this:
Tea Lounge To Close In July!
I used to live 3 blocks away from that Tea Lounge. Losing a location for good flavored iced tea makes me very sad.
This endless parade of landlords jacking rents sky-high in order to bring in a bank/drug store/chain store drives me up a wall. Then again, if people would stop frequenting them, maybe this practice would slow down. (Ha ha ha...)
(And I for one would not like to see Beso reappear there... or anywhere. That place had some of the worst customer service that I've experienced. Ugh.) -
i heard it was going to be a corcoran office. don't know where i read that--gowanus lounge, maybe? do they need another office?
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Idlewild wrote: [quote=LongTimeSloper][quote=Idlewild][quote=hoovesontheturf]I am sorry, but to me, the closure of the 7th Ave Tea Lounge is the death of Park Slope I loved. While I was living there, it was really the streets I was in love with - not the stores or the restaurants, but the strips of concrete that I found really welcoming, and I always felt so home when that strip of concrete led to Tea Lounge some late nights. I feel like I moved out at the right time though, Park Slope is really starting to lose its charm.
Park Slope lost it's sense of history and some of its charm when Benneton opened a store on 7th Ave not so long ago. However, what everyone should realize is that all of NYC is a big rotating circle. Events and places combine to make constant change. Change can be different or repeated.
That Benneton was ages ago! wow, wasn't it where Hagen Daaz is?
Yup! Before that Haagen Daaz was at the CT Muffin locale on 1st. In fact Haagen Daaz has been in the Slope for over 30 years. It was here before HD became world famous.
Yep=-I remember that too1 -
LongTimeSloper wrote:
I totally got confused. I thought they were closing the Union St. one. My fault. I am new to reading.
Bands played at the 7th Avenue one? How did they fit into that small space? -
Not a bad spot for the inevitable second Gorilla Coffee outpost, I'd say.
I only went into that Tea Lounge once, being that I live way on the north side of the Slope. It seemed so clubby and to itself that I felt completely out of place there.
I do agree that one of the things about our city is that spaces continue to reinvent themselves. We all have places we were once attached to that are now gone. We always find new ones. -
i agree that gorilla could do well here...
sometimes i wish there was one up in the north slope on 7th, but i wouldn't want ozzie's at lincoln to go under...i like them too... -
The founder of Park Slope Parents calls it "an iconic mommy meeting place" and says, "I blame gentrification."
Am I the only person who sees the irony of this quote? -
filmlover44 wrote:
That is 100% pure unadulterated awesome. Thanks for pulling that.The founder of Park Slope Parents calls it "an iconic mommy meeting place" and says, "I blame gentrification."
Am I the only person who sees the irony of this quote? -
that is funny.
BTW, Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn is reporting the Park Slope Books space has been rented...anyone know what's going in? -
Idlewild wrote: Park Slope lost it's sense of history and some of its charm when Benneton opened a store on 7th Ave not so long ago.
I think Benneton opened in 1985. I remember when my neighbor, a guy who owned 3 or 4 buildings, told me about it. He was all excited, "Did you hear? We made it! Benneton is coming to 7th Avenue." I for one didn't like the news and was glad to see them gone soon thereafter.
-blue -
J0518 wrote: Not a bad spot for the inevitable second Gorilla Coffee outpost, I'd say.
The question remains: would they be able to afford the rent any more than Tea Lounge? -
meganlibrarian wrote: [quote=J0518]Not a bad spot for the inevitable second Gorilla Coffee outpost, I'd say.
The question remains: would they be able to afford the rent any more than Tea Lounge?
Possibly. They do sell their beans at retailers like Whole Foods. Maybe they do well enough between that and the first location. But if the owner is determined to get a "chain" I doubt it will happen. -
I for one won't miss all of the 13 and 14 year old girls sitting out there on the cement clutching their cell phones, coffees, and cigarettes. Ugly.
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