No No, No More

FurryGreyBOy wrote: On a slightly different note - anyone know what's going on at Lola,...(

I've kind of been expecting that, I walk by there everyday and I noticed that the signs in the window of % off kept going up. In my mind, that's the path to closing up.

i was a little worried walking around today...NoNo, Bohdi Tree, Maggies...there's a lot going down.

The Bodhi Tree had a sign "Bussiness for Sale." Hilarious.

I'm sorry about the Bohdi Tree..and they show a lot of class...they have a sign with an email address to reach them if you have a gift card from them. And eatshoplocal, I agree with you...nothing funny about a small business closing

I'm sad to see all these stores closing, but Bodhi Tree in particular had many issues - poor location, catering to a younger clientele (who couldn't afford those clothes), and something of an attitude (I was told point-blank that I was out of the age range of the market they were targeting). Selling to hipsters on the BeanSprouts-to-321 drag approaches delusional.

Wait, are we talking about NoNO (North of New Orleans, the restaurant on 7th Ave b/w 7th and 8th Sts) or some other store?

ljnd wrote: I'm sad to see all these stores closing, but Bodhi Tree in particular had many issues - poor location, catering to a younger clientele (who couldn't afford those clothes), and something of an attitude (I was told point-blank that I was out of the age range of the market they were targeting). Selling to hipsters on the BeanSprouts-to-321 drag approaches delusional.

I agree- I live on that block and wandered in there a few times and was very unimpressed by the staff. Totally unhelpful and the clothes were WAY overpriced. There's enough cute boutique stores in the slope that will accommodate you to not have to shop somewhere like that.

I worked retail and service jobs for many, MANY years and I don't ever remember when painting your nails and talking on your cell phone was an acceptable form of customer service (both of which I have experienced at said retailer.) Also, when asked how much a jacket in the window was, the response I received was "expensive" with a long glare (perhaps insinuating that I can't afford it?) I'm sad to see it shut down because now its just an empty building, but it was not a fave.

Carmen, thanks - that's exactly the sort of attitude I got only instead of its being about money, it was about age (and I'm 43, it's not like I'm tottering decrepitly down the street or am some kind of blight on fashion and aesthetics). It was almost as if the clientele available to them wasn't good enough for them. In which case, karma's a kick in the ass, ain't it?

Eatshoplocal, I love shopping in the nabe. I try to support local businesses over chains whenever possible - and I run my own business, so I totally know what it's like. But I never say to a customer, "I'm sorry, you're just NOT the customer I want to be selling my stuff to." I mean...who does that? And in fact, I DID go into the store, and it's precisely BECAUSE I did (and Carmen did and FurryGreyBOy did) that we are saying what needs to be said: this business was consistently rude to its customers. Just because they are local and small doesn't mean they thusly deserve to stay in business. If they are condescending and ill-mannered towards people who come in with money to spend, they can add a healthy serving of self-blame to the economic environment.

We are seeing a change in park slope my friends. The bad buisnesses with horrible customer relations can no longer survive. These closings are a good thing. It means that better buisnesses with better practice models will open in their place and thrive.

Eventually all the stores in park slope will be super friendly an very helpfull...the way they should be

I went into Bodhi a few times and was pretty much ignored. i wouldn't say they were rude and snotty, but they certainly weren't welcoming either. i also was not impressed with the quality of the merchandise.

Now, yesterday I went into Alchemy-loved that place, the two women running out it couldn't have been nicer.

ljnd wrote: Yes, and most of them are - Serene Rose, for example, is a great, chatty, friendly boutique; extremely helpful, and I've often surprised myself by buying more than I intended, purely because they are lovely people. Seven Nails gets my business over Dashing Diva - I've built up relationships with the ladies there and they know how I like my nails and eyebrows done. Shops like this MAKE a neighborhood, and I hope the recession doesn't affect them too severely!

Love Serene Rose, Hermian is a doll and very involved in other aspects of the community also.

I would take a laundromat (even though another is rght down the street, I'd take one on this corner!)

Love Serene Rose atmosphere, a bit too expensive for me, but always pleasant. However, as evidenced by the closing of Maggie's Threads; it's NOT the service that makes a store fail. They were the sweetest and most patient with kids there.
Look at Flight 101. Fkn rudest assholes in the universe, but people love to get some overpriced status symbol there. And if Lola is going out of business, which I hope it isn't; again; the salespeople were always friendly there.
Bodhi-yuk. I felt old. Agreed; wrong business model.

Old Time Brooklyn wrote: Closing? No. For sale? A shitty business that tries to sell itself is a little humorous I suppose. One that can't spell "business?" Yes, very funny.

Thats what i thought you meant. (bussiness JUMPED out at me)
I didnt think it required advanced reading comprehension skills,
but apparently im wrong.