At one point or another, pretty much everyone I know has said, “My neighborhood could really use a ….”
What you fill in that blank, whether it’s a coffee shop, bar, burger joint, dry cleaner or produce market says a lot about the area you’re in–and its inhabitants.
I’ve decided hang about in front of storefronts for rent around Brooklyn to ask locals what they’d like to see materialize in that empty space.
This week, I visited the open space on Bedford Avenue between N. 6th and N.7th Streets to see what locals thought Williamsburg’s busiest area was missing. I stopped passersby looking for locals and when I found them, I asked them all the same question, “What would you like to see in this spot?”
Here’s what some of them had to say:
Stephanie Wilkie, barista: “I think Williamsburg needs a small movie, a second run, $2 dollar-type movie theater.”
Sarah Vitale, waiter/singer: “I’d want a really excellent produce market that makes really excellent salad and soup.”
Hamilton Morris, writer/researcher: “Umm, anything? How about a weed dispensary? That would be ideal.”
Of the ten or so people I spoke to, four mentioned the need for a movie theater, although, each person stipulated that they wanted an “indie theater.” I found myself wondering what people meant by this since there is currently a small, very indie theater in Williamsburg right near that particular open space. When I pushed further, I often found that locals wanted something closer to a mainstream theater. Perhaps when a proper movie house settles in the Burg it will be a kind of hybrid of the Angelika and one of the big stadium-style theaters–a perfect reflection of the neighborhood’s inhabitants.
Two people mentioned that they’d like a branch of their bank to open up on Bedford, one citing the exorbitant fees at Bedford Avenue ATMs. One interviewee declined to offer a suggestion, but instead voiced support for the local Duane Reade, stating, “I don’t see why everybody made a big deal about it, I think it’s great.” Also, two people mentioned having difficulty finding good soup in the area.
It’s likely that if I’d asked a few months ago, locals would have mentioned the need for a proper grocery store, but now there’s a shiny new Foodtown just a few blocks away. With the addition of a movie theater, a produce market, soup and of course, a weed dispensary, Bedford would be damn near utopian–provided of course that the ATM fees were eradicated.
I would love to see a bakery specializing in bread and other small baked goods. Margo (on Driggs) has been a great addition to the neighborhood, but having a shop like Scratchbread set up shop would be amazing!
According to my experience and google maps, there are already three bakeries within 2 blocks… The Polish one admittedly isn’t making Italian boules but is Vittoria not your speed? http://www.yelp.com/list/the-next-stop-is-bedford-avenue-brooklyn
There used to be a shop at 158 Bedford (btwn North 8th and 9th Streets) with an ice cream counter and baked goods called Penny Licks. I noticed it went missing within the last year.
I have never heard of Vittoria, but will take a look. I used to go to Penny Licks from time to time but I felt that they never really got it right. Rabbit Hole on South 2nd has some of the best cookies and scones I’ve ever tasted though.
I’m with ya Mary! In general I think this part of Williamsburg needs more and better sweets. Nobody mentioned that.
There’s another empty space on North 6th & Kent. Its in an old loft looking building across from The Edge (I remember it used to be their old sales office). I want to see a Body Shop, Sephora, or something like that. Anyone else?
an art supply store, an electronics shop (local owned, thank you), a mexican grocery (still miss matamoros)…and maybe one day we’ll get a functioning post office.