Life, death, and transformation in Long Island City. Of storefronts, that is.
The Creek sans the cave, Jackson Ave @ the Pulaski Bridge, Long Island City
Business deals live and die like everything else in LIC (and the world) so it shouldn’t have come as any surprise (it didn’t) to liQcity to discover the following:
a) The cigar lounge that was in the works, HALO, seems to have burned up in the hot summer sun… or melted away in all this rain, whichever you prefer. Ultimately, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.
b) The Gristedes that was to arrive to the bottom of the Arris Lofts also seems to have evaporated. Sad news, we know, for Arris Lofters, and Purves-ites. Perhaps all the day workers in Court Square will also shed a tear.
c) No photographs this time, but the new storefront that’s arrived on Vernon between 46th Ave & 47th Road (right near the stalled sandwiched bistro Figaro is going to be a local real estate brokerage, called Modern Spaces.
d) Another space on the same block as Modern Spaces, is rumored to be manifesting a dentist’s office. Meh.
e) Looks like an established restaurant in LIC has changed their stripes. Creek and the Cave, has shed it’s psychadelic facade, not to mention ‘The Cave’ and is now just simply, The Creek.
f) Keep your eye on the Foodcellar this weekend…it’s about to pop any day now.
Been to the Creek while they were in transistion. I liked it when it was Creak’s Cave AFTER they renovated the place. Cleaner and roomier. I guess it was meant to attract a new owner.
Now with a new owner, they have this green and brown theme going. Fonts all look like they came from Romparoom. Might aspire to some people. I guess the new owner has alot of new ideas for the Creek.
how is/was the food there
tofu/spinach/avocado burrito = so good.
Another brokerage huh? That’s great.
The brokerage turned an apartment into a storefront -which is nice at least.
The more retail that comes to Vernon and LIC is a plus.
The Creek, Cave, Whatever = bad Mexican food for mediocre white people.
#8 is a perfect example of an asinine comment.
Charlie.
#9 is a perfect example of a mediocre white person.
How can you say “all retail” is good for Vernon? Some retail is definitely bad retail and if we get any more bars (which is that considered retail?) it won’t be a good thing for Vernon already. I know people on this blog thing that there aren’t enough of them, but there are actually too many and if you walk down vernon on any given night you will see most of them are half empty.
I don’t think there are enough bars on Vernon. Well, Bars that I would consider fun. Most of them are old and dark with bad food.
The market does its own magic in deciding what lives or dies on Vernon. Those businesses that are good, fill a need and are properly capitalized do succeed, and those business owners who get in over their heads, misread the market, or are unsuccessful in finding their unique selling point end up failing.
Does Vernon need more bars? Who knows. If someone’s got a concept for a bar that resonates with people and finds a unique audience, then yes. If you’re talking about someone opening another pub in the model of the ones that already sit “half empty,” then of course the answer is no. But making blanket comments without respect to the quality or content of the individual businesses is pretty useless.
Many of the great businesses on Vernon that we love now were once chided by residents who were sure that they’d never survive. And several now-successful businesses on Vernon have profited from the failures of previous businesses by walking into nicely built-out spaces that were nearly ready-to-go. Thank goodness for that business life-cycle that births new businesses out of the failures of the last.
We need more places with outside space.
We need more places with outside seating. If you have a few heat lamps, you can definitely use them well into the winter.
Very good point #13/jb. A well thought out post, unlike the garbage of # 10/#8, who proves the point I’ve made in previous threads.
Charlie.
“Many of the great businesses on Vernon that we love now were once chided by residents who were sure that they’d never survive.”
13, jb, what businesses are you referring to? I don’t recall anyone chiding businesses on Vernon.
PS. also, when someone said “we don’t need more bars,” I think what they really mean is “we need other businesses besides bars.” I don’t think they mean to suggest that more bars wouldn’t necessarily be successful.
“Many of the great businesses on Vernon that we love now were once chided by residents who were sure that they’d never survive.”
13, jb, what businesses are you referring to? I don’t recall anyone chiding businesses on Vernon.
17/18- when Communitea opened in competition with our dearly departed 10-63, for example, many of my friends in the neighborhood predicted it would fail or derided it as a latecomer. Heck, even I didn’t think they’d make it. Look at it now.
As everyone is probably aware of, location is everything. I recall that (many years ago) an audio/electronics business on 5th Avenue, just a few doors off of 45th street, was struggling and losing business to the same type stores on 45th Street. Well, a storefront from another type of business on 45th opened up, and they grabbed it. Almost immediately after opening, they had more business than they could handle. They had to hire more people, and their business nearly quintupled, compared to that of the previous year. All they had to do, was to move around the corner.
That might explain in whole, or at least be a part of the reason, why Communitea survived.
Charlie.
Actually I believe Communitea has survived because it serves great tea, coffee and food in a great atmosphere in a great location. If it had terrible drinks, food, service etc but with a great location it would not have survived. Remember that place Meridien where Masso is now? Survived less than a year. And there are plenty of other corner spots on Vernon that ain’t exactly pulling people in so you have to give credit where is due and just don’t say it is ‘location’. These type of businesses take a lot of hard work, dedication and brains to put the right product in the right place.
#21, Go back and re-read my post, especially the last sentence. I carefully worded it, just so I wouldn’t get responses like the one you posted. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that terrible product and service, is a death sentence for any eatery. Now, my opening sentence is a simple but mostly true, classic real estate and business adage; which is why (because its mostly true) it’s a classic adage, to begin with.
By the way, Ten-63 had great product, and they worked hard too. The owner of Ten-63 (I hope I’m getting the presentation of their name correct) is also the owner of Vine Wine.
I know what it takes to make a small business work, I was a small business owner too. When you go back and re-read that last sentence, you will (I hope) realize what my implication was. So, please read what I am saying, not what you think I am saying.
Charlie.
Communitea = nutella and banana panini = yummmmmmm.
Yikes Charlie, take it easy. My post was not an attack on you as you seem to be feeling, but a reiteration of your post. I was expanding really on your last line to let people know what the other elements are, besides location, to Communitea being popular. Am a regular there so wanted to let people know. Maybe less caffeine for you?
Definitely less caffeine for Charlie.
Sorry # 24. I am so used to having my posts taken out of context by those who don’t pay attention to what I’ve written. They way your post was written, indicated that I was stating that “location” was the only reason for their success.
I’ve heard great things about Communitea.
By the way, I only drink decaffeinated beverages.
Charlie.
What is the exact address for “foodcellar”? I don’t believe it was ever published.
Foodcellar location - Just walk down 47th Rd. towards the water. It is in the EC2 bldng. at 2nd st. There is a google map on the QW website.
2nd street doesn’t go that far north. Do you mean Center Blvd.?
Apparantly it does. liqcity just posted pics of the interior and the address is 47th Road bt. 5th & 2nd.
Yeah, wait, isn’t that Center Blvd.? Or does it regain its name up there as 2nd again?
It’s Center Blvd. You would think a blog about LIC real estate would actually live in the neighborhood and be able to know it’s Center, but having walked past it, not what google map or mapquest says.
Everyone knows 2nd Street ends at 50th Avenue
It’s really a moot point - 2nd St becomes Center Blvd at 50th Ave - It is still basically the same street. In Manhattan Park Ave. So becomes 4th Ave. when you cross 14th St. Do you say Ave. of the Americas instead of 6th Ave? - same street with different names.
#34 wrong, look at a map.
34, at the risk of sounding pedantic (and I’m only replying because I hate when people so obviously wrong try to lecture everyone else), 50th Avenue is an east-west cross-street and Center Boulevard is a north-south avenue. 50th Avenue runs into Center Blvd. the same way a cross street in Manhattan intersects with an avenue. You need to bone up on your geography.
Foodcellar has a sign in the window that says it opens August 13th, next Wednesday.