JVNY reader Kenny G. at WFMU wrote in to say:
"Just over at the Antiques Garage on 25th Street between 6th & 7th and there are signs up everywhere celebrating the fact that they've renewed their lease for a year, possibly longer. The Garage was supposed to close after Thanksgiving, but in the face of the collapsing economy, the developer has indefinitely postponed plans there. A little bit of sunshine through the clouds, no?"
Yes, Kenny G.!
Last October, I visited the Garage and reported on their doom. What a difference a year makes.
After Kenny's news, I went by to take some pics of the celebratory signage and chatted with a vendor who told me, "It's a month-to-month lease, but I expect we'll be here another year or two. The developer can't get a hotel license. There are too many hotels around here as it is."
Not only that, she said she talks to a lot of kids who just got out of school and came to New York to make piles of money, "but it's not happening. So now they're all heading for Pennsylvania. They're very upset because their starting salaries in Allentown are only $45,000! But how much do you really need to live in Allentown?"
Not much. Cue the Billy Joel...
4 comments:
This is such great news. I visited the Brooklyn Flea yesterday( it's walking distance from my apartment) and it lacks everything that makes the Garage special: interesting clientele,wide esoteric selection,and just a certain vibe that has NYC all over it. The BK flea is a crafts fair for hipsters with a smattering of furniture and food. Even when things were looking bad for the Garage and attendence was down, it still beat the BK Flea hands down.
great news :)
I was just there yesterday and very happy to see it open! Got a notebook from 1923 with handwritten quotes of a girl's friends in it and a cookbook from 1915 ( interested to try the recipe on making your own ice cream). Old New York happy days are here again. :)
$45,00 starting salary in Allentown, PA? That's still a lot more than what I make now, considering I've had 10 years experience and have a Master's degree.
Stupid white privileged kids.
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