Now that heart-stabbing IHOP shows itself with blue awnings, signage, and the warning "Coming Soon."
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| Photo thanks to Richie Cohen |
What does this mean for the neighboring mom-and-pops? Carmine Street is a place of survivors--though much has been lost--but for how long? Already, Unoppressive, Non-Imperialist Bargain Books is struggling. All of them are in the crosshairs of Big Development.
The real estate agent who brokered IHOP's deal told the Wall Street Journal that Carmine, "was a dumpy street. Now it's top-notch." IHOP is "a big brand, and it'll help me convince other big brands to follow. People don't even know where Carmine Street is--yet. We'll fix that."
These suburban chains don't come here by accident. They are lured here as part of Big Development's overarching plan for the city, and Bloomberg opens the door wide. The Center for an Urban Future just released their exhaustive report "State of the Chains 2012," finding that "the number of chain stores in New York City increased for the fifth straight year." And that runaway train shows no sign of stopping in 2013--an Applebee's is coming to Coney Island's Surf Avenue.
Previously:
Carmine Survivors
Lost on Carmine
Chain Stores in the City
23 comments:
I've been dreading this moment since the news broke last summer -- and I moved out of the 'hood almost 5 years ago because the homogenization of GV was too much for this native New Yorker even then! The gall of that RE developer/agent/whatever to say those things -- makes me want to drive a phillips-head screwdriver through his eyeball (either will do) and pith his flat, millennial nerve center of a brain into the grey, lifeless jelly his sense of propriety and understanding of the 'hood clearly already are. He is a shit-weasel and, as we all should know by now, left unchecked the shit-weasels will inherit the earth -- at least the good parts.
Since when does IHOP count as "top notch"!? It's like the Wal-Mart of diners and I don't even think Wal-Mart execs consider Wal-Mart top notch. But then again, what the hell do real estate agents know about anything?
That's my 'hood and I'm all for it: now that all the old diners on Bleecker are long gone, the closest 24-hour diner is Waverly. Given all of the new restaurants which have opened in the past few years have been aimed at yuppies, foodies or tourists, it's nice to see something open which in which it's okay to nurse a cup of coffee at 3 am.
IHOP isn't a danger to the neighborhood. Trump, NYU and the planning commission are the real threats.
Of course Bloomberg wants IHoop there because now the drunk, woo-hooing, obnoxious frat-boy douchebags, (whom he seems to love), will have yet another place to go at 4AM and soak-up their alcohol piles of pancakes.
Don, all the old diners on Bleeker are long gone to make room for IHOP,etc.
You won't have a neighborhood left 5 years from now.
This is a process that gets initiated to remake neighborhoods and turn them into cookie cutter suburbanized blocks.
Developers see anything older than a decade as "dumpy" and in desperate need of their masterful direction.
You need to wise up a little. IHOP represents other interests and plans. The developer spoke very clearly about what he hopes IHOP will do to your neighborhood. So enjoy your cup of coffee at 3am while the rest of your neighborhood evaporates around you.
Carmine is a pretty solid two blocks: a locksmith, shoe and watch repair, the overpriced crap record store, guitar shop, Spanish and Italian restaurants -- all have been there for at least 20 years. I don't think IHOP, as much as I hate what it represents, will make any difference to their long term health. It's more likely the IHOP will fail to meets its sales projections and poof, the space will be empty yet again.
Hope you're right, Ken Mac.
An IHOP opened in downtown Brooklyn a couple of years ago. It hasn't done jack shit to the neighborhood. If anything, it's brought it down a few notches. There's still a flophouse (IFLOP?) down the street, somehow.
FWIW, the IHOP on Broadway at 232nd Street in Kingsbridge (the Bronx) has its own parking lot, and seems especially popular with families of 300-pounders arriving by SUV.
A 49 year lease ??? Is that a typo ? No one signs a lease that long ...
The next time you'll see me at an IHOP will be the first time you'll see me at an IHOP...well, unless they have a low fee ATM. That's the only time I ever set foot in McDonalds (the one on 6th and First), to use their 99 cent ATM when I'm too drunk to walk up the street to my bank. The stench of their food usually gets me sobered up, which is kind of a bummer.
Because of the Federal offices (immigration, etc.) located on Varick, it will be very popular. Sad but true.
Lived one block from Carmine and Bleecker in 1997 to 2000. There were literally 5 great independently owned real food, sit in a booth diners within a one block radius. They were cheap too. The owner was usually there. Most of them turned over 2 or 3 times since then. The waitresses knew your name and what you regularly ordered. They were cheap too, probably too cheap to survive. Then there was The Grey Dog Cafe on Carmine which has recently moved. You could bring your dog inside there and it could meet other dogs there. Joe's Pizza got pushed up the block (does not taste the same because the oven is different). The only thing that remains the same is the oldies record store. THe Commie book store has shrunk in size and now just sells largely Bob Dylan and R. Crumb. Sad to say this, but IHOP is not responsible for the change. IHOP is filling a need for inexpensive "diner" type food that has been missing from the area for some time.
Remember The Bagel on W. 4th and CornelIa?
The Bagel on W. 4! Now there was a dive! More roaches than dust motes in that heap. It was not a sad thing to see the Bagel go.
could the broker possibly sound more evil? was this incredulous statement followed by a hearty "MUAH HA HA" ?
the bagel was there in 1977/8 ish, i dont remember it being dirty. must of changed owners. how did it survive so long? as for IHOP, they had them in boston. no ive never been in a ihop macdonalds burger king what ever. i would prefer not to see ugly sineage on carmine st. (the broker has a low brow mentality). as usual the small diners cant make the rent, & here is another chain. oh yes, i confess: on a trip from boston to NYC we stopped, i needed bottled water. it was a mac donalds, really gross. whats even more gross was in central america the friend wanted a kentucky fried. i stood by the door, how can anyone, he stench........lets hope IHOP is a cut above. do you think its a bit like the old howard johnsons?? pancakes cant be all that bad, or can they??
Just passed by this IHOP on the M20, and the clientele consisted entirely of young, working-class people of color. Not a frathole or tourist in the joint. So the situation at Carmine St is more nuanced, & perhaps more positive, than originally thought.
Nice to get a 49 year lease- probably gets a sweetheart deal on rent and taxes for years to come. That developer/ broker whatever the scum calls himself is a piece of garbage. He, like most of these zombies that belong in Bloomberg's inner circle, thinks that a block doesn't exist except to be erased and redone as a mall. Oh yes, he is so proud of himself with his creative plan to put a big box chain store on the block. Open the doors wide indeed.
The seventh circle of hell awaits these fuckers- and I hear there's an awesome mall there.
These Generic restaurants are hurting the vintage NYC
bloomberg is a depisable excuse of for a human being. but is he just a front man for something bigger? i mean is it out of his hands? doesnt every politican have to go along w/the NWO? even his food rules serve the corps. i mean when fatties cant buy the 32 once of coke, they buy 2-16 once sizes. cocacola increases it revenues, as its more expensive to buy the 2. get it?
I know it's awful- his focus on stupid things like soda shows how truly out of touch he is with most New Yorkers. Soda does not make you fat- eating too much and not moving your body is more of a culprit- it's just another giveaway to big business who will sell2 small drinks and charge us all more for the pleasure and the waste of cups and packaging), and of course, 7-11 (home of the biggest soda sizes I have ever seen) is exempt from the law- what a surprise.
The reason chain stores are given preferential treatment by Bloomberg and the City over interesting and unique locally owned stores is that chain stores are mostly publically owned corporations. As such they pay their taxes like clockwork and don't siphon off cash to go on a well earned vacation like Mom and Pop companies. So the City gets a steadier stream of income without the headaches. This means less real choice for the people, but Bloomberg does not care about that...the City just want the money to fund itself. They don't care about the impact on quality of life for the city inhabitants. And they are right it does not matter. We have taught our children to value lifestyle for liberty and availability over quality and uniqueness. So in a few years no one will even realize what has been lost. We are all complicit in this disaster. We are not watching the city become a mall we are complicit in its ruination.
"Nice to see The Bagel go" Are you friggen demented? It was to small to accomodate roaches, it was always clean and the food was fantastic, Chicken cutlets, mixed sald, chic bundt w hard sauce. I grew up on their food, and it was ALWAYS good. Gfy.I hate you and I hate Bloomberg.
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