Among the signs of the times in the neighborhood are the new For Rent signs.
Veggie Hut, Patio Restaurant and Optimum Realty, all on Flatbush, are closed and the former City Jerk location still hasn't reopened as Cafe Exhale - and doesn't look close to opening.
Less obvious to the PLGers like myself are the effects on "barrel shipping" - local residents sending things back to their families in the Caribbean that are either insanely expensive or hard to find. Apparently barrel shipping is dramatically down as the economy has gotten worse.
I had seen signs for shipping to the Caribbean but didn't expect that mom-and-pop shops could really compete with the major shipping companies. Color me shocked to find that you can ould ship up to 200 pounds of merchandise for under $100. And still, the money to fill the barrels and ship them to the Islands is harder to come by and the number of barrels shipped has fallen by a third over the last few months. It is effecting local businesses like Trans Jam Express Shipping on Rogers Avenue and definitely effecting the families back home.
Nothing funny about any of this so I'll sign off without a closing joke.
Aww... this is a shame, Veggie Hut was some good eats, and the staff was always super nice. Oh well i guess most of my business will be going to the new Roti Place on Washington De Hot Pot.
Posted by: Big Scott | May 17, 2009 at 01:19 AM