More of the Same on Flatbush Avenue

Last week, I poked my head into the storefront at 544A Flatbush (next to Gino's, south of Lincoln) and a guy told me that a coffee shop was going to be there, but I couldn't tell if he was just telling me what he thought I wanted to hear, or if there was actually going to be another cafe in the neighborhood. Now that the store's sign is up, I'm leaning toward the former, as this is bound to be a coffee shop in the way that Popeye's is  a restaurant. This place's last incarnation was a sell-your-gold shop; it lasted for maybe 6 months.

Meanwhile, 608 Flatbush (at Rutland), former home of Rosa's Beauty Shop, is now being renovated and is slated to be…. 99 cent store? Beauty salon? 99 cent store? Beauty salon? And the winner is… beauty salon! On the bright side, the old place looked like a dump, and the new business owners are putting money into the renovation, with new floors, lighting, and refinished interiors.

Renovations are almost complete at 593 Flatbush (next to Cafe Exhale), a new store that will sell African-themed clothing, mirrors, various herbal concoctions, and trinkets. The new wood floor looks nice. The rest of the decor is a combination of mirrors and purple.

In other store news, the pet store I reported earlier? Probably not going to happen. The lease was never signed, and rumor has it that the aspiring owner is now considering grad school as an alternative. Yes, kitty litter or Kierkegaard: it's a tough call to make.

Comments

[Seth]

Also note that the fried chicken place that closed is being replaced by... a fried chicken place.

And the pharmacy that closed is being replaced by... a pharmacy.

[diak]

Well, at least you gotta love the coffee bean typographics in the logo (those are supposed to be coffee beans, right?). I'm surprised they didn't go full-out classy and spell it "coffee shoppe"!

I too lament the "more of the same" retail in the neighborhood. More places I'm unlikely to ever set foot in. But I also try to remember that even if these stores have no appeal for me, they might be somebody's entrepreneurial dream. That coffee stand or that chair in a hair salon or nail parlor could really be somebody's hope for a better life — or at least a reason not to hate getting up every morning. And for that at least, I honestly wish them luck.