 We first heard the news over the weekend from someone who saw Linda post the news on Facebook. We've since heard it from at least three separate friends and, most recently, from a commenter here on the blog. Earlier today our East PLG correspondent Jessica sent us the accompanying photo of the sign announcing the news in the window of the storefront itself so ... having been tipped by virtually everyone I know who lives in PLG, I can't justify putting off posting this any longer:
Blue Roost is moving from their adorable but kitchen-free location on Flatbush to take over the 43 Lincoln Road, site of the late, lamented K-Dog & Dunebuggy.
Good luck, Linda and Billy.
 After five years, from the days of the Lincoln Road construction through the revival of Lincoln Road, today is K-Dog and Dunebuggy's last day.
With the closing of the store comes the story of the final, contentious rent negotations courtesy of an interview Gabby gave to L Magazine. The key news from the interview was that the landlord sought a rent increase of 17% plus an additional $800 per month towards the landlord's real estate taxes. I'm going to stand with Gabby on this one and say that the demand was unreasonable, particularly in light of Gabby's willingness to rent this space five years ago when Lincoln Road was a construction zone and the store was two doors down from an abandoned disaster of a building.
I didn't go to KDog as much as maybe I could have but I'll tell you the things that I remember fondly: a shockingly good Cubano, toys in the back for our son to play with and a comfortable place to sit when I joined the laptop hobo brigade as I looked for a job last winter.
KDog had a reputation in some quarters for being bougie, and I suppose (for the neighborhood, anyway) it was. You know what, though? Not having a bougie coffee shop is worse than having one. I don't know what is coming next but I do know what we're losing.
Goodbye, K-Dog. And good luck Gabby, with whatever you choose to do next.
A few weeks ago, rumors started flying that K-Dog's landlord had jacked their rent and that the cafe was headed to close. I've been largely in denial about the matter -- how can K-Dog close?!? -- but am sadded to report that the situation indeed looks bad. We received this note from Gabrielle, co-owner of K-Dog and Dunebuggy, yesterday:
So, by now you’ve heard the rumors, well I’m sorry to say that they’re true. After a year of unsuccessful negotiations with our landlord and five and a half years of serving (and loving) this wonderful community we have decided to close our doors for good. Saturday, September 24th will be our last day. There is still hope, however, of an 11th hour reprieve. Billy, one of our oldest employees, neighborhood denizen and all around savvy guy, is interested in taking over and is trying to negotiate a new lease... People keep asking me what they can do to help and this is it, we need to hear from you guys. I’ve created an email account saveourcoffeeshop@gmail.com please, in the next few days, send an email , that we will print and give to the landlord in aid of negotiations, explaining why PLG needs its coffee shop.
We'd love to see someone who gives a squat about the neighborhood inherit the spot but he odds are definitely stacked against them. According to a souce close to the matter, the landlord has already reserved K-Dog's spot for La Bagel Delight.
Still, we'd urge you to write letters on K-Dog's behalf. The same landlord also owns the space rented by Enduro, and we'd hate to see these exploitative rent increases -- in a neighborhood starved for eateries -- become the trend.
CORRECTION: The "Billy" mentioned above has no connection to The Blue Roost.
 Just three weeks ago The Q at Parkside reported on the demise of Trippleclick Computer. In what has to be a record for this neighborhood, a new tenant is already readying the premises for their studio.
As early as this Friday, 661 Flatbush Avenue will be the third location for burgeoning ink empire Torres Tattoos. Their other stores (in Park Slope and Sunset Park/Bay Ridge) carry clothing and jewelry and have a piercing specialist on premises.
I'm not much of a tattoo guy; when I think about tattoos I usually end up saying things like this, but looking around I feel like I'm among the last holdouts in the neighborhood. Now nobody will have to travel anymore.
Owner Leo Torres, who is more than happy to give you a tattoo that will give children nightmares (j/k Leo! the nightmares will be all mine!), said that they will be having a 50% off sale - for tattoos, I think, not all merchandise - when they open on Friday.
Image via Torres Tattoos.
 A while back, fellow blogger Plog reported on the closing of Culpepper's for Department of Health violations. When we checked in at Culpepper's location on Nostrand and Lincoln a few weeks ago, they were scheduled to re-open on May 7th, the lights were on and everything seemed ready to go.
Fast-forward to yesterday afternoon, when I was greeted by the bright orange sign indicating nonpayment of taxes and seizure by the State of New York.
Regardless of whether you'd consider eating food from an establishment that's failed its DOH inspection (I admit that I would! The food at Culpepper's was just that good), it looks like a long road back for this Bajan standby.
Looks like PLG is getting a new eatery: Cafe Pomidor, headquartered at 721 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn, has hung its sign on a commercial space on the corner of Flatbush and Midwood.
According to the sign, the "casual fast food eatery" will offer "a variety of healthy soups, wraps, sandwiches, and a salad bar with an abundant selection of fresh vegetables."
Apparently, owners of the company are planning to build it into a chain of "organic sandwich, salad bar cafe eateries." A blurb I found online mentions "soups, hand-crafted muffins, and variety of other pastries which are baked fresh daily." The blurb has an aspirational ring to it, though, and the web site isn't up, so who knows.
(Thanks, Mindy!)
 Exciting news on the Rogers Avenue front: after months of activity behind closed blinds (and I'm sure tons of work on the part of the owners) Bow Wow Pet Boutique is set to open on Sunday March 27th. A "meet and greet" open house is scheduled for Saturday (check for updates on their website or call Bow Wow at 718-484-1585 for details)
Our quick peek revealed a festive front room and bright clean space in back. Bow Wow will offer not only grooming for both dogs and cats, but also boarding, doggie day care, training, dog walking and even routine vet services (vaccines, etc). In my opinion looks to be a huge improvement over this location's previous tenant, Kay-D Mailbox.
Bow Wow is located at 521 Rogers Ave (gmap) between Rutland and Midwood.
 Been meaning to mention this place for a while. Local bakery La Baguette (near the entrance to the 2/5 train at Sterling Street) has been in the hood for about 2 years now. Not only do they have some of the best coffee around, they also sell (gasp!) BAGELS. Sure, it's no H&H, but it's certainly passable if more of the "bagel shaped bread" variety than a true NYC bagel.
Like many neighborhood shops, where La Baguette truly shines is with their Caribbean, specifically Haitian, specialties. They offer a wide variety of meat patties, corn pudding, rolls, doughnuts, etc. most of which is made on the premises.
As a bonus, they also make a pretty decent cheesesteak if you're looking for lunch.
 You may have noticed that the vacant storefront on Flatbush at Midwood has shown signs of life for the first time in over two years. Alas, the general maxim holds: keep expectations low. Workers in the space told us it hasn't in fact been rented; they are merely "cleaning up."
That space ineeds a lot more than a cleaning. When we were thinking of opening our consignment shop on Flatbush, my business partner at the time looked at the space. It's about 750 square feet, included a 750 sf unfinished basement, and was renting for $2,500. Not a bad price square-footage-wise, but the space needs a complete gut job. The floors, walls, even the heating and electricity were unsound and sorely in need of upgrading. A contractor estimated the work at a minimum of $50,000. With these kinds of upfront costs, it's a small wonder we see few viable businesses appearing on the strip, which should make us all appreciate outliers like Blue Roost, Trixie's, and Tafari Tribe all the more.
Farther south, the vacant storefront at 653 Flatbush (between Hawthorne and Fenimore) has been rented -- to what appears to be one of those seasonal accounting firms. Sigh. (We looked at that space as well, btw, and it was in much better condition.)
We walked by the bar formerly known as Lime last week (653 Flatbush) to find the new joint, Rhythm Splash, now serving cafe fare: bagels, fresh fruit, and muffins with free wireless. The place was empty but the new owner promised great things to come. They have outdoor seating in back, but we haven't had the pleasure...
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