Tuesday, December 15, 2015

UPDATED: Finally Some Action At Former Maybelle Space On Henry Street

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***UPDATE***
Friend and PMFA reader Rick Luftglass reached out to me after reading the post below to inform us that Purbird Flame Grilled Chicken of Park Slope, not Sweet Chick was moving into the space vacated by Maybelle's Café on Henry Street.

Whatever 'bird' place moves into the storefront that once housed the famous Cammareri Italian bakery, you may enjoy the photos that Rick sent to us of the original bakery equipment that is still stored in the basement of the building. (You can see the photos by scrolling down)
Rick writes:

"They left the Cammareri Bros. bakery equipment in the basement. They put up drywall around the equipment. Apparently the equipment was too large and heavy to be removed, so none of the restaurant owners moved it out.
As you see in the photos, they had already started to put up the walls, and were preparing to put up the drywall. By now, I assume they're covered up.
Someday, decades from now, an urban archaeologist is going to find it
. "


Thanks for the information and the photos Rick. What an incredible time capsule and a reminder of one of the best bread bakeries in the neighborhood.


*************************
Original Post
Maybelle's, a favorite café spot at 502 Henry Street across from Farmacy, sadly closed its doors last January. Since then, the storefront has been empty.
However, reader Edward alerted PMFA last week that there has been some action recently and that it appears as if Sweet Chick , a "rustic-chic eatery" that serves "American cuisine with a Southern accent" may be moving in.

Edward writes:
"It looks like Maybelle's at Sackett and Henry will become Sweet Chick.They seem to be working on the interior until late night so it may be soon. Sweetchick as to other restaurants by the same name in NYC."

Sweet Chick has an outpost on Ludlow Street in Manhattan and a second one on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. Apparently, their waffles and fried chicken are pretty awesome. So are their drinks.


Of course, Maybelle's occupied the space which was once the beloved Cammareri Bakery. In the late 1987, several scenes of the movie Moonstruck with Cher and Nicolas Cage were filmed in the bakery.
(stills from the movie Moonstruck)

Here are the photos Rick Luftglass shared with Pardon Me
(photos courtesy of Rick Luftglass)

And here is a wonderful scene of Moonstruck's Loretta Castorini and Ronny Cammareri's first encounter filmed in Camareri Bakery's basement.


25 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's great news! Now I have 10 places to choose from in the neighborhood where I can get a $32 Artisanal Pan-Roasted Chestnut fed Berkshire Pork Chop with a side of kale chips.

Janet said...

I was crossing my fingers for a moderately-priced diner or coffee shop. Writers loved Naidre's, and then Maybelle's, because it was a good, affordable place to eat, drink, and work. I just don't think the street needs another place with $20 chicken--we have Bar Bruno (Pan Fried Organic Amish Chicken, $21), La Cignogne (Poulet au curry, $18), not-too-far Buttermilk Channel (Buttermilk Fried Chicken, $26)...I realize the rents are probably too high, and the coffee shop margins too low, for an affordable place to be a profitable venture in our neighborhood. But it's still a little sad.

Anonymous said...

I love Sweet Chick but I heard this was going to be another location of Purbird restaurant from Park Slope. Which is it?

RL said...

Anonymous 5:49 is correct. One of the guys working on the interior said it would be a Purbird, not Sweet Chick.

They left the Cammareri Bros. bakery equipment in the basement. They put up drywall around the equipment. Apparently the equipment was too large and heavy to be removed, so none of the restaurant owners moved it out.

Katia: I'll email you photos I took a couple of weeks ago (before they put the walls up).

Someday, decades from now, an urban archaeologist is going to find it.

You read it here first!

Anonymous said...

When Moonstruck filmed they put up the sign and fake baseboard facade. It was left up but slowly rotted away at pavement level. It was fake. Plywood. Not meant for an exterior for any amount of time. It would be nice if it had returned to a bakery. Or even a deli like Ameche's which was down the street where that fake soccor bar is. Too bad the equipment has been entombed. Oh well.

Jimmy from Brooklyn said...

Ugh, more overpriced Hipster food.

Anonymous said...

this makes three chicken places in the area: Wilma Jean. Wangs and now this...sigh.

Unknown said...

I got a fever and the only cure is more
Nail salons
Full pie pizza places
Over price Chicken restaurants
Boutique shops
Banks
And Cow bells!!!

Anonymous said...

Wangs is not in this area. It's in Park Slope. Wilma Jean is fried chicken. I've had Purbird. It's grilled chicken. It's not the same thing.

Anonymous said...

I would refer to the old bakery as the "Infamous Cammareri Bakery". I used to live down the block and I never had a good experience shopping there. They were surly and their goods were not great. They were the worst bakery in Carroll Gardens. I did not shed a tear when they left.

Anonymous said...

Their Park Slope store has signs all over the place that they serve wine and beer. Does anyone know if they have a liquor license for the new location? I remember some years back when the new owners of place next to it at 204 Sackett wanted to open a restaurant, and there was a hearing for their liquor license. People from the neighborhood showed-up in large numbers, and voted against it. Eventually the restaurant idea never happened. (linky link to the webby web)

Anonymous said...

The issue with the liquor license was for a different building, around the corner on Sackett Street. The Sackett Street-facing buildings are outside of the zoning's commercial overlay (along Henry Street). That block is almost entirely residential, with a few quiet exceptions (dry cleaner back entrance, yoga studio). The community protest against the liquor license was because of potential nighttime noise on the street. It wasn't about teetotalers.

Anonymous said...

Chicken is chicken no matter how it's prepared. And if we must I'll add the rotisserie chicken in both Union Market and Cobble Hill Foods. And Wangs is basically our neighbor and they deliver. it is what it is.

Anonymous said...

Is it legal to seal up all that machinery?

Anonymous said...

I assume that since it's non-functioning equipment, it's fine, as long as building permits are in place for the interior renovations. Lots of stuff gets sealed behind walls. Bodies, too, but let's not go there...

Anonymous said...

wow. lots of hate. if you don't like it then don't eat there and soon it will be gone. geeeezzzz.......

Anonymous said...

You must have trouble with geography Anonymous 5:35 because Wangs is not basically a neighbor of Henry street. Purbird will be a nice addition to the hood. It's healthy food in a casual setting, and the owner told me they plan on serving brunch on the weekends. If you're such a chicken hater, move along. Plenty of other non-chicken spots in the hood.

Anonymous said...

You can add Carla Hall's Nashville fried chicken spot, "Cobble Hook" to the list of chicken restaurants in the area. Set to open any day on Columbia Street and Kane St at the old Whiskey Soda Lounge.

Unknown said...

You got that right Jimmy

Anonymous said...

That's Carroll Gardens in a nutshell--put drywall around it if you can't dispose of it properly-not the only thing that sleeps with the fishes.

Unknown said...

FYI--

The hanging clock on the facade of this building has been removed. Disappointing...

Katia said...

Really? That's sad. Another piece of Carroll Gardens history bites the dust.

Unknown said...

Possible false alarm! I walked by again this morning (I live on the block) and saw that the clock is inside the store. Hopefully it'll be incorporated into the new facade.

Joao said...

The clock may not be gone (hopefully), but the floors sure are. Walked by there a few weeks ago, and the door was open. Instead of the cool old floors that place used to have, looks like they poured concrete and covered it with formica tiles or similar. Always liked the 3 completely different set of tile floors in there.

And how long does it take to redo a small restaurant? That place has been under renovations for about 6 months now.

Joao said...

Unofficially opened today. Officially opens on Tuesday. And I hear the owner is looking for someone qualified to repair the clock.