'
The approximately 2,500 square foot retail space with 25 foot wide frontage at 193 Smith Street has a large basement that was utilized by Perks for private parties, but the extra space below street level may not have been quite legal. On its site, Perks boasted about its 3400 square foot facility, but the business never got the necessary Public Assembly Permit from NYC Department of Buildings to accommodate all the extra customers.
(A Public Assembly Permit is required when more than 75 people [including staff] gather in one establishment. The PA permit addresses proper fire safety, egress and safety lighting and is issued jointly by the Buildings Department and Fire Department.)
The listing by Smith Hanten reflects the correct usable square footage and just mentions the basement as an extra feature.
What do you think of the monthly rent? A bit steep for Smith Street? Or just about right?
As long as that place is gone, all else is OK. Perks should have been shut down years ago. It was a blight on our neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteOne will have to sell a lot of whatever just to pay the rent. Add to that the cost of help, electric, insurance and the cost of goods, etc. Is it any wonder that small mom & pop shops are being priced out of the neighborhood. Property owner should be able to make a living, but rents for stores on Smith St. are getting to the point where only chains will be able to open their doors
ReplyDeleteI have no idea if that's high for the neighborhood of it's inline with what market rent is. Either way, the nail business is booming apparently.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how it was a "blight on the neighborhood" anymore than any other bar in the neighborhood is. I admit I didn't really ever go there, but having spent a lot of time at other bars on that block over the past 10 years, it never stood out as a problem to me.
ReplyDeleteBlight on our neighborhood? Yeah, a vacant storefront is much better. I don't know what's worse, this or Katia's "slightly shady" comment. Excuse me if everyone's not sipping cappuccino and eating croissants.
ReplyDeleteMy fingers are crossed that a REALLY big nail salon will open up here!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'll also add that I was always entertained by NY Perks when they first opened as a coffee shop.
ReplyDelete1. Huge place yet the tightest and most awkward seating
2. Pretty bad pastries and coffee
3. Somehow couldn't attract the laptop mafia
I also always chuckled that they didn't change the name when they became a nightclub.
Oh, NY Perks.
Do they actually think that restaurant owners can make $12,000 a month to pay for rent? This place is probably not going to end up being a restaurant, maybe another one of those nail salons we are so much in need of!
ReplyDeleteIt's still cheaper than Vinzie's Magic Fountian!
ReplyDeleteActually, the commenter is right -- sadly -- that high rents will prevent mom & pop stores and encourage boring national chains. Bleh.
ReplyDelete