From their web page:
"Dear regulars and guests,
Sheila’s last service will be on Sunday, December 10th, ending at 3:30pm after which time we will be permanently closing. Having Sheila’s here in Carroll Gardens and in this space has been both the opportunity and challenge of a lifetime. On behalf of Molly, my father, and our small but mighty crew: Renie, Moonui, Brian, Allee, Finn, Jed, Joe, James, led by Chef Steven in the kitchen, we thank you for your patronage, support, and for sharing your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch times with us this past year. We are honored to have served you."
While it was open, Sheila was committed to serving sustainable, fair-trade coffee as well as using seasonal, local, greenmarket ingredients for their food offerings. According to its owner, their "model combined "a higher hourly wage with a revenue-sharing system and is a more equitable and sustainable way of doing business which compensates all members of our team, both front, and back-of-house, without exception."
Whether that model did not work out as planned, or Sheila did not attract enough customers, or both, the place will be missed.
The space was formerly occupied by Dover and before that, by Vinzee's, an ice cream parlor and hamburger joint. For those who can remember further back, it was the Magical Fountain and a laundromat.
What would do well here, do you think?
I think I saw you snapping photos while I was in my yoga class across the street at around 1:00 PM! Another one bites the dust...
ReplyDeleteYes, that was me!
ReplyDeleteSad ! I found this about fragole, after Andres rodas won, he sold the 50% to one of his employees, https://voicesofny.org/2017/01/from-busboy-to-fancy-restaurant-entrepreneur/
DeleteI remember when it was Magic Fountain - the ice cream place.
ReplyDeletehi, i grew up on first place so..........that was "bob's pharmacy" in the 1950's, 1960's,........... ten it was dairy queen with margaret and freddie in 1968? and they retired to puerto rico about 1980?, and vincent and frances bought the building, renamed it magic fountain, and then installed the laundromat, they retired and vinzee's was run by their son's,eventually closing, as far as the other businesses there, i did see on the 'net..................the rent for the space is $15,000.00 a month, that's a lot of burger's.....................i think the this is there is not many people strolling from upper court street, (#300 and below) to hamilton avenue and vice versa, so there just isn't the foot traffic, but what do i know, lol......................hi, katia, it's been a long time as i'm in staten island now, i rememberi sent you and you posted my "100" 2nd grade test, lol, happy holiday to you andfamily, thanks for the blog, it's nice to visit and check out the ol' hood,lol, frankie
ReplyDeleteI think a Shanghainese restaurant would do well. Our neighborhood desperately needs some good dumplings.
ReplyDeleteThe rent seems extreme. Also this place was no bakery. Hardly a bakery case. Just a glassed in shelf with pastries they bought from other bakeries. That alone was a turn off. The place had the wonderful yard but the counter staff seemed like they didn’t really work there. I also suspect stiff competition with the Shorditch place that took over mamma maria. It’s a huge space. The Frankie’s empire should take it. Or Good Enough To Eat. The upper west side stalwart. They would make a Killing here. Or perhaps a real chinese restaurant.
ReplyDeleteIn order to pay today's rents you need to be something special (or at least perceived as something special) to make it on southern Court Street because there aren't enough people in the immediate area so you need to draw from outside that area. You need to be a destination place. Frankie's, Prime Meats, Buttermilk Channel and even Court Street Grocers are perceived as special places and therefore draw people from outside the area.
ReplyDeleteGoing back to the kid’s comment.
ReplyDeleteI remember Margaret from Dairy Queen. She wore a white uniform and looked like a nurse. As a kid, I was afraid of her. The place was immaculate. The ice cream was great and a real treat. The people who took over and renamed it magic fountain were slobs. Place was filthy. Never went back!
The last time I was there, the milk curdled in my coffee. When I brought to the owner's attention she came up with a tale of how the coffee must be too hot and this will make the milk curdle. Really? I asked for fresh milk. I agree with the above poster about the pastry selection. By 10 am, there was hardly anything left to choose and the pricing was extremely high due to the rent. It's unfortunate, but I think if the staff was more welcoming (they rushed us out last time we were there) and if they had more to go pastry, they might have had a better chance.
ReplyDeleteThere’s not enough foot traffic in this neighborhood. It’s a shame, but this area is mostly families with children and they just don’t go out as much. I feel like almost any venture is destined to fail for the most part.
ReplyDeleteyou know, margaret and freddie were like, the nicest i've ever met
ReplyDeletethe maple walnut sundae was so d l i c i o u s !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
magic fountain i knew well, too
but
they had there own ways
happy holidays, cus
December 19, 2017 6:37 AM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Going back to the kid’s comment.
I remember Margaret from Dairy Queen. She wore a white uniform and looked like a nurse. As a kid, I was afraid of her. The place was immaculate