painting of Velvette Brew's Smith Street by @jenna_snyderphillips
***Please see UPDATE at bottom of post***
Last week, Velvette Brew at 251 Smith Street sent around an e-mail to its loyal customers stating that its Carroll Garden location would be closing.
The email reads:
"Farewell Carroll Gardens Friends & Neighbors
Velvette Brew espresso bar is very saddened to announce that we are no longer at the Carroll Gardens (251 Smith St) location, although you may still see our beans available to drink and familiar faces behind the bar as we transition.
We will miss you from the bottom of our highly caffeinated hearts for all of your smiles and the incredible community support given throughout the past few years especially during a global pandemic. You have helped sprout the dreams of a small business owner,
thank you!
Hope you'll visit us at the Velvette Brew in Park Slope @ 279 5th Ave"
"Farewell Carroll Gardens Friends & Neighbors
Velvette Brew espresso bar is very saddened to announce that we are no longer at the Carroll Gardens (251 Smith St) location, although you may still see our beans available to drink and familiar faces behind the bar as we transition.
We will miss you from the bottom of our highly caffeinated hearts for all of your smiles and the incredible community support given throughout the past few years especially during a global pandemic. You have helped sprout the dreams of a small business owner,
thank you!
Hope you'll visit us at the Velvette Brew in Park Slope @ 279 5th Ave"
We can imagine that this is just the beginning of the closings in and around Carroll Gardens as many small businesses will certainly struggle to come back after the pandemic.
Stay safe out there, friends. And get ready to support our merchants as soon as as the curfew is lifted. They need our business desperately.
***UPDATE***
A reader told us that Velvette followed up its first email with a second one stating:
A reader told us that Velvette followed up its first email with a second one stating:
"Hello neighbors, sorry for the news earlier. We would like to clarify what is going on - we started as two business partners but have decided to part in different directions and unfortunately had to happen during a pandemic, which has put extra strain on presumably all small business owners. The Smith Street location will operate under a new coffee shop brand with quality coffee and familiar baristas. Please feel free to reach out to us. Thank you for all of the heartfelt support."
A bit confusing, no? Today, Monday, I walked past and the café was still open. Someone had attempted to scrape off the name "Velvette" from the storefront window, but there was no indication of what the new name will be.
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3 comments:
sorry to see velvette brew go. they made a solid cup of joe.
just like many residential tenants in this neighborhood, businesses need rent relief.
knowing a handful of business owners on court street and smith, so many of them have told me that their landlords are indifferent to the plight they're facing - the loss of customers and income and the distress of having to lay-off employees coupled with the stress of still being on the hook for fixed overhead costs that haven't come down.
it should be in the best of interests of landlords to help their tenant's businesses to survive - such as by deferring rent for a few months... yet many of them have chosen not to help. sometimes they step up harassment of their tenants - in one case, asking a tenant to pay future months in advance. that's not right.
They sent out a follow-up email the same day:
Hello neighbors, sorry for the news earlier. We would like to clarify what is going on - we started as two business partners but have decided to part in different directions and unfortunately had to happen during a pandemic, which has put extra strain on presumably all small business owners. The Smith Street location will operate under a new coffee shop brand with quality coffee and familiar baristas. Please feel free to reach out to us. Thank you for all of the heartfelt support
How confusing. Thanks for letting us know. Will amend post
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