It's Official: Copy Cottage Staying Open Under New Management

It is now official: Copy Cottage will remain open under new management and the transfer of ownership has been seamless. Though many in the community probably have already heard the good news, PMFA wanted to wait till we could confirm ourselves.

When former owner Melissa Hansen announced that she would be closing the store she had been operating for the past thirteen years at 249 Smith Street, many wondered how they were going to be able to ship packages, buy postage stamps, send and receive faxes, and covers their printing needs without heading to the dreaded Red Hook Postal office.

Thankfully, Melissa was able to hand over the business to Omar Ali of Cobble Hill Variety Mailing on Henry Street.  Omar's brother Suhaib has been running Copy Cottage since the transfer and all has been running smoothly.  Suhaib told us that additional services will be added soon.

So, let us make sure that Copy Cottage continues to thrive for years to come on Smith Street. Read more

Oh, No! Copy Cottage On Smith Street To Close Next Month

It was with great sadness that PMFA learned last week that Copy Cottage at 249 Smith Street will be closing its doors permanently on November 2.
For thirteen years, this small locally-owned business accepted and shipped packages, sold postage stamps, sent and received faxes, and covers all printing needs. In addition, it sold packing and moving materials, offered mail boxes, and had a notary public on staff. Best of all, the store accepted pre-paid return packages for a nominal fee.
Unfortunately, business has been slow of late, as people have used the UPS and USPS web sites to print out and pay for their own shipping labels, using Copy Cottage simply as a drop off site.

We will be very sad to see them go and don't relish the idea of having to use the Red Hook post office.  Will you miss this small neighborhood store?

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Copy Cottage On Smith Street: A Great Local Resource

Copy Cottage at 249 Smith Street is a real lifesaver for many in the neighborhood who are crunched for time and can't make the trek to either the Red Hook or Brooklyn Heights U.S. Post Offices for their mailing and shipping needs.

The locally owned business accepts and ships your packages, sells postage stamps, sends and receives your faxes, and covers all your printing needs. In addition, it sells packing and moving materials, offers mail boxes, and has a notary public on staff. Need business cards printed? They do that, too. Best of all, the store accepts your pre-paid return packages for a nominal fee.

The staff is always friendly and helpful and the convenience of having all these services in one place in an easily accessible location is great for all who work from home.

Copy Cottage may charge a bit more for certain services, but if you are like me,  the avoidance of standing in long lines at one of our post offices makes it worthwhile. Besides, your patronage supports a local business, not a national chain, which is always a good thing.


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'Smith And Butler' Boutique Will Be Replaced by Bologna-Based WP Lavori Clothing Store

Yesterday I posted about Smith And Butler, the clothing boutique at 249 Smith Street and was wondering was being remodeled or if the store had permanently closed.
I received an email from Sam Dolnick, who pointed me to Smith and Butler's Twitter page for a definite answer. The owners confirm the closing when Dolnick asked. Their answer: "Yes...so sorry- we had a good run during tough economy… However our friends' WP store is moving in! Just as good."
WP Lavori is a worldwide licensee of international clothing brands with stores in Europe.  The company is based in Bologna, Italy.

In the past, WP has partnered with Smith and Butler and recently operated a shop-in-shop at 249 Smith Street.  Obviously, WP has now taking over the entire store.


Previously:
What's Going With "Smith And Butler", The Motorcycle/ Hipster Clothing Boutique On Smith Street?



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What's Going With "Smith And Butler", The Motorcycle/ Hipster Clothing Boutique On Smith Street?

Smith and Butler at 249 Smith Street, has been part of the neighborhood since 2008.  Now it would appear that it has closed.   The boutique offered "classic, local, and vintage goods for him and her" and featured vintage motorcycles at the same time.
At the beginning of this year, the store held a huge winter sale. Shortly afterwards, the store's door closed, the sign that hung on the façade was removed, blue tarps were hung over the storefront and construction work began inside the space. This seemed consistent with reports that the boutique was getting a makeover.

However, no mention has been made of a temporary closing on Smith And Butler's web site nor on its Facebook page.
Does anyone know what is going on? Is the boutique coming back or is it gone from Smith Street forever?


A few years back, this was the home of SUR, an Argentinian restaurant/bar/ nightclub. Sur first got its start across the street at 232 Smith Street. Back then, it was a very popular steak house that helped usher in the renaissance of Smith Street back in the late 1990s. When the one story building that originally housed the eatery was demolished, it relocated to # 249 Smith Street. It was never quite the same and died a slow death at this location.


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Just posted an update on Smith and Butler here:
'Smith And Butler' Boutique Will Be Replaced by Bologna-Based WP Lavori Clothing Store


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