Capital One Bank To Close Its Court Street Location In Carroll Gardens

Over the week-end, Capital One customers in Carroll Gardens received a letter stating that the bank was making some changes to "branch banking" and was closing its Carroll Gardens location at 420 Court Street at the corner of Second Place. The branch will permanently close on October 22, 2020.

The financial  institution announced a few months ago that it will shutter branches throughout the country.  The
Covid-19 pandemic seems to have increased the number in the Tri-State area.

Personally, I have banked at this location for the past 30 years, as different banks were taken over by bigger ones. Who remembers Home Federal, Hamilton Savings, and Northfork?

Of course, online banking is an alternative, but some people may still prefer a brick and mortar branch.  But the other banks in the neighborhood may not currently be an alternative.
Reader B. sent us an email saying:
"The TD Bank on Court St has been closed for months.. It may be next
Citibank has been closed for months too.
I guess customer service from a local bank is out of fashion….. How do I trust a bank I can not visit with my money?"

Reader C. would "love to know what might go in there. Hopefully not just another bank."

One can also imagine that the owner may sell the one story building as a development site. After all, the zoning for Court Street in Carroll Gardens would allow a 70 foot residential building with a commercial overlay.

Just out of curiosity, where are Capital One customers in the neighborhood thinking about moving their bank account in the area?  Citibank, Chase, TD Bank, Investors Bank or Apple Bank?

Any advice?
Are bank branches a thing of the past?

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Damian Hair Styling: Another Old School Carroll Gardens Business Closing On Court Street

All barber shops in New York City have been closed since the beginning of the Corona pandemic lock-down began, so it was not surprising that there was no activity at Damian's old school hair salon/barber shop at 417 A Court Street in Carroll Gardens for the past few weeks.
Sadly, it now seems that Damien won't re-open when restrictions ease.

Reader Steve noticed a new "Shop Available" sign in the window and wrote to us:
"For the longest time, I’ve been going to Damian for my haircuts. I last saw him in March before the coronavirus situation. I haven’t been back since since all hairstylists and barbers were closed. While out jogging, I just ran past the store and it indicated the space was now available.

I hope Damian is OK and was not affected physically by the coronavirus. There’s no indication on the storefront about anything other than it appears the space is now available. All the barber equipment and even the cash register is inside with the usual cash register box open to deter thieves.

I have real affection for him and although I sometimes only understood 25 to 50% of what he said due to his thick Italian accent, we got along wonderfully and he enjoyed talking about his grandchildren and would ask about my kids. As a real old school barber, complete with barber pole outside, I’m saddened."

After calling the number taped to the shop window, Steve updated us:
"Damian is fine and he retired, which confirms what the coffee guy down the block told me. Tis a shame but understandable given his age (he was in his 70s) but he is real old school Brooklyn and Carroll Gardens."

We are saddened as well.  Damian apparently worked out of his little barber shop for the past 33 years.

Hopefully another barber will take over, keeping the store just as it is, because it is pretty perfect in our book. And to Damian, we hope you enjoy your retirement.

Below is a moment back in time from 2007, when the store was open.

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Three Chain Stores Close On Smith Street

Tea Two on 140 Smith Street

MAC at 165 Smith Street now closed

Closed Lucky Jeans at 135 Smith Street

We have all been lamenting the closing of mom and pop stores on Smith and Court Streets here in the the Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Carroll Gardens area. And indeed, we have lost many individually owned businesses on our two main shopping strips as chain stores and/or franchises have taken over the spaces.

It was therefore interesting to notice that three chain stores have recently closed on Smith Street alone: Tea Too, MAC and Lucky Jeans.

Tea Too, or simply T2, originally opened at 140 Smith Street in late in 2015, It closed its doors just last week. The premium tea chain was founded in Australia almost twenty years ago. During this time, the company expanded to New Zealand, London and recently in Soho, New York.
This particular location was their first in Brooklyn.
If you will miss their tea, they still have a few Manhattan locations.

MAC, the cosmetic chain, moved into the area in 2016 and occupied a large corner retail space at 165 Smith Street.  We never saw too many customers in the place and always wondered if there was enough foot traffic in the neighborhood to make it viable.
Perhaps we were right, because the store just closed several weeks ago,

Lucky Jeans, the apparel store, moved into 135 Smith Street around 2010, and seemed to be doing well. We were therefore surprised to see it's doors closed just recently. 

If even chain stores, with their deeper pockets are having a tough time making it on Smith Street, we can imagine more retailers closing. with most people purchasing online these days, there simply isn't enough foot traffic in the area to sustain these businesses.

What do you think? What businesses could successfully replace these three?

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Say It Isn't So! 'Swallow' On Smith Street Says Goodbye After 21 Years On Smith

Swallow, the amazing artists' gallery at 361 Smith Street in Carroll Gardens is closing its doors at the end of February and the news hit us hard when we learned of it yesterday. For the past 21 years, this little treasure of a store has been offering beautiful and unusual ceramics, glass, jewelry and other decorative art. It will be missed.

A 'store closing' sign has been hung from its window and the owner, Anne send the following email out yesterday:
Dear Friends an Customers
It's the end of an era.
After 21 glorious years providing hand-crafted treasures to the neighborhood, NYC, and visitors from all over the world, Swallow will be closing at the end of February.
Please stop by. I would love to personally give my thanks and say goodbye to everyone!
If you have friends that are fans of the store, please let them know.
Thank you.
Anne

We received quite a few emails expressing sadness at this goodbye. Over the past few years, we have stopped by many times and always found that perfect gift. We are heartbroken that it is leaving.

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Savelli Restaurant And Bar Coming, Ichiba Is Now Izakaya And Other Smith Street Restaurant News

We have heard great things about Purepecha

Ichiba, a Thai restaurant which opened in the spring of 2019 seems to now be called Izakaya, or is it Gatsu Gatsu?

Finally, some action at 195 Smith Street, which has been standing empty for a couple of years now.

We love when people reach out to PMFA with news of the neighborhood. With so many openings and closings on Court Street and Smith Street, we sometimes miss a new restaurant or bar, so we are glad for any tips from local residents.
Recently,  a 30-year neighborhood resident (who prefers to stay anonymous.) contacted us to make us aware of changes to three establishments on two blocks on Smith Street.

Below are his observations on these new establishments.
Thanks for your contribution, N.

Hi Katia,

Of neighborhood interest are three new restaurants on Smith Street within two blocks of each other (between Warren and Butler) that each come with a backstory. 

Purepecha (213 Smith)

This new Mexican occupying what would seem to be a cursed space (formerly Broccollino, formerly Hunter’s, Ossobuco, El Pitayo, Athena, a Japanese joint...) appears  to be defying the odds judging by the number of diners I have seen in there as of the past month or so. Perhaps a very good review in Eater NY in late November had something to do with it?

Ichiba (196 Smith)

I mean Woori. I mean Ichiba. As PMFA noted, this Japanese-Korean opened in the spring as Ichiba. Closed suddenly and mysteriously. Opened again as Woori in the fall. Closed suddenly and mysteriously. Now marked as Ichiba again with a sign that says opening soon. Guess we’ll see…and eat..maybe.

Savelli’s (195 Smith)

Speaking of mystery… There are (again) signs of life in the Mystery Pizza place in the old Robin Des Bois space. Signage for “Savelli’s” coal oven pizza have been up for the past month and lights have occasionally illuminated the brown paper covered windows and front door. Perhaps that take-out order I placed in 2012 is finally ready? 

Bonus: Has Chance (223 Smith) been renamed “Seized?” Black humor, I know. 

Bonus x2: Zest (176 Smith) has closed. To be replaced by a taco joint according to signage. Not black humor.

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Gowanus Souvenir Shop To Close Its Doors At The End Of The Month To Embark On "Next New Adventure"

Owner Ute Zimmermann in front of her Gowanus Souvenir Shop on Union Street 

The Gowanus Souvenir Shop just announced that it will close its doors at 567 Union Street at the end of January to concentrate on its "next big adventure."
Thankfully, the closing of the store does not mean the end to the wonderful, quirky Gowanus merchandise created by the Souvenir Shop. The owners are going to continue to make their wares available online and will partner with other retailers.

The announcement by owner Ute Zimmerman reads:
After four wonderful years of running a storefront, the Gowanus Souvenir Shop is closing its shop doors January 31.
Starting next month we will concentrate exclusively on concocting new Gowanus Souvenir Editions, online sales, getting our products into other stores, and partnering with local organizations on Gowanusy projects.

When we first came up with the idea of the Gowanus Souvenir Shop it was going to be a four-month project. Over four amazing YEARS later we cannot begin to express how much we enjoyed everybody who wandered into our shop, laughed at our jokes, told us their Gowanus stories, sat on our bench, and stuck their head (or their pets) through our faceboard.

We know you are sad, but don't fret! You can still get your Gowanus Fix without getting Gonorrhea. Here's how:
1. Come by the shop before January 31. We have lots of stuff on sale and a very special gift for purchases over $50.

2. Shop at From Here to Sunday which is taking over our shop location and will continue to sell many of your favorite Gowanus Souvenirs!
Please support them and Even Keel!

3. Shop online at gowanussouvenir.com

4. Find Gowanus Souvenirs at a growing number of wonderful local shops, including:
Brooklyn Museum Gift Shop, and  Artists & Craftsman (Interested in stocking us? Get in touch! shop@gowanussouvenir.com)

5. Follow us on Instagram to get the latest news.

Still can't find what you are looking for?
Email us and we will let you know where to find everything else.

Continued good luck, Ute! We will miss the shop but are excited to hear more about your new adventures Read more