"Nature Nails" Joins "Pretty Nails" On Same Court Street Block

Seriously? Another nail place in the neighborhood? The proliferation of these places is simply astounding.  And they all seem to make enough money to survive, whether on Court Street or on Smith Street.
The latest nail place,  Nature Nails, is slated to open at 189 Court Street near Bergen Street, in the former Prudential Douglas Elliman office. (The realtor moved to 327 Court Street in Carroll Gardens.)

Nature Nails will be exactly two doors away from Pretty Nails on the same block.
Am I missing something here?

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The St.Clair Diner On Atlantic Avenue Closes Its Doors For Good

St Clair Diner at Atlantic Avenue and Smith Street in 2012 (above)

and 

in January 2013 (below)

Despite the signs taped to its windows indicating that the St. Clair diner at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Smith Street is undergoing renovation, it is pretty clear that the eatery has closed its doors for good. After all,  the interior has been completely gutted in the past week and all outside signs have been removed.  Besides, the diner, which opened at that location back in 1920, had undergone a complete remodel in 2007 when it changed ownership.
The hand-written sign also directs customers to St. Clair's sister restaurant at 155 Smith Street, just a few blocks up.

The diner's closing does not come as a surprise.  In late 2011,  Developer Joe Sitt of  Thor Equities purchased the building at 292 Atlantic Avenue/ 93 Smith Street,  which houses the diner,  for over $5 million.  Shortly afterwards, a huge banner advertising the retail space as a "world class flagship opportunity" was hung on the façade of the building.

It would appear that Thor Equities has not yet found a renter for the space and the listing still appears on its web site.
A special site has also been set up here.   Here is a an excerpt from Thor Equities' listing:

"At the corner of Smith Street and Atlantic Avenue, this dynamic retail space sits in the midst of Brooklyn’s renowned Restaurant Row. Located just minutes from two community centerpieces, The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and the brand new Barclays Center, home of the NBA Nets, 292 Atlantic Avenue is a compelling choice for your next location. 

Whether in search of organic food or new trendy clothes, you do not have to look far. In this quirky shopping district you can find many hip retailers. With Brooklyn Industries, Trader Joe’s and Barney’s COOP in the neighborhood, this area has it all."

Will you miss the St. Clair or are you looking forward to a new retailer at this location?

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California Taqueria On Court Street Obviously Angered Its Landlord

Oh, boy!  A reader sent me the photo above, which was taken on Monday afternoon.
It would appear that California Taqueria at 187 Court Street at Bergen Street, has angered its landlord, who has gone to great lengths to shame the Mexican eatery for non-payment of rent.
A car, presumably owned by the landlord, was parked right across from the restaurant.  It sported a huge sign on its roof, announcing that California Taqueria owes $312,000 in back rent, refuses to pay up and "continues to abuse the landlord, a WWII Vet."
Think this will help or will it drive away customers, making it even harder for the restaurant to pay the rent?

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No More 'Atomic Wings' On Smith Street

Before
photo credit: Realtycollective.com

Atomic Wings at 134 Smith Street, between Dean and Bergen Streets in Boerum Hill, is no more. The eatery opened on Restaurant Row back in 2009 and was part of a chain which offers "authentic wings fresh from Buffalo, where the chickens are unusually big as well as tasty."

It seemed popular at first, but in recent years, the place seemed empty most of the time. By late 2011, Lar's Pasta To Go was added to the location, but that did not do well at this location either.
Now both are gone and the storefront is for rent.

Are you sorry to see them go?  What would you rather see at this location.
 

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Rum & Raisin: A New Boutique Coming To Smith Street

Get ready for yet another boutique in the neighborhood. Rum & Raisin, a new women's clothing and accessories store, will soon open at118 Smith Street in Boerum Hill.   Some work remains to be done, but the mannequins have already been moved in.   According to it's Facebook page, Rum & Raisin already has a store on King's Highway here in Brooklyn.
The storefront, which is located between Dean and Pacific Street, was occupied by Smith Street Pet Food until recently.

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New Building Rising At Site Of Illegal Tear-Down On Smith Street, But Not Without Problems.

200 Smith sStreet in early 2010

The site in Ovtober 2010 after the building was demolished illegally 

September 2012. The site with new steel frame going up

Many of you may remember the three-story, aluminum-clad house that once stood at number 200 Smith Street, at the corner of Baltic Street. It's ground floor retail space was home to a string of restaurants, the most recent being Jennie's Brooklyn Kitchen.

In 2009, architect Shiming Tam filed permits for a horizontal enlargement of the three-story building with NYC Department Of Buildings and scaffolding went up shortly afterwards.

But instead of adding to the third floor, the entire building was demolished overnight and the debris was carted away before anyone knew what had happened.

The DOB issued a complete stop work order for demolition without required permits in December 2010. The agency accepted a certificate of correction in May 2011.

New plans for a three story, two dwelling apartment house were by new architect Jon K Yung of MY-Architect in August, but they were disapproved.

However, just in the few weeks, construction at the site has started again. A steel frame has been errected and brick work has commenced on the first story.

Promptly, the DOB issued a partial stop work order for expired scaffolding on September 20th, 2012.

At this rate, it will be a while before a new building is completed.

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'Burger On Smith' Opens In Former Faan Space On Smith Street

Burger on Smith at 209 Smith Street just opened its doors a few days ago in the space once occupied by Faan, one of the first Asian-Fusion eateries on Restaurant Row. 
The menu features a selection of  burgers, wings, fries and shakes, but as Kyle Huebbe and Blessing Schuman-Strange, the culinary team behind this new farm-to-table eatery, will point out the food is "New American, but elevated."  The burgers are made from grass-fed beef, ground daily and supplied by a local butcher.
The selection includes the 'Friday Night', which is topped with fried egg, caramelized onions, oven roasted tomato, arugula, truffle vinaigrette.  There's also the "Left Coast",  topped with gruyere cheese, avocado, oven roasted tomato, arugula and garlic aioli. 
For lighter options, there are turkey, lamb, chicken and trout burgers, and for vegetarians, the menu includes a nut-vegetable-quinoa burger.
Don't see what you want?  You can create your very own, by choosing from various toppings.
Kyle Huebbe, a Ditmas Park resident obviously knows a thing or two about food and burgers. He is a former short-order cook with stints at restaurants like Picket Fence.  In 2009, he beat out four other contestants to win Brooklyn Paper's first Burger Bash contest..
Blessing Schuman-Strange, a Brooklyn native, who moved to California five years ago, just came back East to help his best friend Huebbe with Burger on Smith.  "My background is more in fine dining" he told me.  "Mine is in burgers and wings" chimed in Huebbe.
Sounds like a perfect team.  
Good luck, guys!

Burger on Smith

209 Smith Street

718 694 2277

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Boerum Hill Rit– A– – On Smith Street Now Open 24 Hours

Just in case you haven't noticed, the Rite Aid store at 182 Smith Street at the corner of Warren is now open 24 hours a day.  That bit of news was sent to me by reader Donald, who guesses that "if the 24-hour emergency vet is doing well, a drug store could also do well."  
It may be a bit difficult to find this Rite Aid in the middle of the night, considering that half of the bulbs in the illuminated sign are broken.
The Rite Aid further up at 320 Smith Street in Carroll Gardens also extended its hours and is now open till midnight.

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Old Faan Space Getting A Spruce Up

Back in May,  Faan, the Asian-Fusion restaurant at 209 Smith Street, closed its doors suddenly.  It had been operating at that location for more than 10 years.  All through the summer, the place was padlocked, but  recently, someone has been sprucing the place up.  Construction paper has been taped over the inside doors,  lights in the glassed-in patio area have gotten new lampshades, and the ironwork has been getting a fresh coat of paint.
It remains to be seen if the restaurant will come back as a new and improved Faan, or if this will be an entirely different eatery.  That seems more likely.  Part of the remodel includes some heavy molding, which doesn't look very Asian at all.

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