FLATIRON—The Derek Jeter-branded24 Hour Fitness center coming to 225 Fifth Avenue and 26th Street may be in hot water. A commenter writes, "Hi. I found this site when I was looking for the phone number for the the gym. It was supposed to open June 28 but is delayed. I have not been able to get a straight story. In one sentence, the girl I spoke with told me (1) No later than July 22; (2) except that it might be 10 days later than July 22; (3) except that they have a court date on July 21. When I asked about the court date she said "it's just to welcome us to the neighborhood." Clearly no judge is going to haul them into court to give out a basket of cookies and a warm greeting. Does anyone know the actual story?" [Racked Comments]
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS—Is Brooklyn overly stroller-friendly? Blogger East Village Idiot thinks so. He was perturbed by an ad spotted in food mag Edible Brooklyn for Heights Chateau, a wine shop that talks up their "stroller-friendly wide aisles." Cue enraged response: "This has gone too far, Brooklyn. You’re taking your kids to wine shops now? Are you teaching your toddler to be a sommelier? A wine shop is not an opportunity for mommy socializing and playgroup. It’s a place to buy alcoholic beverages consumed by adults." [East Village Idiot]
Like a blowout during a heatwave, the pop-up room displays Ikea is planting about town have the lifespan of about a day. After reporting that the furniture chain had erected a cardboardy display at Cadman Plaza yesterday, Brooklyn Heights Blog is relaying the news that the vignette has already been dismantled. And we didn't even get a chance to take a good look at those paper Billy bookcases! Take note: They'll be trotting the pop-up out in Union Square for its next limited engagement on Thursday.
· Ikea Bugs Out of Cadman Plaza, Next Stop Union Square [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
· Ikea Mania: The First of the Pop-Ups [Racked]
Today marks the beginning of Ikea's full-scale marketing campaign to announce the opening of their Red Hook store, which means...the pop-ups are here! A reader sends word and photo evidence of the Ikea studio the furniture chain is erecting in Cadman Plaza; similar 20' by 20' cardboard room settings—complete with couches, tables, rugs and lighting—are going up in Union Square, Borough Hall plaza and outside the Brooklyn Public Library. If you pass by any of these temporary vignettes, please remember your friendly neighborhood shopping blog and send us a photo or two.
· Red Hook Ikea Mania: Pop-Up Rooms, Cardboard Landmarks! [Racked]
Today's Street Scenes subject is Donald, shot in Court Street station in Brooklyn. Feel free to vote on whether you like or dislike his outfit below—your choices are 'Perfection!,' I feel strangely ambivalent about it,' or 'Who Did This To You.'
Gristedes stores are usually felled due to some combination of neglect and rent increases, but the chain's Brooklyn Heights outpost was shuttered for another reason altogether: fire. Above, a photo of the rubble-filled interior of the supermarket snapped today by McBrooklyn. According to sources, the blaze was probably started by some sort of malfunctioning rotisserie; chicken fat proved to be excellent tinder, as the photo evidences. The store won't be fully up-and-running until July at earliest, but they have reopened the pharmacy so community members can still pick up those prescriptions.
· Inside the Brooklyn Heights Gristedes [McBrooklyn]
"There’s a weird game of musical stores going on at 89-93 Montague Street. The Blue Rose clothing store, located in the corner store has moved to the middle location next door to make room for what the Brooklyn Eagle reports is a 'three week pre-Mother’s Day program' offered by Microsoft. What that means is MSFT will be promoting its highly 'successful' Windows Vista and Windows Live products and will be showing Moms and their families how 'easy' it is to use these products to upload photos to the web. Family portraits will be taken by 'top photographers' with hair and make up folks on site for 'touch ups'." [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Today's Street Scenes subject is Trevor, shot in the Court Street subway station in Brooklyn. Feel free to vote on whether you like or dislike his outfit—your choices are 'Perfection!,' I feel strangely ambivalent about it,' or 'Who Did This To You.'
Today's Street Scenes subject is Mya, shot in the Borough Hall subway station in Brooklyn. Feel free to vote on whether you like or dislike her outfit—your choices are 'Perfection!,' I feel strangely ambivalent about it,' or 'Who Did This To You.'
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