If you haven't already, please take a few moments to fill out the handy-dandy online survey from the newly-replaced-the-deceased-CEO Survey Monkey. We have an honest to goodness merchants' association with a kick-ass name (Parkside Empire), and they need to know what floats your boat, flips your butt, flies your bat, or flats your bush, so they can help convince you to keep your duckets right here on Lefferts Gardens' own Main Street.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ParksideEmpireNeighborhood
And yes, the above prose was written in-between pressing tasks at work, and I take absolutely no responsibility for any of it. The Id did it.
14 comments:
I answered the survey. Fewer nail salons or 99 cent stores would be nice. Any reasonably priced restaurant that does not look dirty on the outside is always welcomed. Any commercial store that does not throw its garbage away into public metal trash bins are also welcomed.
I agree with anon 3:52. I'm sooooooo open to whatever businesses come here, but I'd just like them to be clean inside and out. I'd even welcome a clean nail salon. I still can't find one without rusty tools.
Totally agree with anonymous...
Curious Mr. Q what happened to Ramagi pizza?
Speaking of clean businesses inside and out, hats off to Midwood Flats restaurant. Their brick facade on the Midwood St. side was attacked by graffiti idiots and I saw someone power washing it away almost immediately. I wish we had more businesses with that attitude.
Agreed with above. I'm not a big shopper myself, but if business could get it together to keep their stores and fronts clean, it would make a big difference overall for the strip. Less substance related loitering would go a long way, too.
Alex: Would love to see the local businesses take more initiative on the substance-related loitering out front. I have a feeling those guys chase a lot of walk in business from the restaurants and stores. And even when they're not there, there's often a bunch of garbage left out on the sidewalk, making the storefronts look even worse. I'm sure it's easier for the business owners to shrug their shoulders and not shoo those guys away, but it creates an additional layer of unwelcomeness, like you're cutting through someone's club house just to go into a store or restaurant.
Hey Anon 10:53. Could you be more specific about the loitering location? Also, if you have specific info on drug action, feel free to send to me privately and we can discuss tactics.
I actually don't notice that much illegal hanging around these days. There's a few drunks near the liquor stores, and since there's three along Flatbush from Lincoln to Caton, that can be a bummer when you're with kids. But drunks don't really bug me that much, so I kinda let it slide. Also, small amounts of weed aren't even being prosecuted anymore. Though I'm pretty sure you could get picked up for selling even small bags, you're not going to do any time. If I could tell the cops what to do I'd ask them to tell weed sellers to not do it in public. It brings everyone down, and gives young folks the wrong impression about how to spend your time!
The trash is a thorn in all our sides, but today it was haflway clean and up and down the main drag. Sundays are the worst though, after a weekend of heavy foot traffic. And a lot of the stores that DO clean up aren't even open.
But the one thing I would caution is making assumptions about people who are hanging out. The majority are just...hanging out. And that needs to be fine. If they're harassing you then the cops need a call. Otherwise, it's just one of those Big City things, and lots of people are friendly if you say hello and smile. (though I know it's tougher if you're a gal.)
I recently finished a run, and was walking down Flatbush. It was hot so I did not have my shirt on. Some lady then started yelling to someone else. She was having an unimportant conversation but they were like 100 feet away from each other. I'm caught in the middle, annoyed because it's loud yelling. I'm staring at her trying to understand why they are yelling. I'm also staring at her because, well, I just find it annoying and stressful to be around angry yelling. She then turns to me and said, "I'm not looking at you." I guess she thought that I thought she was checking me out. This makes Flatbush not enjoyable to walk through. This is my long way of saying I don't like people who yell at each other in public on Flatbush Ave.
Hmmm, Anon 5:03. Serious problem there.
Welcome to the Big City! You're in for quite a ride...you ain't seen nothin' yet!
True story. Yesterday I was at the D&D swimming pool with my 3-year old daughter, having a blast. Two teenagers were fighting, screaming at each other across the pool. One yelled "you're a mother-fucking faggot, nigga." At which point, one of the Parks employees, an African-American fellow in his 20's, comes up to that kid and says "Count to ten. And I want to talk to you."
Now my curiosity is really piqued. So I listen in. First, the employee says, you're out of here for today AND tomorrow. Second, I don't want to hear you calling anybody that word.
Now, in another age he might have complained about the "N" word. But the word nigga has entered the lexicon as a completely morphed word, and for better of worse, it's here to say. So what was the employees upset about?
He said "There might be gay people in the pool right now. I'll bet every person in here has gay friends or gay relatives. I don't ever want to hear you saying that word again, or you're out of here for the whole summer."
For every negative interaction like the one you described, I'll give you ten others of love & empathy & understanding that take my breath away, every day. This is a rich, rich place to live. Enjoy it while it lasts, cuz it's anybody's guess how long til Brooklyn resembles Scarsdale in tone and hue.
Great story, thanks for sharing. It's inspiring to see hateful yet common speech challenged in the day-to-day, setting a new norm.
Now, about that Dungeons & Dragons swimming pool...
I gotta say, the people hanging out on corners doesn't bug me at all. People should be able to relax outside on a hot summer day. The trash is the only thing that gets me. Maybe we can get a few more waste bins put out? I know people still won't actually put their garbage into them, but sometimes the existing ones are overflowing and it blows around. Also, perhaps long term the answer is to try to cultivate a BID in the neighborhood that will put a little bit of money into periodically cleaning up the streets on busy days like Sunday afternoons.
Went by Ramagi earlier this week. There was a notice on the door stating they were past due on rent. Hope they can come back, love their food!
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