The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Friday, January 25, 2013

On a Chilly Day, Good News for Lincoln Road

Today the Q got confirmation that the "Wholesome Foods Market" on the corner of Lincoln and Flatbush could open in the next three weeks. Expect upscale goods and tasty prepared foods...and higher prices to boot! (sorry, couldn't resist...)

And the coffee-and-more place at the old K-Dog? Within a month. The gas is on, and they're cookin' with gas. Looking forward to sharing their menu with you as soon as I get it from the owners.

Stay tuned...

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good news all around, thanks for the report. The basic, dusty rundown corner delis do not usually offer lower prices. Let's not perpetuate that myth. They mark up big time. If you want bargains you have to go to Associated or other big supermarkets.

MadMommaCarmen said...

Yay!

Anonymous said...

Yay, can't wait!

And Anon 12:16, good point. And actually the Associated on Flatbush also marks up their food, particularly their organic items. They charge way more than the Associated on 5th Ave in Park Slope.

The Snob said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Snob said...

Are we to believe that the corner store will be an outpost of the world-famous "Wholesome Foods" on the Lower East Side?
http://www.yelp.com/biz/e-and-s-wholesome-foods-manhattan

Anonymous said...

This is great news!!! Thank you Q for being the CNN of our neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

Great news all around!

Anonymous said...

Actually its called wholesome gourmet market and it will bring great things to the neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

"wholesome"? ... add 10% to the prices.
"gourmet"?... another 15%.
"market"? probably OK.

Good thing they didn't name it Wholesome Farms Organic Gourmet Specialties n' Things.

Anonymous said...

"wholesome"? ... add 10% to the prices.
"gourmet"?... another 15%.
"market"? probably OK.

Good thing they didn't name it Wholesome Farms Organic Gourmet Specialties n' Things.

Anonymous said...

to Anonymous on January 26th, would you prefer there be nothing there?

Anonymous said...

What is coming in at the old K-Dog spot?

Anonymous said...

I know, to people complaining about the prices I say, so shop elsewhere. There are numerous affordable groceries and supermarkets in the neighborhood. This is one store finally offering what the others don't sell.

Anonymous said...

Can you please give up on the whole Bourgeoisie thing please. We want these nicer places because we want higher quality food and services in the area. It has nothing to do with anything else. Get over it.

Anonymous said...

Ditto anon 11:00 and 3:00. Complainers, You want cheap or spoiled food options, we've got a plethora of this in PLG. For the rest of us looking for diversity, healthy and fresh, we support wholesome foods market and any other businesses who will provide much needed services like this.

Anonymous said...

I think the Q has been very positive about all the bizzes around here. A little jab here and there is totally appropriate. What strikes me is how everyone gets so emotional over what kinds of places open up. To the point of hysteria even. I think it's good to have a sense of humor about it all. 15 years ago a cup of coffee cost 50 cents. Now you could pay up to $5. People are really particular now, and will travel great distances to get what they want. seams like TV chefs and gourmet marketing has done a number on people. I bought a bag of chips last week for $6. You got to admit sometimes its all a bit comical.

Anonymous said...

If you are looking for the old school PLG businesses move to Canarsie or Brownsville. PLG is gentrifying fast and has finally turned a corner and we are not looking back. Everytime I see more and more gentrifiers get off the subway it really brings a great sense of comfort to my heart!

Anonymous said...

uh-oh. tell me you didn't just say that...i'm suspecting rabble rouser. don't take the bait folks...

cheryl on parkside ave said...

Sense a bit of racism flowing on this great blog...does it have to be this way. I think this community can accommodate all of us in a collective, respectful and a peaceful manner!!!

Anonymous said...

I for one welcome our new Bourgeoisie market overlords.

Clarkson FlatBed said...

As I've said a million times before, there's room for all comers. And I agree that it's always worth lightening up. If you can't take a joke at your own expense...

Bourgie is a convenient and none-too-nasty word to describe upscalization. No offense is intended. I don't know for sure, but I suspect this is a Korean owned gourmet shop. Having anticipated the needs of residents throughout the City, Korean green-grocers have always kept pace with local demand. I'm reminded of that shop on Avenue A near Houston that always seemed to have stuff you couldn't get elsewhere (this is back in the last century of course). If I'm wrong, and the shop is owned by a local resident, Korean or not, I will be pleasantly surprised. As always, I like to champion locals, but I too will shop where the goods are good.

I still make the trek to the Coop, and love the place, and I encourage it as an alternative for those concerned about prices. I too think that there has been unnecessary mark-up across the board due to the new healthy and organic packaging, which is now being exposed, often, as pure bull. More than 100% markup is now common, and is a testament to customers willingness to buy expensive products without complaint. I, for one, don't like being duped into paying more, but to each his own.

AND despite the managers at the Associated and Pioneer's insistence that they don't share an owner, the rumors persist. I'm hoping to get the scoop by setting up a meeting with each of them and catching them in the act of being the same person.

Anonymous said...

The market on Flatbush avenue near American Apparel is amazing now. They even have bulk bins for certain items! Something like that would be delghtful.

Bob Marvin said...

RE: the Associated and Pioneer's possibly convoluted ownership; might it be that they're both owned by separate corporations that happen to have the same principals?

Anonymous said...

Gentrification-bating or no, this thread is the height of civil discourse compared to the kerfluffle going on over on Brooklynian, where the installation of a "bike corral" that takes up a single parking space is being compared to the use of fire hoses and german shepherds on civil rights demonstrators. http://brooklynian.com/forum/crown-heights-and-prospect-lefferts-gardens/bike-racks-placed-in-parking-spots-on-franklin-ave

babs said...

I have met the owners of the new market. They are not Korean.

babs said...

Nor are they local residents.

Anonymous said...

I'm a life-long resident of the area. When I was growing up, my parents and I were not thrilled with the quality of food items (especially meat)in the local grocery stores (Western Beef and its predecessors, I'm looking at you). I've been shopping elsewhere (i.e. outside of the neighborhood) for many items for years, and I will probably continue doing so because I am used to it.

That said, I hope that not all of the cheapie stores get pushed out of the area, because I don't want to pay Manhattan-type prices for everything, and it's not really fair to long-time residents who don't want to or cannot pay those kind of prices.

By the way, I find comments like this beyond obnoxious: "If you are looking for the old school PLG businesses move to Canarsie or Brownsville."

Anonymous said...

For the first time on this blog, I sense a bit of rascism in some of the comments, perhaps not representative or a statement of claim that some posters are racists. What I do believe though is that the comments on this blog are a small sampling of PLG and its residents, particularly LM residents, some who have been homeowners for decades, others newer, but just don't take the time to participate in such discussions due to the tone and bickery highlighed in such discussions. Do they care about what's happening in the neighborhood? Of course! Do they pursue active roles in the hood? Of course, however, I do think that residents look to wider PLG for leadership since it represents a larger portion of the community. Tim seems to have taken on such a role and is engaging and reaching out to ALL residents (by the way doing an incredible job). We just need to follow his lead and work with him and other volunteers by doing whatever we can to bring positive change to the neighborhood. But first we must all try to get along and be respectful of each other, regardless of our wealth or backgrounds.

And, as January 30 anonymous said, the "moving to Brownsville or Canarsie" comment was most offensive.

Anonymous said...

Re: [b]For the first time on this blog, I sense a bit of rascism in some of the comments[/b]-Glad it wasn't just me.

I think we can all be on the same side. I like the improvements that have been happening in the past few years. It's a welcome sight in an area that has suffered from some sort of (institutional) neglect for [b]years[/b]. Comments like that only divide residents even more. It's not very neighborly to want to displace a large portion of current residents, including some who have been in the area for years.

Now if this new store were to carry Amy's products at prices cheaper than Bob and Betty's, I'm there! :)