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.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Winos on Every Block


Crazy y'all. You can't swing a dead cat around here without swatting a wine store. And each one has a slightly different spin on the world's oldest inebriator. Damone James, the affable Men-of-Lefferts Calendar-Ready gentleman in the photo, believes that wine is life, life is wine, and a big part of HIS life is owning a wine store in Lefferts. Called Vyne Yard. And it's on Rogers! So now you can get high-class wine on Nostrand (Little Mo), Rogers, Upper Flabenue (Drink) and Lower Flabenue (65 Fen). Dang. But still no Tapas or vinyl record stores? Long way to go folks...

Damone hails from Buffalo, where he met biz partner Michael Brooks at College. Their (presumably) beer guzzling days as proud members of the 100-year-old storied Phi Beta Sigma took a Europhisticated turn, and here we are, with Vyne Yard, their latest venture on Rogers Avenue. Inspiration struck in Barcelona at a place called the Torres Vineyard. So now you can experience true Spanish culture, and elsewheres, without having to endure the indignities of air travel. Just scoot, hobble, toddle, weave, saunter, strut or teeter over to 594 Rogers and reel in the aroma, drop a few Tubmans, and fill up your rack with vino.



The hours are Mon-Fri 2-9, Sat-Sun 12-9.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please post addresses, Q. Otherwise it comes across as insider-y. We have to remember new residents read the blog and don't know people or where things are. There is also a new wine store run by a great young guy on New York Ave near the garden store, across from the apt or condo development sites there.

Clarkson FlatBed said...

Thx for the critique, but the address is in there Anon. Try reading the post before going through the trouble of commenting. (Sorry. I'm feeling very bitchy today.)

You're not the first to complain about the Q being too insider-y. But I do assume y'all have internet access and can google things yourself, so if, in the future, I forget to add a map, diagram, address or phone number, please pick up the slack? Like, instead of just commenting, you could've figured out the address and told us about it! Ain't getting paid over here, you know.

Anonymous said...

The businesses would appreciate your making their location clear. I did look through the article twice. All I saw was Rogers. And I'm never reading your blog again.

Clarkson FlatBed said...

Let me get this straight...YOU fucked up and missed the address, but now you're pissed at me? Wonder how your wife likes that behavior...

I've bolded the address and included a map. Please, please, pretty please come read me again? Please? I can't bear the pain...

Teehee. You'll be back.

Anonymous said...

The owner's name is Damone James, not Jones

Clarkson FlatBed said...

Now THAT'S a critique I welcome. Thx Anon - hastiness is next to wastiness.

Clarkson FlatBed said...

FYI, the wine store on New York Ave referenced in the first Anon comment has been closed for months.

Anonymous said...

Come on boys, play nice. There's enough wine spots for everyone :) With the owner Damone looking fine like wine, I would visit the spot weekly... hopefully he's into females.

Great job Q, keep up the good news we all use.

AdrianIsHungry said...

There is already a Vinyl Record Shop in this area!
African Record Center, it might not carry anything new but their selection of African music might be one of the best in the country.
There is also a place on Church between Bedford and Rogers that looks like they have records but I haven't been able to get there on time.

Armzhouse said...

AdrianIsHungry is correct about African record Center, and the place on Church between Bedford and Rogers is JW Records, an iconic Soca & Calypso store and record label. I used to work in reggae music, and I sold records to a slew of shops in our area. There was even one at Flatbush and Lincoln called King Warrior if I am remembering correctly. Also Sams Music Box on Flatbush which later became the short lived Brooklyn outpost of VP Records. Nostrand had Ethiopian Taste, Tiger's Reggae Hut, Cracker's Records, All Fruits Ripe and a few others. Obviously the type of shop the Q is talking about is more along the lines of Academy or Rough Trade, but it is good for people to know that our hood has a rich history of mom and pop record shops.