Pioneer Supermarket 822 Franklin btw Eastern Parkway and Union

lilern

Hello All - Does anyone know what is going on with the closed Pioneer Supermarket on Franklin Avenue just South of Eastern Parkway?  It was supposedly going to be taken over by Bob & Betty to serve the quickly growing population of south Crown Heights.  There was also talk that the samll space next door was going to be a beer garden.  Activity on the building has all but stopped and it seems like they would be on top of this at this point - south Crown Heights is exploding as I type.  Anyone know anything?  

whynot_31

That site has been owned by the Bob & Betty's family for quite sometime.

I recently spoke with one of the owners. He said he hopes to get something in there in the Fall of 2014. I am not sure whether he is seeking a tenant, or hopes to open another site of some kind.

lilern

Interesting - it is really prime real estate.  They really should do something with it.  I don't know if a grocery store is the right thing though.  Hmmmmm.....what work in there?

mcpoet

I live on that block and have been hoping it'd reopen as a grocery store.  Figured it'd be a larger space for Bob & Betty's to work with.  If nothing else, that Pioneer always had a nice beer selection, and with most of the Muslim owned bodegas not selling any alcohol it was a nice convenient spot to pick up a six pack on the way home (the bodega on the southwest corner of Franklin and EP sells beer too, though the selection is somewhat lacking).  It's a large space and I get the sense that they may have moved forward with turning it into another Bob & Betty's had the real estate market not exploded in the way that it has.  Why risk building another grocery store so close to another one you already own when you can just rent the space to someone else with much less personal risk?  My preference is a grocery store or pharmacy (Walgreen's, Rite Aid, CVS), something practical that's going to be of use to most neighborhood residents.  While I know there's a market for it, you only need so many artisanal cheeses, bakeries, etc......

lilern

I doubt it will be a drugstore - Walgreen's is going into the huge space on Empire and McKeever Place where the laundromat used to be.  That place is even bigger than the Pioneer Market place.  When that opens it will dominate in terms of pharmacy - and will most likely put the Rite Aid on Bedford out of business.   

mcpoet

Yeah, that's my current pharmacy, which are both about equidistant from where I live.  I don't mind wandering over there when it's nice out (I plan on doing so on my way home today).  But it would be so much easier if there was a decent pharmacy near the intersection of EP and Franklin (I had been hoping one would move into 341 EP).  Either way, I'd just like for there to be something in that space, as we've reached that stage of gentrification south of the parkway characterized by lots of open spaces as former commercial tenants are displaced, but then those spaces seem to remain open for awhile.

lilern

Agreed - I think south of Eastern Parkway (which is my neighborhood too) is on the cusp of of a new round of businesses a la Franklin Avenue - particularly the quadrant formed by Eastern Parkway, Franklin, Nostrand and Empire. 

whynot_31

Photos of back when it was Pioneer 

lilern

WOW - blast from the past - it seems so long ago!

xlizellx

I loved shopping at Fishers (now Bob & Bettys) and asking if they had something. Tony would immediately send a clerk down to his Pioneer store to get it if Fishers was out of stock. He saved me a couple blocks walk many-a-time and definitely solidified me as a customer.

mugofmead111

I doubt it will be a drugstore - Walgreen's is going into the huge space on Empire and McKeever Place where the laundromat used to be.  That place is even bigger than the Pioneer Market place.  When that opens it will dominate in terms of pharmacy - and will most likely put the Rite Aid on Bedford out of business.   

I think a Duane Reade may work there and it might be able to coexist with the future Walgreens down the street. Such a set-up occurs in several places in Manhattan.

I also think the days of the Rite Aid on Bedford are numbered. 

@why_not31, What amazes me about those throwback picks of Pioneer is that there is hardly anyone out on the street!

clayfilms

I also think the days of the Rite Aid on Bedford are numbered. 

I hope not! That Rite Aid has everything!! And a great parking lot!!

Esperanza

Second, hope RiteAid stays open. I wouldn't go to Walgreens. Too much of a walk:0

mugofmead111

I also think the days of the Rite Aid on Bedford are numbered. 

I hope not! That Rite Aid has everything!! And a great parking lot!!

Rite Aid has everything...including long lines that are slow to check out. 

I don't have a car so a parking lot isn't a draw for me but to each her own. 

The new Walgreens would be one block away and around the corner; how much more of a walk would it be?

whynot_31

@mugofmead111-
By taking several photos over a period of a few minutes, computers can eliminate the objects (or people) from a photograph that do not move.

This allows them to create photos like the one above. Or videos like this one for a Veterans group:



....I don't think Franklin Ave was ever that deserted.

whynot_31

While this ad does not disclose the address, it may be for the Pioneer space. https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/off/d/14500-sq-ft-massive-crown/6300958228.html 14,500 SQ FT RENT FURNISHED UPON REQUEST CROWN HEIGHTS - BROOKLYN RETAIL #1352 __Massive Crown Heights Space in Prime Brooklyn surrounded by popular retailers. Very Busy area, excellent to get lots of eyes on your business! Wide Exposure. Great Floor Plan! __ __High Ceilings, enormous open space, high end installation and more, make this a great space for almost any business! ___ __This is also a great deal as it is very low price per square foot! Must see if you're looking for lots of space in a great neighborhood at a low price point! ___ Picture is of the neighborhood. Please contact us for more detailed pics. NYC RETAIL, The Leading Edge in New York City Retail Space ~Tech Driven Retail Space Brokers~ Call Us at show contact info , or email us at show contact info to view this or any available Retail Listings in Manhattan.

mcpoet

I saw some people in there doing some work recently, which would make sense if they're actively looking for a tenant now.