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Most of your have read about the new home of the Brooklyn Flea, 1000 Dean Street.
What you may not be aware of is the associated food court and beer garden to be located nearby, at 899 - 917 Bergen St. It will be named "Smorgasborg"
It will seat up to 250 people..... beer, wine and hard liquor lic was supported by CB8.
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Smorgasbergen
Those who like commercial activity, are going to love Western CH in 2015.
Say goodbye to the local junk yards, auto repair places and bus depots: Serious investment is arriving.
Thank god I don't live on that block anymore.
These folks are not playing around:
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-02-21/goldman-sachs-backs-brooklyn-fleas-new-food-market
Echo: http://m.ny.eater.com/archives/2013/02/brooklyn_flea_1.php
http://www.aptsandlofts.com/rentals/1000-dean-street-unit-varies-brooklyn-ny-11238
44,000 square feet and one bathroom.
I still say its "Smorgasbergen"
I like "Smorgasbergen", but am confident that no matter what people call it, this place is going to be popular.
In the future, folks from Bed Stuy will be crossing Atlantic to get to spend a day shopping and eating here.
LOL
I can't be the only one who is wondering if they will figure out how to put an open air dining and drinking area on the garage that is to become the food and beer court.
Cha Ching $.
A frequent contributor to the Brooklynian photo pool (top left of page) took some photos of the soon-to-be-foodcourt during the summer of 2010, and then uploaded them on Jan 20, 2013.
I can't embed them, because all rights are reserved, but you can see them by clicking here, then scrolling to Jan 20, 2013 "Open Fire hydrant guy"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephanemissier/
It is safe to say this scene will not look like this again.....
nearby properties are changing fast:
(Dead link re: a warehouse on the block for sale)
I understand that 3rd Ward (which has an existing location in Williamsburg) will run fanciest dining portion of this site.
They will describe their vision for the alcohol/bar portion of this place at the upcoming CB8 Subcommittee mtg.
They have requested a full liq lic.
Monday, May 6, 2013 at 7:00 PM at CNR-Center Light Health Care Center, which is located at 727 Classon Avenue, Brooklyn, NY (between Park and Prospect Places).
Lots of renovation being done to the structure of the former garage. The roof is now missing in several places.
The office spaces are on track for an Oct 2013 opening, and the pre-opening press is now running at full steam:
http://gothamist.com/2013/07/28/photos_brooklyn_flea_founder_is_ope.php#photo-1
^lots of photos^
However, the beer hall and food court is not expect to open until 2014. Perhaps April 2014....
Readers, this development is one of several big developments happening in the area, here is a list:
http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/37490/the-big-6-developments-in-western-ch-in-2013-the-big-11-developments-in-2014#Item_29
From yesterday's NY Times:
BERG’N A new beer hall and food court run by Smorgasburg and Brooklyn Flea will open in March in a 9,000-square-foot space seating 300. The vendors will be Asiadog, Mighty Quinn’s, Pizza Moto and Ramen Burger: 899 Bergen Street (Franklin Avenue), Crown Heights, Brooklyn; bergn.com.
As far as I'm concerned, it shall always be called Smorgasbergen
Smorgasbergen 4ever
Smorgasbergen! Brilliant!
Construction photos within!
The bar:
http://gothamwestmarket.com/
Their foot print is much smaller than "ours". It was crowded, there was not much space to walk around or hang out. Everyone was constantly in everyone else's way.
As a result of being larger and not in Manhattan, hopefully "ours" will avoid these problems.
SMORGABERG
http://www.grubstreet.com/2014/04/what-to-eat-at-bergn.html
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/food-drink/places-to-eat-the-food-court-gets-a-boost-in-new-york-city
http://m.ny.eater.com/archives/2014/05/bourdain_lining_up_mind_blowing_people_for_food_hall.php
They are not a lot different from the ones' in suburban malls or on college campuses.
You know, the places that "real" New Yorkers claim to despise....
That said, the difference in these and the suburban mall food court is that these are 1) locally operated, 2) usually higher quality food, and 3) located in real places... as opposed to the depressingly phony, manufactured environment in which mall food courts are located.
The mall food court is just a microcosm of what is truly being despised: American suburbia.
http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/national/17012/5_Dishes_and_Drinks_to_Try_at_Crown_Heights_Upcoming_Bergn_.htm
A little birdie tells me they might open the last weekend in May.
http://goodfoodjobs.com/mobile/jobs/40375/bergn-beer-hall-seeks-floor-staff.html
http://www.grubstreet.com/2014/05/underground-gourmet-outdoor-dining-guide-2014.html
I suspect more requests will be made and granted in the future.
When is the official open date?
This is the eastern part of the space:
Sadness.
At one point a week ago a construction worker told a friend 6/19 was the goal...but that seems to have slipped again.
These permitting problems come at the heels of the failure of 3rd Ward, and have resulted in lots of office vacancies remaining in 1000 Dean.
The combined development presently lacks the appeal that was envisioned.
...I suspect some of those that have been offered jobs in the beer hall - food court are going to go elsewhere; They need income now.
Berg’n Beer Hall is hosting a job fair on Tuesday, July 1st from 11am – 1pm and 5pm – 7pm.
Applicants can either bring in a resume and cover letter or fill out this application (which they ask be filled out before you arrive):
http://crowhillcommunity.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Bergn-Job-App-PDF.pdf
I hope they are open by July 17th, for the Brooklynian Happy Hour:
http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/44288/the-summer-2014-brooklynian-gathering-thursday-july-17th#Item_13
There are 45 positions, some which may already be filled.
I predict 250 applicants.
Note: There is no prize. I will get the number from the manager at a later date, or from Rachel if it is a slow news day and she decides to cover this event.
But it seems like we may need to have our Summer Brooklynian Gathering on July 17th elsewhere.
Still no alcohol permit.
http://www.trans.abc.state.ny.us/servlet/ApplicationServlet?pageName=com.ibm.nysla.data.publicquery.PublicQuerySuccessfulResultsPage&validated=true&serialNumber=1270567&licenseType=OP
BTW, an entity must pass their DOB inspections before the SLA gives you a permit. So, we are going to be lucky if this place opens by our postponed date of July 24th.
Here's a piece on how people really want this beer hall to open:
http://www.theawl.com/2014/07/brooklyn-residents-discover-new-form-of-entitlement
...when it does finally open, it seems like it will be packed.
I've broken it into two buildings, but most of the media has not.
....I wonder if they can move quickly enough to have a soft opening this weekend. It will definately be fully open by 8/1/2014.
This place is not opening until August 27th:
http://www.grubstreet.com/2014/07/bergn-beer-hall-opening-date.html
A mystery to me.
....however, if you hike there expecting a beer only to find it isn't open until its official opening date on August 27th, don't blame me.
So I checked out the menu of the “Berg'n” place. Even if the
prices are “affordable” as the grubstreet article cited the owner(s) as
claiming, the portion sizes seem a bit too small to actually make eating there “affordable”
and filling. I’ll probably try it out as the menu sounds amazing, but can’t see
myself eating there regularly.
In that way, it is like Smorgasberg or that big outdoor beer garden in Astoria that I can't remember the name of.
Press:
http://m.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/brooklyn-flea-creators-open-berg-beer-hall-article-1.1912565
Seems like a generous use of the term.
http://gothamist.com/2014/08/22/bergn_open_crown_heights.php#.
Berg'n was going to serve as 3rd Ward's defacto cafeteria. Hundreds of people were going travel to the space every week for 3rd Ward. They were expected to be hungry and thirsty.
If the first floor of 1000 Dean becomes the winter home of the Brooklyn Flea this task becomes easier.
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/26351166/bergn-beer-food-hall
http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/the-weekly-agenda-a-couture-embroidery-class-in-l-a-a-new-brooklyn-beer-hall-and-more-from-the-cultural-calendar/?_php=true&_type=blogs&ref=t-magazine&_r=0
For the next month, I expect a wave ad new adopter, "have you been yet?" foodie types.
In about October, we will get a feel for what it will become.
You went mid day on opening day. Was it filled with unemployed foodies?
The place is great once you are in. Well designed and spacious. No problem finding a seat even at capacity. The waitress who took our drink orders was nice and prompt. I got Asia Dog for the lady and stood in a long Ramen Burger line for myself. Ramen Burger seemed to have some administrative hiccups, but again, first night and all that. They also had the longest line by far. I'll leave my culinary review of Ramen Burger for another day.
It seemed to be the smoother opening night I've seen in this neighborhood, but with the pros running it that's not surprising. Looking forward to a more low key time there when the hype dies down.