Empire Mayo gone?

smw380 · April 2016

I went by this morning and the storefront was all papered over. Anyone know what's up?

whynot_31 · April 2016

It would be sad if Prospect Heights lost one of its punch lines.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/empire-mayonnaise-new-york-2?sort_by=date_desc

zzy · April 2016

Think they were repainting the store front. It's tan now, not white.

goldemi1 · April 2016

Gotta hand it to them, been around longer than many other businesses, despite the criticisms. They got a ton of pr out of it. Has anyone been inside? I figured its really just where they're making the mayo, or using it as an office where they do all their sales online and through other distributors.

Hendi · April 2016

Basically. The "store front" is absolutely minuscule and their products appear to be available at half the stores in the area these days.

foolio · April 2016

a year ago i remember reading that they had plans to convert the space into a sandwich shop this year. dont know if that's still the plan. i notice that they've also removed their awning with their name on it and lots of the signage/press from the windows.

mishaps · April 2016

It was always primarily meant as a place to make the mayo, with the storefront open just because it could be, as I recall. If they do open a sandwich shop, at least we know it'll have some good condiments!

goldemi1 · April 2016

Sandwich shop would be great, as its a great sampling vehicle to highlght and try the mayos. I for one would love to try it that way and only then buy a jar

foolio · June 2016

the shop now has a big 'FOR RENT' sign on it. farewell, neighborhood punchline.

whynot_31 · June 2016

press: http://gothamist.com/2016/06/16/rip_hipster_mayo.php

whynot_31 · June 2016

Rachel reports they have been priced out: https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160616/prospect-heights/artisanal-mayo-store-getting-priced-out-of-prospect-heights-owner-says

rogers_sterling · June 2016

Is there a name for the phase of gentrification that causes artisanal mayo shops to be priced out?

whynot_31 · June 2016

I'm ready for a T Rowe Price or a Fidelity storefront on Vanderbilt, near Pacific Park.

crownheightster · June 2016

Or a Charles Schwab

whynot_31 · June 2016

Pacific Park is being heavily marketed toward Chinese ex-pats because of the Visa program that provides a path to citizenship in exchange for US investment.

So, we might get a bank with a large base of such customers, such as HSBC.

Hendi · June 2016

But if people are just buying those condos to qualify for the visa program then presumably they'll just rent them out and not live there, obviating the need for there to be businesses that cater to them.

Or, if they are being marketed instead to the young rich people everyone seems to be afraid of, don't those people all bank online but shop at artisanal mayo stores? That seems like the crowd that wouldn't be caught dead in a chain anything.

whynot_31 · June 2016

I suspect many of the Chinese ex-pats will not be so wealthy that they don't live in Pacific Park at least part of the year.

...I also suspect that it is very cool to dislike chain stores, but that many of those who claim to dislike them still patronize them, or have their staff do so.

But to your point, @hendi I wouldn't be surprised if Vanderbilt gets a really upscale boutique children's clothing and toy store too.

crownheightster · June 2016

Those rich young people and their staff love a well-stocked CVS, Duane Reade and/or Walgreens.

whynot_31 · June 2016

In terms of NYC neighborhoods, I believe Pacific Park will closely resemble Battery Park City.

I expect the stores, restaurants and whatnot nearby to be similar.

crownheightster · June 2016

Crown Heights will welcome ample hills if it gets priced out. plus all the other businesses.

Hendi · June 2016

Sure, but there are already plenty of pharmacies in the area, Flatbush and Carlton, Target at Atlantic Terminal, plus many others in Park Slope, Fort Greene etc. Seems totally plausible that there could be another in one of the new buildings, but that won't really change the retail mix of the neighborhood.

People who move to these buildings are going to come because they like the the things that are in the neighborhood, so I think it stands to reason that things that move in will be broadly similar and existing businesses will capture a lot of the increase. There's no shortage of neighborhoods with new condos being built (downtown brooklyn, williamsburg, hell's kitchen, FiDi, Harlem, Jersey City etc.), most of which are more convenient to jobs in Manhattan than the corner of Vanderbilt and Atlantic. At the prices they're asking for the new buildings, the only reason to come to Prospect Heights is if you like Prospect Heights.

Empire Mayo gone?

Comments

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories