JRG Fashion Cafe is no more

So I was walking by today, and I realized that this place is just completely gone. I mean completely. The entire building has been demolished and the site cleared. It's like JRG was never there.
:shock:

MOD NOTE: I split this off of the Fashion Cafe (7th Ave) thread which I unintentionally posted this to on the PS board.

Fashion Cafe and the Shoe Mine. Quite a block that's developing there.

8thandPrez wrote: Fashion Cafe and the Shoe Mine. Quite a block that's developing there.

And the gas station/auto repair shop on the next block is gone too.

Carnivore wrote: [quote=8thandPrez]Fashion Cafe and the Shoe Mine. Quite a block that's developing there.

And the gas station/auto repair shop on the next block is gone too.

wait. what? on 7th avenue? are you sure?

shishkab wrote: [quote=Carnivore][quote=8thandPrez]Fashion Cafe and the Shoe Mine. Quite a block that's developing there.

And the gas station/auto repair shop on the next block is gone too.

wait. what? on 7th avenue? are you sure?
D'Oh! Sorry, I meant JRG Fashion Cafe on Flatbush near Atlantic.

They cut a deal with Ratner to vacate the site to make way for the arena. I believe they will have a restaurant or will be running a concession in the new arena but I don't remember the details. I found this from an old post on the now defunct Brooklyn Record:

There's some good news for one local business, though — JRG Fashion Cafe, a Caribbean restaurant is set to close their doors next month, but "will be resurrected to serve food and drinks inside the Frank Gehry-designed Nets arena when it opens in 2009."

good news indeed. well, all's well that ends well, right?

Hope the JRG folks have some savings in the bank. Despite the fact that Ratner is tearing down a few buildings, he's still tied up in both State and Federal court. It may take another year to get those resolved, and it's not clear he'll win. So even if he does win, there's probably no arena til 2011.

The JRG folks are doing just fine---I know one of the owners personally. He's a wonderful guy and is a very successful contractor. His company renovated the Gretch Buidling in Williamsburg and I was lucky enough to have him renovate my apartment on St. Johns Place. The brothers who owned JRG are shrewd, smart businessmen---and nice guys, too.