The Usual will no longer happen (on Vanderbilt, near Prospect)

The restaurant is presently listed as being for sale: http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17790327/637A-Vanderbilt-Ave-Brooklyn-NY/

As well as the building it occupies: http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17725807/637A-Vanderbilt-Ave-Brooklyn-NY/

Needless to say, if you buy the whole building, you get the restaurant.



637A Vanderbilt Avenue

NOOOO!!!!! My favorite breakfast place!!!!

Agreed.  Best breakfast place in Prospect Heights.  Yeah, I said it..

Blah. Another favorite on the way out.

I hope Mike & John can cash in big, at least; those guys have worked hard in that place.

I've never been, but may have to check them out before they close. On a side note: the restaurant listing is a bit deceptive in terms earnings potential. Yes, this is only a few blocks from Barclays, but its well known now that the arena crowd is not coming this far into Prospect Heights after or before games. What is going to make a difference in terms of foot traffic, however, is the housing being built to complete the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park project (this should actually have a boom on restaurants on Vanderbilt, Washington, and Franklin as well). Still, we're at least 2 years away from the buildings on Carlton and Vanderbilt being finished and even longer for the entire project being completed. That said, it is a great investment long-term if you can afford to wait for the neighborhood transformation to be completed (heck, it could even be a great investment short-term, but I don't know one way or the other there). 

I find it interesting that the ad for the restaurant was posted 27 days ago, but the ad for the entire building was posted yesterday.

Does this mean that they first only wanted to sell the restaurant?

That's a shame. They're cool guys. I wonder if they're looking to move back to Montreal? Well, like a previous poster said, I hope they get a huge payout for all of their trials and tribulations they went through with the place.

The property seems to currently be 3600 sf, despite being allowed to be 5600 sf.

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17725807/637A-Vanderbilt-Ave-Brooklyn-NY/

So, whoever buys this building might add a floor, or put an extension on the back.

Presumably to preserve the business until it is sold, Johnny is reportedly telling customers that ask about the real estate ad that The Usual is not going anywhere.

...seems odd.

Haven't those guys talked on and off for years about selling? I remember a while back Mike was passing around a book to get peoples email addresses so he could update them about his new location once they sold the place and moved.

I remember them talking about selling somewhere around 2009 or before.  

So, maybe the owners just list the place on occasion in order to see how much someone would pay for it?

...but without the intention of actually selling it?

That seems like it would piss off a real estate agent.

I adore these guys and The Usual is one of the few places in Prospect Heights that draws a full spectrum of the neighborhood through its doors. But while I'll certainly miss this place, I wished they would have invested in a decent short order cook. The food has always been terribly mediocre and no match for the warm welcome and great service of the owners. By the way, I believe they own the building and also a brownstone on Prospect Place so they're not suffering!

Noooooooooooooooo!  The Usual is my go-to breakfast place.  But, I'm glad that it's through their own choice, and not something forced upon them by a greedy landlord.  Maybe they're thinking about an early retirement?

I was actually coming here to see if anyone knew anything about the DoH closure notice on door.  I tried to go there yesterday for lunch, and was thwarted.