THE boy pressed his face to the window of the men’s salon, his breath fogging the glass. He stood there, on a wintry day, staring at the sharply dressed men swathed in hot towels.
“He asked what we did here,” said Tony Van Putten, who owns the year-old jewel of a shop, called BBraxton, at Fifth Avenue and 116th Street in Harlem. “And when I told him that we cut hair, he gave me this look. And he asked if it was O.K. if he could get his hair cut here, too.”
The boy seemed more accustomed to the streets than to a place like BBraxton, Mr. Van Putten said, but inside the shop he saw men who were black like him although they were wearing slacks and sweaters and shoes that shined as if they’d been dipped in pomade. Twice. The boy’s eyes seemed to ask: Am I good enough to be in a place like this?
{This is an excerpt from a wonderful article that ran in the NY Times about Harlem. Click the links to read the whole article.} See what another blogger has to say about the article.
sahara
April 2, 2008
Folks, will y’all stop it?
As a native NY’er, black woman, and once longtime Harlem resident (I’m back in the Boogie), Maybe YOU don’t need another barber shop, but I’ve seen very few go out of business. You live in an ethnic neighborhood. We are ethnically Africans, despite our presence in the U.S., and our needs are different. Do you need another hair salon below 110th St.? And for y’all black middle-class folk, you live in an urban environment now. Not all of us with money feel the need to look “assimilated.” Braxton’s is nice, but isn’t it a barbershop too? Why don’t you ask the commercial landlords about their lack of imagination?
Harlem Grill closed due to mis-management (they had the crowds, trust me), Emperor’s Roe to mis-advice, and 2110, because her standards weren’t that much better than her regular spots; I don’t deal with a dress code at restaurants downtown, so why did I have to there, to eat mediocre food?
For years we’ve had beer and burger joints, and reasonably priced soul food eateries and businesses that catered to ourselves. Landlords raised the rents of such places putting them out of business. Edmond’s does a slammin’ trade in moderately priced food; but folks would rather eat tired food in a beautiful room, which Edmond’s doesn’t give you. And trust me, their bbq kicks Dallas’s ass. And Rusty’s on 134th and 7th, is Caribbean, 24 hours, and slammin’.
If you’re so concerned, why would you want another chain restaurant in Harlem? Isn’t Popeye’s, etc. Enough? Harlem (like most neighborhoods), was a mom-and-pop store environment. Stop being fearful, and check out some of the small shops; chains are turning the city itself into a characterless suburban extension.
I’m tired of folks who come here from the suburbs and other smaller cities, then complain about the lack of the familiar. DEAL.
I currently live in an extraordinarily diverse neighborhood, where, like American whites, I’m in the minority (the whites here are ethnic Albanians and Russians). Now should I go on their blogs and sites and complain about the number of unwelcoming coffee shops, lack of soul or American food restaurants, and jewelry shops selling double-headed eagle rings? Why is it we can travel to other countries and marvel at their culture, but when we bump up against it here, we’re repulsed? GET OVER IT.
This class/race snobbery has to stop. Where I live, we actually GET ALONG, and not just tolerate each other, because we accept each other’s ethnicity. This is the first area I’ve lived in where me AND the white women go to the same beauty supply, and the Dominican barber shops do EVERYBODY.
At the end of the day, money is about commonalities, not niche markets. And y’all need to become comfortable with each other, which I have yet to see in Harlem. Remember, ALL boats rise in high tide.
anon
February 21, 2008
Agreed, Dallas BBQ would be perfect for the old Pier 2110 spot and a inclusive for all harlemites, what are they waiting for, it would be a goldmine
illoquentgent
February 21, 2008
I dunno why my comment up there became anonymous. Anyway I stand by what I said…lol.
Anonymous
February 21, 2008
I also agree that you want the “beer and burger” joints that provide a clean, decent place to eat along with prices cheap enough to capitalize on numbers (aka density). Places like Cafe Largo and Melba’s have definitely managed to strike that delicate balance. There are folks from the neighborhood as well as new transplants (and their visiting family members) coexisting just fine. Picante is another example. And from what I’ve heard the new restaurant in the Viaduct Valley, Il Covo, has reasonable prices.
There is a place for everything in Harlem. I also understand that black/latino entrepreneurs with the advent of new developments and businesses being pumped into Harlem, have gotten a renewed vigor to bring into Harlem more experimental businesses ventures that the perceived stereotypes of blacks/latinos in Harlem did not allow for at one time. And there is a certain element of pride in saying we can have these businesses and de-construct the ignorant perceptions. Places like Tribal Spears, Harlem Vintage, and Harlem Lanes do that and defy the naysayers! And when they do well you feel proud as though a family member reached a great accomplishment. And indeed this is the pride of minority entrepeneurship.
However, you’ve got places like Pier 2110, Emperor’s Roe, Harlem Grill…who did not find enough patronage to justify there staying open. Some are more experimental by nature anywhere in the city. How many caviar bars are there in all of Manhattan? Those are niche markets and bringing them to Harlem only further segments that market. It comes down to truly understanding your market audience.
PS: If rumors are true, a Dallas BBQ will work perfectly where Pier 2110 once stood.
MMP Brownstoner
February 20, 2008
5–I’m definitely the hair care exception! (Inside joke.)
I actually do have a pretty good sense of the numbers, but I’m still surprised at the density of barbershops, etc.
Speaking of numbers, I actually think that there probably is sufficient density of disposable income for a regular beer burger joint, judging from the success of Native, Settipani, and Patti Doro (sp?). Add the residents of 5th on the Park, the Kalahari, and Graceline Court (as well as some of the other newer developments further afield like 50 w127th St.), and I think that there’s quite a bit of pent up demand for a nice beer burger joint. I alone would probably eat there at least twice a month.
anon
February 20, 2008
Many new businesses in Harlem miss the target, for example the Lenox avenue caviar bar was doomed to fail and pier 2110 was just overpriced for what it was. An example of a business that got it right is the wonderful Settepani, another good fit, Charlie’s Sushi restaurant on Madison and 126th. And another success story is the very busy Café Largo on west 137th. Looking at these success stories, a burger and beer joint would not be a stretch and another Café Largo on or close to 125th would definitely work.
Anonymous
February 19, 2008
MMP, you’re the exception, not the rule. Blacks spend disproportionately on certain items and hair care is one them. I sense you really have yet to grasp the sheer numbers, the density of the welfare class that surrounds you. Their disposable income will not go to support the amenities you’re interested in. For every “you”, there are a couple a hundred of “them”. You two have competing interest.
The Harlem Tea Room survives by Day Trippers into Harlem, not residents. Harlem Vintage has to do a ton of sales you don’t see (corporate sales, etc.) and far more than the foot traffic you observe. In other words it’s dollars from out of Harlem, that keep them going.
The business model you speak of requires sufficient density of dollars in Harlem, a regular beer burger joint with a flat screen or two. That density does not exist in Harlem.
MMP Brownstoner
February 19, 2008
inch = itch
MMP Brownstoner
February 19, 2008
I agree with Dean (the first poster) about retail, but I’m surprised by his comments about trash.
Like him, I’m white and moved here within the last several years. Like him, I anxiously awaited the opening of two new stores on Lenox and 118th. Like him, I was shocked when they turned out to be hair (or hair related) establishments. To me, it’s indicative of a broader trend in new Harlem businesses. Many new businesses seem to be aimed at a saturated market (do we really need another barber shop) or seem to be whimsical. Was there really a market for Purple Reign’s $50 toddler shoes? Was there really a market for Emperor’s Roe’s champagne and caviar? Is there really a market for the cigar bar? Local retail needs to learn to crawl before it can run. (To be fair, N, Harlem Vintage, and The Harlem Tea Room seem to be doing well while targeting a higher end audience. But their business models also seems a bit more grounded.)
Where, for example, is a simple beer and burger place? They’re ubiquitous downtown but absent here. That seems to me like a very big inch that could provide significant returns to the stratcher. Why not open a place in Emperor’s Roe’s old spot. You could have a bar in the front with a significant dining area in the back. When it’s warm, you could have sidewalk dining. A simple burger, chicken sandwich, etc. type menu is all that’s needed. I challenge someone to do that. (Unfortunately, my wife won’t let me do it.)
Regarding cleanliness, I think that it’s gotten significantly cleaner in the last six months. In fact, I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by the change. I’ve also seen more city enforecment. In the last month, I’ve gotten three tickets for minor parking infractions, and two weeks ago, I watched as the double parked cars along 116th btw 5th and Lenox received tickets.
Finally, regarding the NYT article, it’s refreshing to see some coverage of the black gentrifiers. Most coverage seems aimed at white gentrifiers, but in my experience, there are at least as many black gentrifiers. One ironic note–one paragraph removed from a statement that new comers don’t care about Harlem history, the article mentions “Mount Morris Park” rather than “Marcus Garvey Park.” MGP is mentioned but not for another two paragraphs. (NB: The MMP in my name refers to the landmarked district in which I live.)
anon
February 18, 2008
Progress is good, change is uncomfortable
Dean Collins
February 18, 2008
Hi, I just found you linked to my site and wanted to say hi.
I’ve re-read my post a few times in the last day to see if I’m being a bit harsh – maybe i am but I dont think so.
It’s been a frustrating year here in Harlem, on one hand wanting to ‘find our space in the sun’ and improve the area and on the other hand just finding we are being priced out of the market and people are asking for insance prices I wouldn’t even want to pay downtown.
I think for us what changed our love of the area was a recent shop opening on lennox and 118th.
We looked forward with anticipation when we saw the construction occur…..only to find the resulting retail outlet less than appealing (I know I’m not the target audience but day glo orange?? are you for real?)
What really gets me down is the lack of street cleaning and pride in the streets (oh and if I see one more person spit a big chunky one in front of me I’m going to scream). Your momma must be real proud.
I dont understand why the city isn’t more vigilant in fines for loose trash and refuse on the sidewalks.
Like I said – things may change, we still have another 3 months on our lease but for now we are looking at the south columbia area.
Cheers,
Dean