BENSONHURST'S PREMIER NEWS BLOG

We’re just going to have to file this under “Stuff I’ll never get.” A line of just more than 25 people has turned up in front of Modell’s Sporting Goods (8959 Bay Parkway) in Caesar’s Bay, according to tipster Bart E. They’ve brought lawn chairs and tents and whatever else they need to get through the frigid temps for the next 24 hours or so.

The first in line arrived yesterday, around 3:00 p.m.

Why? Apparently the store will begin selling Nike Air Jordan Retro 11 sneakers tomorrow. From what I understand, they cost upwards of $300 and look like this:

Man, ain’t that nice? So cool, right?

Wait, what the heck are we talking about again? People are camping out 24 hours in advance for a generic looking glob of plastic, rubber and nylon stitched together by a one-handed Vietnamese pre-schooler?

Yup, definitely in the “Things I’ll never get” file, right behind Fabergé eggs.

Either Fong & Zhou Supermarket at 8514 18th Avenue is a brand new supermarket or they’re renovating, or it could even be under new management. I noticed it walking to the 18th Avenue stop of the D train. The inside of the place was being remodeled as well.

It was hard enough getting a decent picture that cold night, let alone a straight answer from the guy on the ladder (see above), who promised me the store was new.

A passerby debunked his claim by, saying they’d been it had been for a little while. When I asked her if she lived around the area, she suddenly walked away.

I don’t know about you, but for me this place is all types of confusing. If you know, let me know folks, is it new, old, remodeled or what?

Investors Bank’s Manager Regina Scire and prize winner Betty Yee. Source: Investors Bank.

Investors Bank just opened a branch on 86th Street and 21st Street. To usher in their grand opening, bank officials have placed four prize chests in the lobby.

According to a bank representative, locals were sent keys and invited to try opening a chest to win a $5,000 grand prize. The branch also has a limited supply of keys available to people who walk in to the 8601 21st Avenue location.

Prizes include a 42-inch flat panel TV, three iPads (one per winner) and four digital cameras (one per winner).

Recently, local Betty Yee unlocked one of four prize chests. She won a digital camera, and is so far the only person to open a prize chest.

Toys’R'Us set up a tent storefront to continue sales throughout the holiday season.

Some neighborhood retailers are still struggling to catch up post-Hurricane Sandy. After getting hit hard by the storm more than a month ago, merchants from Caesar’s Bay are focusing on a resilient recovery effort. Bensonhurst’s leaders are looking to help them get back on their feet.

Community Board 11 Chairperson Bill Guarinello and District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia said the Caesar’s Bay stores have a strong hold in the economic standing of Bensonhurst.

While inland stores like Best Buy were not badly damaged by the hurricane, merchants located closer to the shore, like Babies’R'Us and Kohl’s, have struggled to fully reopen. Helping these retailers regain stability is vital to the success of this neighborhood, board leaders explained. Otherwise, Guarinello said, “Our local economy is likely to suffer.”

But simultaneously, Guarinello said that a more direct line of communication is needed with retailers. He added that merchants need to speak with the Community Board and explain what kind of aid they need most.

“If they want help, they’ve got to let us know,” he said.

Once they establish the best way to assist the area, Gaurinello said that Board leaders’ first step would be to contact the government and request more immediate relief assistance. “We can ask them to give these guys some priority,” he said.

Comparing this neighborhood to Coney Island and Sea Gate, Guarinello explained that, “Bensonhurst did not take a major hit. We had some flooding. Very little power outages.”

But, Guarinello said that Caesar’s Bay suffered badly, adding that the effects of Sandy on this shopping area will likely outlive this holiday season and carry over into 2013. “[Caesar’s Bay stores] took a hard hit. Our shoreline has been collapsing. We’re going to try to be helpful.”

Toys”R”Us has set up a temporary tent to vend some of their merchandise during the holidays.

On Saturday, November 17, the Toys”R”Us location at Caesar’s Bay opened its doors for the first time since Hurricane Sandy struck. After more than three weeks of cleanup following the storm, the retailer is back and ready for business.

The only thing that’s changed is the store’s location.

Instead of its usual waterfront building, Toys”R”Us has been separated into two parts. The electronics, bicycles, movies, sports equipment and video games are now located a little further away in the shopping center, at the former location of Spirit Halloween store, at 8975 Bay Parkway. Other items will temporarily be located in a tent directly outside the Toys”R”Us store.

And while they couldn’t say much else, managers reassured Bensonhurst locals that Toys”R”Us will be open to meet demand this holiday season.

Find out what other store managers of Caesar’s Bay businesses are saying, and why leaders say you should support them through the holidays.

Source: Imagery From the History of Medicine via Wikipedia

Acupuncture clinic, Healing Acupuncture, opened at 8635 21st Avenue, Suite 1A.

The ancient Chinese pain management needle technique is administered by Ada Kulagina, LAC.

On her Linked In page she writes, “I treat my patients through the Chinese art of acupuncture for various medical conditions. I have worked in multiple pain management clinics in New York with excellent results for my patients.”

The staff at Healing Acupuncture state that acupuncture can treat anything from headaches and migraines to insomnia.

Call 718-548-4100 to ask questions or schedule an appointment.

Owners of the laundry mat and dry cleaning service AZ Favorite Laundry want to hang the business out to dry. The “For Sale” sign has been posted on the window for a little over a month while the place remains open to customers.

When asked about the place closing, a customer seemed to think that new management wouldn’t really make a difference and that it would remain a laundry business.

“I doubt they’re really going anywhere,” she said.

Either way, A Z Favorite Laundry at 1643 Bath Avenue can be added to the growing list of Bath Beach businesses closing up shop.

Sweet Sensations, the neighborhood candy shop, has closed its doors. It’s official, the chocolate-brewing, ice-cream-making boutique of 86th Street has gone out of business.

The store, which is also referred to as “Nuts & Candy” by its dim red awning at 2079 86th Street, has been closed for approximately a month.

Sweet Sensations was nestled between Bay 26th Street and 21st Avenue for close to 30 years. Still, some local proprietors did not seem startled by its unexpected shut down.

Benny Zekiy said that he wasn’t surprised to learn of the close. Zekiy is the owner of ZuZu, a formal dress outlet adjacent to the candy store.

“Everything is shutting down,” Zekiy said. “Business is terrible.”

Zekiy pointed to the general decline in Bensonhurst’s small business success. Because the community demographics are changing, the stores that people want to shop at are different now, he said. According to Zekiy, this means that stores like Sweet Sensations can no longer find the revenue to make ends meet.

But he can only speculate. Despite several attempts to communicate with the owner of Sweet Sensations, the Bensonhurst Bean was unable to make contact.

Still, the neighborhood candy store seemed well-liked by locals. It had three reviews and scored 4.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp.

Stephanie B. from Brooklyn, NY commented on Yelp, “This place is an old mom and pop store, which you really don’t see in New York anymore. Candy stores like Dylan’s and It’s Sugar have invaded these types of sweet shops, but it’s nice to see one still standing in the Bensonhurst area of Brooklyn.”

Unfortunately for Stephanie and the rest of the candy shop’s fans, the store is no longer standing. Whether it’s due to bad business or simply a changing of the times, the facts remain unclear.

There are no news yet of another vendor taking over Sweet Sensations’ spot in the community.

Unfortunatly, the quaint little pet food and pet supply store Garden of Feedin at 1908 Bath Avenue is closing down. This is one of the many stores shutting its doors on Bath Avenue in recent months.

The store specialized in prescription pet foods and other supplies. Wonder where all the pet owners will head to now.

Ben Barber is a company that has been around since 1988. They’ve designed custom-made dress shirts for men at their two locations for years.

The Bath location at 1904 Bath Avenue has, unfortunately, closed down. The second location at 4304 13th Avenue in Borough Park remains open.

There is something a bit sad about knowing that these men’s tailors are no longer servicing the Bath Beach area. The boys will just have to get their shirts in prepackaged plastic sleeves from now on.