Thursday, May 26, 2011

'No wonder the Bowery has become the flip-flop and Baby-stroller Mecca of the World'

From the EV Grieve inbox, a note from Billy Leroy at Billy's Antiques...

You know what pisses me off?

All these "neighborhood activist/artist types" who are mourning/protesting the demolishing of 35 Cooper Square, which is a horrible and sad event. But they also supported "The Festival of Bad Ideas," which was sponsored by Goldman Sachs.

No wonder the Bowery has become the flip-flop and Baby-stroller Mecca of the World.

It will be a joy when Billy's finally closes. I won't have to look at all these #$%@& Yuppies anymore.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Right on. Those same people mourning are the same people responsible for landmark destruction, whether they realize it or not.

Bowery Boy said...

"All these "neighborhood activist/artist types"..."

"All", really? All!? How is someone, anyonoe, so sure???

"Those same people..." Really? How the F do you know???

I was at the "funeral" and far from a fan of the NewMu or anything it does.

Who is doing you guys' polling? How is it that you know everyone's opinion all at once?

I'll call you and raise you one: You know what pisses me off? -- Your uninformed self-rightousness and know-it-all assumptions! Oh, I'm all in now, a-holes.

Roger_Paw said...

@Anon, 11:57 - haha! Boy, you've got me pegged! Yeah, right. As if this vegan, recycling, walking or mass transit-using, long-term HDFC Co-op building-living lady is "responsible for landmark destruction". (insert eye roll here) The only regret I have is feeding the trolls but that's usually only a pastime reserved for the lunch hour.

Anonymous said...

Yep, vegan hippy type people like you have ruined it for the born and raised New Yorker taught not to give a fuck, keep your head on a swivel, work hard and not be a leech on society by living off subsidy (insert your name here :-)) crowd.

You made it a place attractive to yuppies with your ways. I bet cigarette smoke annoys you and you would be disgusted if someone was sitting nearby in a park smoking or in a restaurant.

You people want NYC all to yourselves despite not contributing much, what did you expect would happen, it would be an isolated world for the middle and low class?

Lisa said...

Uhh, Billy, I think yr indulging in a little bit of typecasting here. I wrote that letter to the Landmarks Preservation Committee that basically accused them of being spawn of the Whore of Babylon for not saving 35 Cooper Square, and I never heard of The Festival of Bad Ideas until I read your post. (Sounds like a pretty silly event.) Also, having attended several of the rallies (tho I missed yesterday's unfortunately), what I saw were long-time neighborhood residents, Pete Hamill, and a few non-assholic NYU students who cared enough to make signs and come out on what we all know now was a fool's errand. I did not see you, so I am not sure how you feel qualified to pontificate on who, exactly, the Save Cooper Square folks were. Given that, why are we the targets of such blistering scorn? We're not the enemy, so pull in your horns and calm down. Cos you come off here as a real asshole, which until now was the last thing I would have considered you.

Roger_Paw said...

I may be hippy, but I'm no hippie.

#DONTEVERCALLMEBRO said...

“Baby-stroller Mecca of the World.” As Manuel used to say in Fawlty Towers, Que? Billy, I am really confused on this one.

@anony 1.44 As a barely middle class Manhattan lifer and 35 rally participant who thinks that the perfect meal is a NY Strip Steak, medium rare, a side order of pasta with Bolognese sauce with a pint of Guinness (OK, I hear my wife yelling at me, add a side salad) to drown it down, followed by a cheap cigar and has hunted small game in the past (grouse), you can go ahead and kiss my Irish/Sicilian ass one cheek at a time.

Anonymous said...

We need more Billys around these parts.

Sarah said...

That's too bad, I've bought stuff from him before. I'll stop now 'cause I don't want to keep him anywhere he doesn't want to be.

Bowery Boy said...

I agree that we need more Billys, but he couldn't be more wrong to paint everyone else as the same yet opposite of him. Here he's actually crapping on many of the very folks who support his Ideas, good, bad or otherwise. And that's just sad.

Anonymous said...

@Crazy Eddie. That is some pretty grotesque imagery.

You're so NYC. New York Strip steak, pasta and bolognese sauce. Ooo and a pint of guinness. I don't even know where the hunting small game thing has come from, you are truly gifted.

You haven't even escaped the caricatures of your heritage and find it necessary to bring it up. No wonder you can't get by. A Manhattan lifer, we'll see how long that lasts, you transplant.

I hope to gain all your skills and knowledge that have brought you to the forefront of your field.

You're all like Christopher Reeves after he got paralyzed. Not a care in the world until something happens. Maybe you should have been going to that awful bar and supporting it to help save 35.

Anonymous said...

Billy Rocks !!
Your all a bunch of Pussy's..
you know he is right ?..right?

Caleo said...

Yeah, I've walked by Billy's for many years and appreciated it as a last remaining bit of old New York left in that nabe... but Billy and a couple of these anon's are coming off as REAL ASSHOLES.
If you think the people who have worked to preserve and landmark old buildings are the problem then you have your heads firmly planted up your own asses. Probably too much weed smoking. And Billy's is WAY overpriced for the junk he's selling.
I hate the luxurification of this city as much as anyone, but direct your fire at the proper targets.
And if Billy can't wait to close, maybe you should do everyone a favor and just end it.

Ken from Ken's Kitchen said...

I guess the Puerto Ricans in my bldg could have said the same shit about a skinny white suburban kid like me when I moved to the corner of Ludlow and Rivington in the early 80s. Instead they took me out drinking to Hammel and Korn.

Anonymous said...

too bad you moved in and priced them out of their own place, Ken. I bet they learned their lesson about gentrification.

Ken from Ken's Kitchen said...

Aren't you sharp as a tack, Anonymous @ 5:35 PM. That was my f*cking point.

Caleo said...

Anon 4:59... your faux-authentic rage is precious.
And other than being an anonymous asshole... who are you ?
A troll who has nothing better to do than bitch about people who've lived here their whole adult lives and have forgotten more about New York than you'll ever know.

Crazy Eddie said...

@A-HOLE 4.59

Transplant? You fucking rube, I'm an Immaculate Conception grammar school graduate (14th and 1st) and Stuy High graduate (when it is was on 15th and 1st). I threw that meat and hunting text at you because YOU threw that hippie slur at Roger_Paw. By the way, fly over state wanna be DB, I'm proud of my heritage which made this city. Are you?

Marty Wombacher said...

Go get 'em, Crazy Eddie! Only a fool would mess with you, and that jackass is obviously a fool!

Roger_Paw said...

Awww, Crazy Eddie. You defended my honor. Chivalry may be on its death bed but you handed it an oxygen mask. :)

Anonymous said...

Aha, heritage that made this city, you're barking up the wrong tree.

Good luck. You just lost a person who grew up here and whose family built the Brooklyn Bridge. I was pretty militant against any changes happening to the neighborhood, though I didn't pick a fight over 35 Cooper because it is meaningless and a lost cause next to that massive hotel.

You're all have-nots being forced to realize how little you have and how quickly it can be stripped from you. Good luck.

Anonymous said...

Hippies lashing out at Billy.One man in his rotting tent.Typical no wonder 35 Copper Sq was demolished.
Your anger is misguided.
The real devil is The New Museums biggest sponsor Goldman Sachs.$$$$$$$$ MORONS!
The Bowery is over accept it.
Now go to Pulino's and polish it off with some Think Coffee.

Crazy Eddie said...

Thanks Marty and Roger_Paw. I would like to take you both to Marty’s Fortress of Solitude. I’m buying! I know, what a big spender:)

Also, re Chris Reeve, since A-Hole bought him into this tread, back in the day I saw him in the Union Square subway station looking confused. So I asked can I help you (true New Yorker). He wanted to know where the Lee Strasberg school was. I give him the directions, he thanked me, and we both went on our way. A brother then shouted out "Yo, there goes Superman". As usual, he was shorter than I pictured. Also, as I have posted before transplants are welcome here, just be cool.

Crazy Eddie said...

@ANONY 7.31-Just one more thing. Since we are trading NYC heritage credos here, my Sicilian grandfather was part of a team who sculptured the two Lions at the Main Library branch. We all may be rearranging the chairs on the Titanic here but at least we will go down fighting. Also, let’s not forget that it was you it bought the conversation down by your insulting post. Anonymous. If that’s your real name. Lost? Good riddance.

Marty Wombacher said...

@Crazy Eddie: Anytime you want to meet at the Fortress let me know! Would love to share a beer or three with you there!

Little Earthquake said...

News flash, "Billy." Your righteous indignation is not their moral crisis.

Close your store already if you think anyone's money isn't as green as yours.

Anonymous said...

@Little Earthquake
Billy is right .
You are confused..
Move to the suburbs Oh I mean the Bowery ..sorry.

Anonymous said...

have lived and worked on the bowery for 31 years. raised 2 kids off the beaten track.pushed my babystroller next to the stinky slaughter house on the block,,,live chickens... kids come home from college and don't recognize their own nabe? how did this happen under our noses?

nygrump said...

They've turned the E.vil into suburban NJ without trees and lots of drunkatoriums. I DONT WANT TO SEE YOUR REPULSIVE TOES IN YOUR FAKE-JEWEL ENCRUSTED FLIPFLOPS YOU PHONEY BUNCH OF CELL PHONE ADDICTS. Thank you and good day.

Anonymous said...

You Tell'em Billy.
The Bowery is OVER ..do those activists think there pathetic self-indulgent little circus
can do anything to stop the Corp.Machine.
why don't they throw dog shit at the New Museum,
now that's a real statement.

THE BOWERY is OVER !!

Little Earthquake said...

If Billy wants to return to the Bowery of 1977, he should move to Detroit.

I'm not thrilled with the glass towers or meathead bars either.

But I also don't give a flying F what one curmudgeon's concept of a "real" New Yorker is, or how many straw men he mentally battles as he fails to adapt to changing times.

Lashing out is the hallmark of the frustrated chump.

Anonymous said...

To all my Fans out there .
I am so flattered that I struck a chord .
If you can pull yourself away from your ipads,
slip on your flip flops and go see my film...
Dirty Old Town !!
www.dirtyoldtownmovie.com
Billy

shmnyc said...

People need to learn what gentrification is. Read a book. (I recommend Neil Smith's "The New Frontier".)

laura said...

christopher reeve would not be taking a subway after doing superman. he would be in cabs or a car service, when he worked in the daytime soap before the film, he rode his bike to the studio every day. or took cabs in the winter. he lived in new york several years before superman. no one shouted that out on the subway, as he had not done that film @that time. i photographed him for his first interview, when he landed the TV job. he rode his bike to work @that time. how do i know?? he then moved upstairs from me several months later. we were friendly neigbors for a few years. when he made the superman film, he moved out. he had a very small one bedroom on the top floor & lived w/his girlfriend. he liked my apt as i had mammothly high ceilings, & was on parlor floor. so yes he finally got a better apt when the superman film came about. im sure he did take trains when he first moved to NYC, but that was way before superman. no need to embellish things. sounds like everyone here is jealous of anyone who makes it. this is a real bitter working class blog.