A tweet dated Oct. 3 provides a lot of info ...
Been a tough go here. Do you remember all that nonsense late last year about the name? The owner had to change the shop's name to Chocolate 101 after the education department told him the law forbade the use of the word "library" in business names. In February, the education department reconsidered and allowed the owner to keep the "library."
Anyway, is the East Village the best place for speciality chocolate shops? We've now seen the Chocolate Bar, Bespoke and the Chocolate Library come and go fairly quickly.
Maybe Puddin' will stick?
8 comments:
This was a really great idea and carried through well, but how many $7 bars of chocolate can anyone buy regularly? I would go in and buy some bars for my grandmother - she made me try the African chocolate before she would eat any (it was good).
the idea was good.
the people nice.
the prices high.
the assortment wide but limited.
everything was pre-packed so the choice was between brands rather then flavors.
good chocolate has become so expensive that being able to pick a few favorite items is all a lot of folks can afford.
in this awful economy many of us can't afford good chocolate at all.
and the buzz words, artisinal, locavore, pure, have tripled the cost.
speaking of things coming and going, anyone know what happened to the Bean Truck, or their plans to open up in that old hookah bar a block away?
These days our local blogs seem to be an ongoing tally of openings and closings (and wildlife) - makes me wonder if it weren't for failed businesses whether the area would have any economy at all. Somehow real estate interests must be capitalizing on this, or you'd think that they'd lower their rents for the sake of long-term profit. Here, we live in a new neighborhood every 5 years and never have to move. The mental schlepping is tiring.
Bowery Boy: One of my real estate guru buddies explained that landlords can use empty stores for a tax write-off as lost income. Insanely, they are essentially being rewarded for keeping stores unoccupied!! If that loophole was closed, perhaps rents would decrease to the point of allowing businesses to stay and thrive....
.... I guess that's what BFC partners is doing with the mars bar and the entire vacated buildings on 2nd ave and e 1st st. tax write-off.
Proprieter is a a kind and nice man. Wish him the best in the future!
@Chris - I have been trying to understand this issue for a few years, about tax write offs for landlords, and everyone I speak to says it's very complex. That might be code for "shut the fuck up" but it is the only explanation that makes sense as to why landlords would rather have an empty store than lower the rent to give someone a chance at long term success. I think it's a worthy avenue to pursue legislatively but since it would not benefit the landlords it would likely get little attention. I would love to know more about this, if anybody chimes in that would be great.
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