Comments on: Fading Businesses in ‘New’ Harlem

By: Lamontmar

Lamontmar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:11:40 +0000

I use to be a customer at Nubian Heritage. I would go there almost everyday to use the wireless internet, drink coffee, and eat the wraps. I lived right across the street from the place and met the owners. The place used to open at 8am in the morning (thats if it opened on time). Then one week I noticed that it was opening at 10am instead. I asked the owner why? He told me that it wasn’t necessary to open that early because they weren’t making any money. I told him the reason they wasn’t making any money because the place didn’t OPEN on time!!! That was a bunch of bull. Countless people would stop there and get coffee before they got on the train to go to work. Some days, at 8am, the place wasn’t open. I also suggested that they start selling the New York Times so people can read something intelligent while drinking their coffee in the morning. He responded “Thats a good idea.” Months later I didn’t see not one newspaper in there. Being inconsistent, and not being open to suggestions, especially from your customers, is bad business. Also, you can’t have unprofessional staff. That place never opened on time but it sure would close at 7pm on the dot! Our people need to get it together when it comes to running a business! Real talk!

By: LGP

LGP — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:21:10 +0000

The real issue that I find in many Harlem businesses is SERVICE. Make My Cake are the rudest and I am glad to hear others feel that way (I guess I was being self involved – I thought it was just me). I never went to the Harlem Tea Room because I had read reviews that their service stunk. Any business that treats me well gets repeat i.e. Les Ambes – I will go to them over Starbucks any day to keep them in business because they treat their customers well.

I do not agree this is a city wide problem. While rudeness maybe – slow is not. And Harlem is slow. Sometimes we avoid going out to eat because we just don’t have the time to waste.

Lastly – I was sad to see Purple Reign go – but their prices were too high. Most shoes were $70 bucks for a 2 year old!! Their selection was quite limited also. Ginger was also overpriced.

I think the people who’ve got the price point right and treate people well and have New York style service (fast) are going to make it. Just because we live and grow businesses in Harlem and not below 96th street does not mean that the general rules of running a sucessful retail operation don’t apply.

By: James

James — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:56:59 +0000

Yeah, I go to Nectar too. Both times it was ok for NY (compared to say but good for Harlem. Wine was good, food was hit and miss and service was surly. I often go to Cafe Amrita (old Saurin Park), or some of those restaurants over on 123rd and Amsterdam. But my favorite place is Sunshine Kitchen on 145th. I would eat it everyday if I just didnt care about my heart. For the most part Im behind a lot of the changes, but if they force my good buddy Ken out, Im gonna pull a TURK 182 up in this piece!

By: 123uptown

123uptown — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:10:20 +0000

The deal is that true Harlem knows who they are and what they want. People make the mistake of coming to Harlem with the “if you build it they will come mentality” . If you learn nothing. learn from the Apollo that Harlemnites are a hard crowd. When Harlem defines itself or rather finds itself then businesses will be able to succeed.

Regarding Sushi Charles on 5th avenue has carried Sushi for a couple of years and I dare say, it goes wanting every night.
Harlem tea room NEVER was a real tea room… they should have taken a lesson from Lady Mandel’s or Alice’s Tea Room to know what is real.

Renaissance Cigar Bar is a good idea but then if you truly smoke cigars you would know how limited their selection is.

The true deal is Harlem is undefined. The New Harlemnites came not for what the neighborhood offered, but for the rent… Enough haven’t followed yet to warrant the change or the merchants. While the high rents have pushed out the Harlemnites with history. Wimps… Shrimp Bar… Knox Hats…Harlem Slice..Moshood. Never would have left if the people hadn’t left.

Do you really think we need American Apparel??? That obviously is not for any person that has been in HArlem for more than 5 years.

Finally Harlem doesn’t have the market on POOR SERVICE it is a systemic problem try the village, Soho or even the Water Club.. The service is down hill all the way. It’s a generational curse

By: MMP Brownstoner

MMP Brownstoner — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:38:22 +0000

By responding to the Hotness Grrrl, I supposed that I’m revealing that I look at this blog more than once a day. Perhaps I should get a hobby.

At any rate, Lolita’s is a Mexican restaurant that opened a couple of months ago on the corner of 113th and Lenox. Harlemfur wrote about it. In my opinion, the food is very good and the price point is right. I had it delivered last night and my three tostadas cost a little over $8. The soft tacos are in the $2.50 range. That strikes me as comparable to downtown prices. I’ve eaten there (or had it delivered) about five times in the last three weeks, which is an incredibly high number for me.

Ottomanelli’s is a butcher/restaurant that has several locations in Manhattan. I think that it’s been mention on this blog. They’re opening up a location on 111th and 5th. They’re still probably a few weeks away from opening. It will have to do as my beer and burger joint for now.

Closer to home–along Lenox from 118th to 120th–there are a number of store fronts that appear to be available. In addition to the Purple Reign and Emperor’s Roe spots, there are four spots between 119th and 120th on the west side of Lenox that are newly renovated. Cafe Latte is going into one spot, but I have no knowledge, only curiosity, about the other three. I also wonder what will happen to the old liquor store location on the SE corner of 119th and Lenox.

By: theHotness Grrrl

theHotness Grrrl — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:17:23 +0000

YOHIMBOT– I agree. If you are in VIP everyone has to get bottled up, no doubt, but this place specifically that I mentioned is like Moca’s requiring bottles. And that wouldn’t be so bad but the justification for this is too keep it classy. Now if anyone knows about crowd quality in lounges/clubs then you know classy doesn’t necessariliy go hand in hand with required bottle service. Jimmy’s was a great restaurant uptown but as soon as they started that bottle service/ red velvet rope crap then the crowd changed and they ended up closing shortly thereafter. The Harlem Grill was anotha cool spot but then one night there was a bouncer at the door and he told my man that he couldn’t enter because he had on sneakers. Never mind my friend is a very cool journalist who just wanted to get his drink on. Soon I noticed a change in the usual patronage there. I no longer felt like dealing with what evolved into Friday and Saturday night madness at The Grill and that place soon closed too. Smell a trend? I do. So glad the spots like Native, Nectar & Ricardos avoid that sort of ghettoized business mindset.

By: iloveharlem

iloveharlem — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:03:36 +0000

The Harlem Tea Room never really entered the mainstream of Harlem’’s consciousness. They got good press in O Magazine and Black Enterprise etc., but never really interfaced with the community. No real marketing and advertising which may have been due to cost, but for their location and type was a necessity. Tepid reviews and inconsistent staffing didn’t help either. And yes there wasn’t much “food” to eat. Which may not have pleased typical Harlem eaters. Nice place, aesthetics, just not enough time spent on building it.

By: Barry

Barry — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:44:23 +0000

Down with Make My Cake!!! Maybe we can a get a serious entrepreneur who knows about quality!

By: Yojimbot

Yojimbot — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:29:51 +0000

That was why I was sad when my good buddies at Sugar Hill Java and Tea Lounge closed. They had steadily improved on their offerings and service to the point where after 2 years it was really good. Then they closed it down, not b/c of lack of money, but b/c it was too hard to staff the place and they just wound up spending all of their time there just to break even. As for the observation that Blacks dont get as good service, I have never noticed this…any time Im up in a VIP, I have to get the bottle service or get to stepping. Just the way it it is.

By: D. Bell

D. Bell — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:38:59 +0000

Just a correction to Bradhurst Living:

Bayou was on 125th and closed a couple of years ago. You were referring to Baton Rouge on 145th Street. By the way, you should have some insight into when the new Maroon’s should FINALLY be opening?