Butcher Butchered

Gowanus Lounge reports that A&S Pork Store on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, the last surviving butcher in that nabe, will be closing, ending a 66-year life for the shop.

Sad news. As I don't live in Park Slope, I've never been a big customer, but I've admired the store's colorful presence each time I've passed it, and occasionally wandered inside to admire the goods on display. It's a rent hike, of course, pushing A&S out. They have three months to find another place, so I guess there's hope, but I wouldn't be surprised if the owners just pack it in. It's hard to absorb the expense of a major move in these times.

And there's more from Adventures of a Gal, which makes the story all the more unfortunate: "I spoke to the owners at A&S and it seems to be a family squabble gone awry and now the daughter of the former owner (still all family) is jacking their rent up b/c she knows she can get more money for that space and doesn’t care that the family business won’t be able to afford it."

Nice.