19 April 2010

A Perfect Storefront: Park Slope Grocery and Convenient


This storefront comes right at you as you pass it on Fourth Avenue with a rush of letters, colors and lights. The goodies to be found inside are as equally extolled on the western and southern sides of the shop as they are at the corner. I do love a place that hawks the cardinal corner-store attractions of yesteryear: Candies, Sodas, Ice Cream, Cigarettes, Newpaper, Magazines, Cold Beer. All the easily had things you need to make you happy.


Details of the old facade are still visible around the door. But the most wonderful things about the storefront are hidden on the sides of the main sign.


On one side you have a giant image of the iconic New York "We Are Pleased to Serve You" cup. On the other, a one of a kind, homemade image of a giant Pepsi can, surrounded by lots of little, adoring cans.



Oh, and you can't discount the fact that Park Slope Grocery has made an adjective part of their name. They are a "Convenient" Store. Is that sort of like an Appetizing Store?

4 comments:

Upstate Johnny G said...

Hi Brooks,
Man, I love that old facade peeking out from behind the new one. I wonder what that was all about when the building was new?

On a sorta related topic, I've been meaning to ask you about a bar on Flatbush near Park Place that looks dive-y from the outside and has a dive-y name but a crummy sign...."Sharlene's". I've learned that it is what was formerly Mooney's Irish Pub, now run by an ex-manager from Commonwealth. Walking by, the interior still looks like the photos of Mooney's. According to a profile I found in New York Mag there's no TV, no food, but there is a dart board and a dozen beer taps. I haven't been in there so can't recommend for or against but I wanted to ask you if that's a new trend in bars: to take over an existing dive bar and KEEP it dive-y??

Signed D.C. said...

When applied to a store, the term "appetizing" is meant as a noun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appetizing_store

Brooks of Sheffield said...

I know that.

Unknown said...

I know that I've seen a "convenient" store in Queens, maybe on Grand Street, maybe Midwood. The name of the store is HOW CONVENIENT.

Its among my favorites in Queens. The others being; LITTLE SHOP OF FLOWERS, and COMMUNITY BEER.