News Round-Up

Re-Sale Kiddy Coming to Park Slope [Reclaimed Home]

New York City Coffee [The Espresso Vein]

How to Open a Business in Brooklyn [Gahsonay]

Tree Damage at 5th and Union [Brownstoner]

Temporary Change of Traffic Pattern on Flatbush Avenue [No Land Grab]

Slow News Day

Ok, we'll admit it. Summer is slow and we're running out of things to say this week. We might as well pack it in and have a beer.

Luckily, Fifth Avenue is host to more than 30 bars! Find a watering hole near you on the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID's Business Directory. Not a drinker? Check out our Calendar (right column) for Fifth Avenue events taking place tonight and beyond.

We'll be back with the News Round-Up, tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Wait...What Did That Sign Say?

Effed in Park Slope caught this sign in front of Coco Roco the other day. We've heard that sex sells and, judging from the attention the sign is getting, it certainly seems to be true! Sex sells...chicken!

The question is: can sex sell antiques? Pizza? Dry Cleaning?

Tonight: Dancing Under the Stars w/Christian Nourijanian

Pianist/Composer Christian Nourijanian will bring the sounds of Jazz to Fifth Avenue tonight. You can hear some of his original pieces here.

As always, the festivities will start at 6 with kids programming. The adult, dancing portion of the program will begin at 7 and continue till 9.

See you there!

The 3/50 Project: Building Business From the Ground Up

The Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring The 3/50 Project: Building Business From the Ground Up on Wednesday, August 18, 2010, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Merchants, come hear nationally renowned speaker and retail consultant Cinda Baxter, founder of The 3/50 Project, as she talks about how you can help your business with a little ingenuity, some great marketing, and a real commitment to your community.

Relying on the simple premise, "Pick 3. Spend 50. Save your local economy," The 3/50 Project exploded onto the national stage as a way to help brick and mortar businesses reclaim consumer dollars in a positive, effective manner. Learn about The 3/50 Project, what it means today, and how you can use it and other shop local campaigns to strengthen your own business.

Refreshments will be served.

Click here to register! * if the link does not work, go to ibrooklyn.com

News Round Up

Wickedspoon: New Fro Yo Joint To Open [Grub Street]

Hanco's Vs. Henry's: Park Slope Banh Mi Wars on This American Life [Village Voice]

Buttercup's Paw-tisserie Closing [Brownstoner]

BK District 39 Energy Challenge Launches Aug. 1 [Brooklyn Green Team]

This Weekend: Kings County General Store

Kings County General Store is a monthly market populated by Brooklyn-based designers, artists, food companies and boutiques. It takes place at Southpaw (Fifth Avenue between St. Johns and Sterling).

The next market is set for this Sunday, July 25 from Noon-5 pm. Free gift bags with local goods will be provided for the first 50 guests. There's a full bar with drink specials all day and music is provided by Mikey Palms and friends.

For more information on this cool monthly event, go to kingscountygeneralstore.com.

Admission is free.

Brad Lander Energy Competition

The Office of Council Member Brad Lander has teamed up with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Con Edison to organize an energy competition in the 39th District and we urge residents along 5th to step up to the challenge. The 300 person goal is closing in (August 1st), so make haste. Check out the Reduce the Use Challenge and sign up. When they map this initiative out, let 5th Avenue lead the borough in energy conservation! If you have any questions or need more details, please contact Michael Curtin at 718-499-1090 or mcurtin@council.nyc.gov.

Tonight at Dancing Under the Stars: The Stingers Band

It looks like The Stingers Band will be playing tonight at Dancing Under the Stars. We hear that they played on opening night and they really got the street grooving. For a preview, watch the video, above.

As always, the festivities will start at 6 with kids programming. The adult, dancing portion of the program will begin at 7 and continue till 9.

See you there!

Some Good News and Bad News

Fifth Avenue continues to change rapidly this summer.

The Bad News: Last week Brownstoner announced that Buttercup's Paw-Tisserie is having a closing sale. We've always thought that their dog treats looked good enough for humans to eat. We're sorry to see them go.

The Good News: The New York Times reported that Fornino Pizza is finally opening its take-out shop, next door to the restaurant. Now, the empty space left when Tempo closed is completely filled and active, which is good news for the merchants on the block and pizza-lovers, alike.

What other changes have you spotted recently?

New Round-Up

Brooklyn Businesses Get Boost from Mobile-optimized Web Directory [Mobile Commerce Daily]

Daycare expanding with 2 new locations [A Child Grows in Brooklyn]

As Everyone Else Discovers Brooklyn, So Have Hoteliers [NY Times]

Don’t Pass this Moutarde! Fifth Ave. Bistro is Better Than Ever [Brooklyn Paper]

Euro Riesling Seeking NY Acceptance [All Things New York]

Campo de' Fiori: It's Awn Like Donkey Kong [FIPS]

Piper Theatre Rehearsal

OTBKB posted this video yesterday and it was so good, we just had to share it with you at All About Fifth.

This is a promo/rehearsal video for the Piper Theatre production of "Nocturnes", which is playing in Washington Park (behind the Old Stone House) tonight. Check it out!

Can't make it tonight? Here is their schedule.

Save the Date: Cinda Baxter Coming to Brooklyn

For several years now, a campaign known as The 350 Project has worked tirelessly to save our country's small stores, bars and restaurants with a simple message to American consumers: spend $50/month locally at 3 of your favorite, locally-owned businesses. If only 1/2 of the employed population did so, it would generate $42.6 Billion in revenue. As the campaign points out, a good portion of the funds spent in local businesses stay and get reinvested in the community, unlike money spent online. Now there is an economic stimulus program!

Cinda Baxter, founder of The 350 Project, is a retail consultant and professional speaker whose mission is to strengthen independent brick and mortar businesses. Having spent fourteen years as a successful retail store owner, she “gets it” from the inside out, and feels an obligation to pay forward the hard earned knowledge and expertise she has gained.

The Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce are bringing Cinda to Brooklyn to speak to interested merchants! Save the Date:

Wednesday, August 18, 2010
St. Francis College
180 Remsen Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
7:00 to 7:30 PM refreshments and networking
7:30 PM program begins

Tonight: Dancing Under the Stars Returns

Dancing Under the Stars returns for its second week. Festivities begin at 6. Below is the schedule for the rest of the summer:

July 13th: DJ Chris Style- party and dance mixes, requests
July 20th The return of the Stingers Band!
July 27th: Jazz with Christian Nourijanian
August 3: Latin beat with Sonido Costeno
August 10: Tom Moran (Daddy Rocker)- Rock/Country
August 17: La Blacksmith- Jazz, Blues, Pop, R&B
August 24: Vince Lisi- 60's & 70's Rock
August 31: La Blacksmith- Jazz, Blues, Pop, R&B

Social Media Training

The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District will host a free social networking/media training on Wednesday, July 21st at 9:30 am at Aunt Suzie's restaurant (247 Fifth Avenue).

Learn how to use Facebook, Twitter, Yelp and even YouTube to help promote your small business or cause!

We will be joined by two local internet companies, Postling and Mobile Meteor, who will talk about how their tools can help make your social networking easier and even how you can better spread the word to our city's many Smart Phone users!

RSVP via email: info@parkslopefifthavenuebid.com

Coffee and bagels will be served.

This training is open to anyone interested, so feel free to spread the word!

We'll see you there!

News Round-Up

Watts the Deal? Con Ed Cuts Power During the Heatwave [The Brooklyn Paper]

All Joy No Fun [New York Magazine]

Destination: Park Slope [Park Slope Reader]

Weekend and Holiday Stroller Ban at the Gate [Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn]

Save on Seventh [Shop Seventh]

Mobile Web Application Helps Boost Local Businesses in NYC Community [Red Light Revolt]

CON ED TO BK: Sweat It Out [FIPS]

No Lie: 100-Calorie Pies [Daily Candy]

Roman Pizza on the Way

We are really late to this story but we felt the need to mention it, since we also noticed this spot (187 Fifth Avenue) back in January when it was empty and covered in green posters.

Six months later, the site is transformed into Campo de'Fiori, an authentic Roman Style pizza joint that will sell by the pie and the slice! Grub Street is reporting that the owner of this new restaurant also has a well-regarded restaurant in Rome and is making pizzas that are rectangular and "crunchy on the bottom and moist on top, so they can be eaten with two fingers without folding."

Sounds great, but we wonder if Brooklynites will know what to do with pizza that they can't fold!

Anyway, we look forward to giving this a try, as we have lots of great memories of eating our way through Rome. It's nice to see a vacant, billboard-covered site get transformed into an eatery this promising.

Tomorrow Night: Piper Theater Opening

Tomorrow night (Thursday, July 8th), The Old Stone House will host another season of outdoor theater by Piper Theatre Productions.

Now in its tenth year, Piper Theatre will return this year with some great new productions at a new location in the park! Starting at 8:30 on the artificial turf behind the Old Stone House, Piper Theatre will present "Nocturnes", a series of chilling tales by author John Connolly, Directed by Scottish director Nigel Williams. Also on tap, "The Book of Liz", by David and Amy Sedaris and directed by David A. Miller.

Start planning your night of theater under the stars now! Check out the full season schedule here.

Tonight: Dancing Under the Stars!

Don't forget that tonight is the first night of the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID's weekly "Dancing Under the Stars" event!

Every Tuesday in July and August, 3rd Street at 5th Avenue (Washington Park) will be transformed into a hot spot for dancing under the stars. The events will start at 6 with kids programming and the adult, dancing portion of the program will begin at 7 and continue till 9.

Tonight
6-7 pm: Kids Programming
7-9 pm: Stringer's Band

BID Mobile Site Demo

A couple of weeks ago, we announced that the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID had launched a new smartphone optimized website with the help of a local Park Slope Company called Mobile Meteor. We were having a hard time creating a video demo of the site for you to see, but luckily Mobile Meteor has created one and we think you'll see that this really is a great tool for visitors to the avenue! Just go to parkslopefifthavenuebid.com on your iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Palm or any other smartphone device to give it a try!

Happy Fourth of July!

-from the gang at All About Fifth and the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID.

All About Fifth...on the Fourth

Yes, we know, many people head to the beach, Prospect Park or to out-of-town parties on the Forth of July. However, if you find yourself at home and you are looking for some great deals or you just want to try something new, here is some of what Park Slope's Fifth Avenue has to offer this holiday weekend:

Picada y Vino: 327 Fifth Avenue, on the 4th of July they will be having a wine tasting from 1 to 6 and tasted wines are 10% off.

Kappa Sake House:388 Fifth Avenue,Fresh Sushi Lunch To Go by the Master Chef on July 4th from 11:30 - 1:00

Patio Lounge: 179 Fifth Avenue, Old Fashioned Down-Home BBQ @ Patio Lounge, 6pm - 10pm Sunday, July 4th.  Live Jazz Band (Emmett McDonald and the Circle of Friends).  Live DJ. Good Food. Great Music.

Dhaga Salon: 294 Fifth Avenue, All weekend they will have a Wash and Blowout special for $20.

Baluchis: 310 Fifth Avenue, offering 20% off their in-house dinner menu for the fourth of July weekend.

Odd Twin: having a fun, patriotic sale-
Take 20% off anything Red+White+Blue! Take 10% off anything Red, White OR Blue!

Melt: (440 Bergen Street) Melt will be Open on July 5th. Visit http://meltnyc.com on your smartphone to pick your Monday hangover brunch favorite & enter to win a free bottle of wine. The Melt Burger will be $10 at the bar with purchase of a drink.

Also, not on Fifth but near by:

440 Gallery: 440 6th Avenue,hosting a show called “Amoeba to Zebra”July 1st, through Saturday July 25, 2010
July 4th hours 11am -7pm

Old American Can Factory: 232 Third Street @ Third Avenue, Saturday, July 3rd, Umami Food and Arts Festival. This is a collaboration between Rooftop Films and Community Markets (which produces the farmers market on Fifth Avenue every week). There will be a screening of short food films on the roof. More details here.

That's all we have, for now. Let us know if we missed anything and we'll add it to this list. Enjoy your weekend, especially if you spend it on Fifth!

Change on Fifth Update

Ok, so if you read the update to our post yesterday, you will note that Luscious Foods is not closing and that LuLu's new shop is opening in a different space at 75A Fifth Avenue, which was formerly host to the "Eshe" boutique.

The new LuLu's shop, known as "LuLu's then&now", will be opening on September 1st. They will have a mix of new and gently used children's clothing, toys, books and baby gear. They are currently accepting Fall and Winter clothing for cash and store credit and you can call LuLu's now to make an appointment.

It seems like Fifth Avenue is becoming quite the hub for "gently used" and vintage clothing, no? There's Guvnor's Vintage Thrift, Odd Twin, Beacon's Closet and now LuLu's then&now.

Is this becoming part of the Avenue's new brand?