A Look Back at 2011

As we like to say, the one thing you can count on, on Park Slope's Fifth Avenue, is change.

This year saw explosive growth in the number of restaurants and bars on the Avenue, along with the amazing emergence of a vintage and antique district, of sorts, from Dean to 18th Street. Our own monthly, unscientific survey shows that the commercial vacancy rate shrunk from about 11% in January to under 8% in December. Not bad, given the state of the economy!

Yet there is another side to the story, as Fifth Avenue lost an amazing number of businesses (all of them chronicled by Here's Park Slope yesterday). It will also soon lose two long-time community anchors, Aunt Suzie's and Timboo's.

While we hope for the best, the beginning of 2012 could be bumpy, as businesses assess their holiday sales numbers and battle the winter weather (if the winter ever arrives). Still, a great number of long-time vacant spots are under construction, the economy is slowly improving, the sidewalks are cleaner than ever and the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID keeps working hard to make Fifth a better place.

Overall, things are looking up for Park Slope's Fifth Avenue. Here's to a great 2012!