Sunday, February 24, 2008

Starbucks... in Bensonhurst?!

Starbucks on 86th St. Bensonhurst - opened Oct 2007

Unbelievable! Inconceivable! A sure sign that we are living in the Last Days. It was bad enough when the movie theatres, Italian pastry shops, and Jewish delicatessens all closed down. It was inevitable as the Italian and Jewish residents moved up and out. But for a faceless national chain coffee shop to open up on 86th St. in Bensonhurst is really just too much. The fact that it happens to be next door to the legendary "Lenny's Pizza" is simply adding insult to injury.

What's next? Lenny's will be closed down to make way for Pizza Hut?! My last visit to the old neighborhood was in June 2006. Muslim presence there was quite surprising. As was the number of houses for sale. Quite a bit of the neighborhood appeared to be rundown and in disrepair. Those elements that were new, lacked character. Soul-less chainstores. Thomas Wolfe was right, "you can't go back home".

Thankfully I have with me all that I need from that neighborhood "home"... my dear wife Eva, and my memories.

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