Meat Village, one of the few remaining bastions of that quaint Bay Ridge of yesteryear — after having closed for ‘renovations’ several months back — will reopen as a pet supply store.
Lee’s World of pet supplies and organic dog foods is replacing what was one the most recognizable institutions of the old 5th avenue you grew up with.

Over these past few years, pet supply stores in Bay Ridge have become what bugaboo dealing baby stores are to Park Slope – second only
maybe to our booming brick oven pizza and
tattoo industry.

Meat Village was one of those places that, even if you never shopped it, was just kind of always there – an unofficial landmark of sorts.

A familiar reminder of a time in Bay Ridge when we ate things other than 21 dollar 4 cheese thin crust brick oven pizzas – and when we didn’t need a 12 dollar three olive Stoli martini to convince us something so rash and easily regrettable as a tattoo, was a good idea.

(Meat Village photo courtesy of Angelo Bonsignore’s short film, ‘Hero Hero’)

According to Gothamist’s newsmap, two more Bay Ridge banks were robbed Thursday – just 3 days after the Sovereign Bank on 75th and 5th avenue was hit – bringing the total number of banks hit so far this week to three… and the week ain’t even over yet!

In what appears to be a series of coordinated hits – the HSBC on 92nd & 3rd avenue was hit around 11:22am this morning, while Washington Mutual on 75th & 5th was reportedly robbed at 11:27am.

Brooklyn Paper suggests that crime may very well not pay – the perp from Monday Sovereign heist reportedly net less than a thousands dollars.

Which may go a long way to explaining today’s rash of hold-ups – possibly forcing aspiring Willie Sutton’s all over Bay Ridge to make on volume, what they evidently cant make on margin.

Since Vito Fossella’s highly publicized DUI arrest of May 1 — and subsequent unraveling of personal indiscretions leading up to his decision not to seek reelection — Democrats of Staten Island and Brooklyn have been beside themselves. And nobody knows better than local attorney, and 2 time democratic congressional challenger – Steve Harrison.

In this Sunday’s New York Times, Harrison remains undeterred from his second bid at the 13th congressional district seat.

A seat which Harrison — the only democrat to come within 6 points of Fossella, back in 2006 — has become the poster child for disunity, and, some would argue, disloyalty within Brooklyn and Staten Island’s democratic party.

Unlike Republicans, who, until recently, could neither find a candidate willing or living enough to accept the nomination – democrats are involved in far different situation.

The life long Bay Ridge activist has had to weather challenges by everyone from a Brooklyn city councilman from Coney Island, Domenic Recchia, who — aside from not even residing in the 13 district — had questionable fundraising ties to the infamous Jack Abrimoff lobbying outfit.

To his own Bay Ridge city councilman, Vincent Gentile – who briefly flirted with the idea of running against Harrison around the same time Recchia announced is bid.

Only to finally be challenged to a primary by the term-limited city councilman from Staten Island, Mike McMahon.

McMahon, despite sweeping endorsements from democratic clubs throughout Staten Island and Brooklyn, refuses to deter Harrison; who believes his 2nd appearance since his 2006 run against Fossella will be enough to ignite the grassroots intensity he needs to win. Going on to tell this week’s New York Times:

“we have some real differences between us… we have a real grass-roots campaign going on and he has support mainly from party officials. He has more money… but most of it came from PACs in Washington.”

After almost a year of drum beating and battle cries, the fate of the Bay Ridge United Methodist ‘Green’ Church appears imminent.
A foreboding skull and bones sign now dons the church’s once vibrant stained glass windows, warning curiosity seekers and the like to simply keep out – fitting last words coming from the dying 109 yr old structure, which has been at the center of one of the most contentious battles over neighborhood preservation in recent memory.

In the end, the church’s fate would not be decided, as preservationists maintained, by how much money it would take to rehabilitate the structure. But by the absence of the very support historic activists claimed existed all along in support of saving the ailing church.

Preservationists could manage only 16 signatures on a petition in principal support of saving the Green Church – which was then offered to State Senator Marty Golden’s office.

According to this week’s Brooklyn Eagle, Assemblywoman Janel Hyer Spencer is considering filing an injunction to stop the demolition – while the congregation has publicly announced their plans to proceed with their contract.

(photo courtesy flickr)

Tattoos are the latest industry boom to sprout up in Bay Ridge, just in time to are replace Bay Ridge’s short lived fascination with inordinately priced baby strollers.

Recently at least two new tattoo parlors – Gotham City tattoo on 3rd and 72nd, and A-List tattoo, just off 74th and 5th have both opened within weeks of each other.

While 3rd ave and 82nd’s ‘Tattoo Lounge’ has, in a stroke of marketing genius, just finished a year long remodel to include a cafe/bar above their ink studio.

After all, what could be better for business than plying potential customers with 4 olive Stoli martinis right before going under the needle?

But just in case you missed it – the most apparent sign of Bay Ridge’s newest fascination with ink, are the very people wearing it.

Which means it’s time for some new rules, Bay Ridge:

Getting inked — particularly on, or behind your kneecaps, elbows, or lower back — with some random tribal you think you may have seen on some radult/celebutant you idolize, does not make you: rock ‘n’ roll, punk, tough or cool.

On the contrary.

According to Monday’s Brooklyn Paper – developer Abe Betesche’s initial set of plans to turn the 109 yr old ‘Green Church’ into condos has been disapproved by the Department of Buildings.
The plans, which include a 72 unit residential building, an 8,196-square-foot church, and a 42-car parking lot on the corner of Ovington and Bay Ridge avenues were kicked back to the developer by the DOB – for reasons unknown.

While preservationists are not hailing this as a victory, they do see it as a much welcome reprieve that gives activists and local politicians, such as Councilman Vincent Gentile, time to work behind the scenes in an effort to find an alternative buyer for the historic property.

Conversely, Abe Betesch and the Methodist congregation regard it as nothing more than revision – and don’t see it deterring them from proceeding with their plans for developing the site.

(photo courtesy: flickr)

With the 68th Precinct’s annual Night Out Against Crime only a week away, it appears local criminals are trying to get all their nefarious activities in just under the wire.
This afternoon, at approximately 3:28pm, Gothamist’s newsmap is reporting yet another bank robbery at 7500 5th avenue – Sovereign Bank of Bay Ridge.

Today’s hold-up at the 7500 address makes for the 4th robbery at this branch in this past year alone.

No suspects in any of the previous robberies have reportedly been captured.

In a pattern that’s become all too familiar – somebody apparently walked in, asked for money, and left.

No further details are available on the brazen heist!

Police are naturally following every lead.

With the 68th Precinct’s annual Night Out Against Crime only a week away, it appears local criminals are trying to get all their nefarious activities in just under the wire.

This afternoon, at approximately 3:28pm, Gothamist’s newsmap is reporting yet another bank robbery at 7500 5th avenue – Sovereign Bank of Bay Ridge.

Today’s hold-up at the 7500 address makes for the 4th robbery at this branch in this past year alone.

No suspects in any of the previous robberies have reportedly been captured.

In a pattern that’s become all too familiar – somebody apparently walked in, asked for money, and left.

No further details are available on the brazen heist!

Police are naturally following every lead.

Bay Ridge Blog may have beat us to the punch, but we thought it worthy of a cross post nevertheless – as local preservationist Victoria Hofmo is featured in this Sunday’s City section of the New York Times.
Hofmo, probably best known as founder of the Bay Ridge Conservancy — and, most recently, as the point person in the fight to save the Green Church — is also the neighborhood’s foremost expert on Brooklyn’s, specifically Bay Ridge’s, Scandinavian heritage.

In a conversation with the Times’ Jennifer Blyer, through a poignant narrative, Victoria retraces the beginnings of her curiosity into her own Scandinavian background – blossoming from a simple paper at Sarah Lawrence college, into the East Coast Scandinavian museum – leading up to her present day journey to find it a permanent home.

Top 10 Reasons to Tan Indoors this Summer
10. It’s always Sunny and COOL in here

9. No SAND in your Private Parts

8. Tan Lines OPTIONAL!

7. No Traffic. No Tolls. No crowds. No Bags.

6. Unlike Sex, Getting Results Quicker is BETTER!

5. Seagulls Will Not Poop on Your Head in Here.

4. Alaskan Sun’s Friendly, Professional Staff Will Help You Get the BEST Tan Possible.

3. Our Sun is Strong ALL DAY (+ Night)

2. No One Will Know You Forgot to Shave/Wax

1. No Burly, Hairy Men in ‘Banana Hammocks’ Trying to Pick You Up.

——————————————————————————

Thanks to a loyal reader for forwarding this gem via cell phone pic from the Alaskan Tan on 3rd ave.

We’re not quite sure what’s more amusing here…

The fact that Alaskan Tan’s ‘professional staff’ didn’t rank at least in the top 2.

Or that fact that someone actually sat there and said: if ‘no burly, hairy men, in banana hammocks‘ doesn’t sell it – nothing will.’

For us, it’s the fact that the same hairy apes in ‘banana hammocks’ Alaskan invites you to avoid, are the same animals these dingbats are going to the tanning beds to pick up in the first place!

Interestingly enough – ‘skin cancer’ didn’t place.