Open Thread Wednesday

By on May 31, 2023 12:07 am in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Knight

    It’s the end of an era! Eastern Athletic Club — which has operated in the bowels of the St. George Tower for over 50 years — will close for the final time today. Respect to the Sferrazza Family who have operated the club the entire time and best wishes to them as they continue to operate their two remaining clubs: one near Grand Army Plaza and the other in Suffolk County.

  • AEB

    It seems to have fallen to me to post complaints about retail life in BH. The latest concerns Henry Tailors on, yes, Henry, near (or is it in?) the St. George.

    A week or so I brought a pair of pants there to be hemmed. I needed them fixed for a party a week hence.

    The Asian guy with the red headgear, who seems to be the boss, has a problem (as you’ll see): his English is very poor. This makes it difficult for him to…well, communicate necessary information to customers.

    Could the pants be done in a week? Pointing, demurring, mumbling. Finally: yes, available on Tuesday, meaning yesterday. He measures and prepares the ticket. On it in large letters is the word Tue.

    I go there yesterday to pick up the pants. I experience that sinking feeling as he searches rack after rack for the pants. No show. Finally, he points at the ticket, which says, in small letters at the bottom, 6/6. In other words and totally unknown to me, the pants were to be ready in TWO weeks.

    This information, was of course, never mentioned.. I grab the unhemmed pants and leave angrily. “Ticket!” red hat screams angrily. I throw it in his direction.

    Fortunately–for me–I’m able to find another tailor who can do the work in time. But buyers beware! The Henry guy is, in effect, not to be trusted. He can’t or won’t learn (enough of) the language he needs to use to conduct his business in a business-like fashion. Sooner or later, he will disappoint you.

  • Eddyde

    More like 40 years, opened early 80’s.

  • Lucas Collins

    I’ve gone to Henry tailor every week for 10 years + never had any problem at all.

  • AEB

    Glad to hear it. But have you brought clothes to be altered?

  • Andrew Porter

    In all my dealings with him, I found him quite reliable.

    Also, I might add that your language borders on the libelous. Suggest you edit this post to tone it down.

  • AEB

    Really? Libelous? How so?

  • Andrew Porter

    Here’s the lobby of 66 Court Street on February 3rd, 1943. Photo by the Wurts Bros.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3e341d8bdff9a971b9c4b39f8d7425a21d901eab95f4483eef9ea574d4b71049.png

  • Andrew Porter

    And the view of the Heights in the foreground and Manhattan in the distance, from the 30th floor of 66 Court Street, on Jan. 26, 1943. Photo also by the Wurts Bros.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fc3824cc3cb7f8b2e8683889f39f777757a1b61a136707f76285ce9ca3ade8d4.png

  • Lucas Collins

    Sure he does everything, no English but pretty decent tailor done a lot of odd jobs. Time not his strong suit, but you can spot your garment and get it a few days early, usually hanging on the right.

  • Banet

    I wonder if they closed, in part, because Ken Sferrazza moved out of Brooklyn?

  • HeightsJohnny85

    Walking by 115 Willow Street, today. I saw the statue of a goat(?) unicorn(?) at the top of the building. Seems very strange. Almost pagan. Anyone know anything about it?

  • Charlie the Unicorn

    It a Tudor Revival building. Unicorns associated with Scotland. Look for other Tudor Revival buildings in the neighborhood with terra cotta details such as Tudor roses, thistles, ornate chimneys, and coats of arms.

    If you want pagan, look for the goat-horned men grimacing at elderly residents entering 55 Pierrepont

  • Steve R.

    Although I haven’t been there in quite some time, I have great memories of teaching squash, playing basketball and hanging out there 40 or so years ago. And, like several of my friends back then, I met my wife there as well (to be clear, we each met separate wives to be :-). And a special shout out to Ilse Korey who kept that place running for so many years & was always nice to me (well, most of the time). The club was a Bklyn Hts. community centerpiece and will be missed.

  • Knight

    Their original club was The St.George Racquet Ball Club, which was open when I arrived here in 1978. It was operated by the Sferrazza family. About three years ago the club ran a promotion saying that it was their 49th year in the location.

  • Knight

    Andrew Porter, please opine!

  • Andrew Porter

    Reconstruction of the St. George Tower into apartments lasted from 1973 to 78, as I recall. I remember because I lived through 5 years of dumpsters hitting the streets at 3am. You can never forget that sleep-halting sound.

  • Andrew Porter

    Not really visible in this 1940 tax photo from the NYC Municipal Archives:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/638f95d93bc77a5d2c4db4023ffb4753b95ec9030fcb4ca2bc1e0f7cb9ce1610.png

  • Andrew Porter

    Makeup of District 33, where Lincoln Restler [D] is running for reelection:

    https://projects.thecity.nyc/new-york-city-council-district/district-33/

  • Jorale-man

    PSA: Looks like we’re entering another summer without much rain. Do your part and water your street trees and plantings. And while you’re at it, hose down the sidewalk in front of your house or building. Lately they’ve become an obstacle course of dog pee and other suspicious stains.

  • Knight

    Since the Sferrazza’s original lease was with the hotel owners, it makes their pre-pandemic promotional mailers seem plausible.

  • Knight

    Nah. They closed because the co-op’s 2021 board got a better financial offer on a lease and refused to renew the Sferrazza’s.

  • Knight

    “The Henry guy is … not to be trusted.”
    “… if you go to him, he will disappoint you.”
    You also strongly imply that he doesn’t run his business in a responsible fashion. These are opinions stated as facts: the building blocks of a libel suit.

  • Eddyde

    Sure, but the Racquet Ball Club wasn’t the same as the expanded Health Club which opened some years later.
    Your statement was “Eastern Athletic Club — which has operated in the bowels of the St. George Tower for over 50 years”

  • AnonyMom

    I’m sorry you got tripped up. But I suggest strongly you educate yourself on how the language you use to describe the tailor. It is discriminatory and perpetrates haggard racist stereotypes Are you aware random violence towards the Asian community has worsened since the former President called Covid the “Kung Flu.” Have you not seen the “Stop Asian Hate” campaigns?

    You were inconvenienced. Big deal. Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t mean the tailor isn’t trustworthy. Just because he doesn’t speak English well doesn’t mean he doesn’t run his business well or that he’s bad at what he does.

    Your feelings about him are not facts-they are your opinion based on one experience. He has run his business in this neighborhood for close to two decades. Yet you are SO outraged over a pair of pants you just had to “warn” the neighborhood. Words matter. Please educate yourself.

  • Melissa

    I used him once years ago. It took 6 weeks for a simple hem and was 3 times the price of any NYC tailor I ever used.

  • Appelbomb

    I bring my dry cleaning and tailoring to him regularly, and it’s always done in a timely fashion. He always shows me the date on the POS screen that he proposes to have it done. He’s a lovely man, does a great job and is priced reasonably. Your language is racist and xenophobic – his nationality has no bearing on any of this, you just felt compelled to add that he’s “Asian.” You sound like a MISERABLE person.

  • Effective Presenter

    TGIF!

  • Effective Presenter

    Knight,

    NO lawyer would touch this libel suit legal action is NOT a possibility.

  • Effective Presenter

    Another dry summer we down the Shore fear a fire just one ember or spark and ocean breezes, winds an entire colony of houses could burn down.
    It is important to be careful with the use of a BBQ and fire pits, etc,

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