The beautifully historic but long-suffering Romanesque revival Offerman Building along Fulton Street Mall is at last getting the facelift it so deserves. As H&M continues its new-construction two-story glass modernist build-out next door, TJ Maxx will open a downtown Brooklyn store at 505 Fulton Street, according to signage that appeared within the last week.

Imagine Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani having presence on Fulton Street (albeit last season). This long-promised renaissance may well take hold, after all, as developer United American Land has its eye on fully developing the block at Fulton and Bridge Street, after demolishing the Offerman annex to build H&M.

Meanwhile, downtown Brooklyn’s City Point up the block continues to take shape, first comprising a four-story 50,000 sf retail building on Albee Square across from the landmarked Dime Savings Bank building. In all, that project intends to encompass 1.5 million square feet of retail and residential.

The Offerman Building’s upper floors are rumored to be going residential, so it appears a full reno is forthcoming. The handsome structure was built in 1890 by Henry Offerman, at the time one of the tallest buildings in Brooklyn. It is best known as the location of Martin’s department store, which ushered other major retailers to the area, including A.I. Namm & Son Department Store and Abraham & Straus (today, Macy’s).

Read a full history of the building on The Smoking Nun blog here.

The two narrow retail spaces at 214 and 216 Hicks Street—which housed the recently closed Overtures and Dara Ettinger—have been demolished inside to carve out a single larger space.

A manager at next door neighbor Heights Cafe at 84 Montague Street—which owns the retail building—tells BHB that no one has yet leased the space, but it is believed that the additional square footage will attract more potential vendors.

Dara Ettinger jewelry opened at the beginning of May 2011 and barely lasted eight months at 214 Hicks, while beloved stationery and gift boutique Overtures at 216 Hicks endured for 30 years. Still hanging on: high-end clothier J. McLaughlin at 218 Hicks.

This Saturday, February 4, Grace Church, 254 Hicks Street (corner of Hicks and Grace Court) will hold its annual Winterfair. From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., you may shop for children’s clothes and toys, men’s and women’s clothing, books and CDs, sporting equipment, plants and flowers, furniture, housewares and tchatchkes. From 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the cafe will serve delicious hot luncheon entrees. Starting at 6:30 p.m., there will be a gala cocktail reception and silent auction; the theme of this year’s gala is “Russian Rhapsody.” (Disclosure: your correspondent’s wife is in charge of the auction.) Among the prizes available at auction will be goods and gift certificates from local merchants and restaurants, tickets to cultural and sporting events, antiques and art works. Admission to the Fair is free; tickets for the gala are $25 if purchased in advance from the parish office (718-624-1850), and will be available at the Fair for $30.

If you have items you would like to donate for sale at the Fair, please take them to the Church during the day today through Thursday. Books, CDs, children’s toys and clothing should be left on the stage in the downstairs gym; fleas, clothing, sports equipment, and the like should be put in the back side pews on the left of the Church. If you have items for the silent auction, please contact Martha Foley at 718-624-4306 or foley.martha@gmail.com

Beginning on Boxing Day, December 26, Overtures will begin a “Goodbye Sale,” with markdowns on its fine selection of gifts, candles, home fragrances, bath and body, paper and party goods and jewelry. The store is open most days from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

New York magazine recently offered a tasty write-up about the destination, saying, “Since 1981, this chic stationery and gift shop exudes the same history-steeped elegance as its picturesque Brooklyn Heights neighborhood. Even typical souvenir items retain a degree of understated sophistication.”

There will be a craft fair at the Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street (corner of Clinton) this Wednesday, December 7 through Sunday, December 11 (11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays; 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday), presented by BHS and NYCreates. This event will feature items made by a wide variety of local craftspeople, all suitable for holiday gift giving. There’s more information on the NYCreates website.

Addendum: It’s a busy weekend for fairs in the neighborhood. See AnnOfOrange’s comment to this post for a list.

To be clear, Five Acre Farms is not a farm at all. There is no pastoral landscape where cows graze, no ever-present smell of manure percolating the air. There is no big red barn, no silo, no wooden sign on an oak tree announcing that Five Acre Farms is two miles down the road to the left. That’s because Dan Horan, the President and CEO of Five Acre Farms, lives on Montague Terrace, right here in Brooklyn Heights.

Around 15 years ago, Horan, who for more than a decade ran Papaya King and for more than two decades has owned Waldingfield Farm in Connecticut, started thinking about a company that would “bring the farmer’s market to the supermarket,” as he puts it, by making available to consumers the farm-fresh foods grown in their region at a reasonable price, 365 days of the year. In the Northeast, that includes items like apples, milk, eggs, and some vegetables. But Horan, who has an MBA, struggled with which of those would be the most marketable.

“It’s very hard to brand lettuce or eggplant,” Horan, whose own farm produces organic vegetables, told me recently after finishing lunch at Teresa’s on Montague Street. “There’s a lot of milk in the Northeast, and milk also economically presented a good option, because the farmers are in such distress.”

And so Horan, armed with an idea, years of experience in the food service industry (he was also a general manager at Gourmet Garage), and lots of agricultural know-how, started talking to dairy farmers located within 275 miles of New York City. He explained to them his idea, and promised that while Five Acre Farms would be the brand, their name and story would be front and center, too.

“We put the name of the farmer, who we bought it from, right there, so you know—it’s Seth and Don,” he said, fingering the tag attached to the top of the chic bottle indicating that this batch of Five Acre Farms milk, like all others, was produced by Seth and Don at Battenkill Valley Creamery in Salem, NY.

Obviously, Horan is interested in more than being Facebook for farmers. He is a businessman, after all, and one who is keenly aware that paying $3.99 for a half gallon of organic milk is offensive to many people. The milk offered by Five Acre Farms is not organic, but still costs $2.79 for a half gallon, around 80 cents higher than the average price for non-organic milk.

“There are a lot of farmers who aren’t organic, but do a lot of good things, and right now they don’t get any reward in the market,” Horan said, and highlighted the importance of knowing where things are from. “You can say you want fresh food, but that means you actually have to pay the farmer.”

He spent a lot of time meeting farmers and learning about their practices before deciding on Battenkill, whose milk, people tell him, “tastes like home.” It’s Grade A, pasteurized and homogenized, with no artificial or added hormones or antibiotics. Farmer Seth and Farmer Don grow all of their own feed, and last year won Cornell University’s top prize for milk in New York State. Regardless, convincing marketers that it’s worth shelling out the extra dough is an uphill battle.

“We want, when possible, for people to understand the impact they can have on buying local food,” he said, noting that Five Acre Farms milk, while not organic, is going from the farm to your fridge in just 36 hours. “But you can’t just be local for the sake of being local,” he stipulated. “It has to be vetted.”

Horan is willing to do the vetting, but for any skeptics out there, the story of Battenkill Valley Creamery, its farming practices, and why it’s not organic but still progressive is available on the Five Acre Farms website. So are answers to the questions “Why is your milk so inexpensive?” and “Why is your milk so expensive?”

“Transparency is something we talk about everyday,” Horan said, admitting he’s banking on it trumping all else. “We aren’t going to be perfect, and we may not satisfy somebody’s questions, and you have to be able to live with that.”

At present, Five Acre Farms offers milk in five forms: regular; reduced fat; fat free; half and half; and heavy cream. It’s available in more than 30 stores in the tri-state area (including the Key Foods on Montague Street and Union Market on Court Street), and Horan hopes to expand his line of goods soon to include eggs and apple juice from other local farms. Eventually, he believes his approach of taking products piecemeal from regional farms will be successful in other parts of the country too.

In his part of the country, which for the last 12 years has been Brooklyn Heights, Horan enjoys buying provisions at local favorite Sahadi’s, on Atlantic Avenue. “I love—I love—Sahadi’s,” he told me, adding that the raisins at the Oriental Pastry & Grocery across the street are “like olives.” On second thought, “They’re like golf balls.”

Who am I to argue with a professional opinion?

Your correspondent visited the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, at 55 Pierrepont Street, yesterday afternoon to watch members of Spin City Spinners demonstrating their craft, interview them, and record it all on camera. Video, photos and more text after the jump.

Here are some examples of the finished product, available at the Exchange.

On the way out, your correspondent’s eye was caught by the latest seasonal incarnation of Wendy’s Windows, the Exchange windows artfully designed by Wendy Hooker.

The Brooklyn Women’s Echange, shown in the photo in last year’s holiday garb, is beginning its weekly holiday craft events tomorrow, Sunday, November 13.

We’re feeling very crafty this weekend. Join us tomorrow, Sunday the 13th, for Children’s Crafting from 11 to 1 – we’ll be making nutcracker and holiday fairy peg dolls, using felt and fabric– and for our Artists at Work series the fabulous Spin City Yarn Spinners will be demonstrating the fine art of yarn spinning from 2 to 4!

There will be more events on succeeding sundays through the holiday season. Next Sunday there will be more children’s crafts in the morning and potter Drew Montgomery demonstrating his art on the wheel in the afternoon. And, don’t forget, the Exchange will host silhouette artist Deborah O’Connor this coming Thursday and Friday, November 17 and 18. To make an appointment, come to the shop, 55 Pierrepont Street (between Henry and Hicks) or call 718-624-3435.

Markowitz noted at the Nov. 7 opening, “Pets are so important in people’s lives; they become their lives,” then joked, “What took you so long to get here?” as he displayed a photograph of his own African Grey Parrot “Beep” and shopped with his wife for bird food.

Store manager Scott Marcus told BHB that the new PetSmart brings 30 jobs to the neighborhood, and that he hopes to prove big-box retailers can offer the same care and customer service as local vendors: “The range of pets that our staff has owned and taken care of is amazing. Our people really care about animals and are knowledgeable about every product in the store.”

The Atlantic Avenue location is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. A second new Brooklyn PetSmart in Canarsie is at 8725 Avenue D. In all, the chain has 1,200 North American stores.

The Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, 55 Pierrepont Street (between Henry and Hicks), will hold an Open House this Thursday evening, November 3, from 6:00 to 8:00. Wine and cheese will be served, and there will be a door prize valued at $100. While there, you may preview the Exchange’s selection of clothes, jewelry, toys, books, decorative pieces, and other goods for holiday pleasure or giving. The Exchange will also host silhouette artist Deborah O’Connor on Thursday and Friday, November 17 and 18. To make an appointment, come to the shop or call 718-624-3435.

Other craft events are taking place at the Exchange on coming Sundays. More details later.

Now this weekend the 37th Annual Atlantic Antic graces our wonderful neighborhood. This fair is by far the most popular, here in Brooklyn, and this year will be no exception. This film will hopefully serve as a primer for the wonderful event. Please, don’t miss it. The food, music, arts and general good will is something to behold.

The Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation has named as its first “Ambassador of Atlantic Avenue” Charlie Sahadi, proprietor of Sahadi’s, the gourmet and Middle Eastern food market at 187 Atlantic Avenue, between Clinton and Court streets.

“A true ‘ambassador’ of the Borough of Brooklyn, Charlie has helped to make Brooklyn an international destination and represented our community as both a cultural and business leader. Through Charlie’s vision and hard work, Sahadi’s has become not only a major wholesaler with international influence but also top retail hub for other local businesses to build off of and create a unique retail district where so many cultures and neighborhoods merge,” said Christian Haag, Atlantic Avenue LDC President.

Mr. Sahadi is the inaugural recipient of the Ambassador award, which will be presented annually. He will be honored at a ceremony to be held at Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue, at Third Avenue. Tickets are $50, and may be purchased here. Proceeds benefit the Atlantic Avenue LDC, a not-for-profit organization that “promote[s] economic growth and vitality, enhancing the preservation and development of downtown Brooklyn and neighboring communities. [It] sponsors the Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk each spring, the Atlantic Antic in the fall and a Holiday Promotion each year.”

Photo: Brooklyn Community Foundation.

Although the store, and the current edition of Wendy’s Windows, are shrouded by the sidewalk bridge that spans the front of 55 Pierrepont Street, the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange re-opened for business Sunday, following its customary closure for summer vacation. BWE offers a wide variety of hand-crafted goods, made by independent artisans, including children’s and doll’s clothing, baby gifts, toys, ceramics, carvings, other household items, jewelry and accessories such as bags and umbrellas, as well as books by local authors or about local topics.

Here’s a view of the store’s interior, also designed by Wendy. The Exchange’s hours are: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed Monday. (Disclosure: your correspondent’s wife and daughter are both active in the work of the Exchange.)

Mohammed, whose cheery “Good morning!” has often brightened my walk from home to subway, has a new newsstand at Henry and Montague streets.

Hello. We thought your readers might be interested in knowing that we are holding our annual second-hand book sale Wednesday, 5/25, and Thursday 5/26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. The sale takes place in front of the school, at the corner of Clinton and Pierrepont. Loads of books! Great prices! All proceeds benefit the school library.

Brooklyn Brewery and Brooklyn Based have joined forces with local merchants to present “The Total Atlantic Avenue Immersion” this Saturday, May 21. To take advantage of the special offers, you’ll need to get a free card, which you can collect at Nunu Chocolates, 529 Atlantic (between 3rd and 4th avenues) at 11:00 a.m. or at Brazen Head, 228 Atlantic (between Court Street and Boerum Place) at 12:00 noon. At Brazen Head, your card gets you a free half pint of Brooklyn Weiss beer. You can then proceed westward to Waterfront Ale House and Last Exit (both between Clinton and Henry streets) and Roebling Inn (between Henry and Hicks) for free half pints of other Brooklyn Brewery libations. The Chip Shop is offering 20% off your tab; Floyd, next door, $1 off Brooklyn Lager or Summer Ale; and Sosta a special on pizza to be announced (all are between Clinton and Henry). Other local merchants offering discounts with the card include Sahadi’s ($1 off pistachios per pound) and Urban Outfitters (10% off purchases).

This in from Sahadi’s:

We need your support. Sahadi’s is applying for a permit to expand our store. Our application is going before the board in a few weeks, and we would like to show the support of all of our friends and customers. If anyone has a minute and would like to send a letter of support, we would really appreciate it. Letters can be sent by email to cwhelan@sahadis.com or by mail to Sahadi’s 187 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn NY 11201 attn: Christine Whelan. If you would prefer you can stop in and tell Charlie personally. We love being a part of downtown Brooklyn and want to grow within this vibrant community.

BHB reader Stacey sent us this photo of a sign in the window of Bentley’s [144 Montague Street] — guys, it’s “liquidation”.  Next time call our pals at Ace Banner, they’ll nudge you to proofread…twice.

The Dara Ettinger jewelry store at 218 Hicks Street had its grand opening on Saturday (4/30).  We stopped by and can say that both the designs and prices are very appealing.

Next door, Overtures stepped up its window display highlighting its “Spring line” of jewelry.  Could this be the start of a fashion war on Hicks Street?

Two stores, a pet boutique and a wine shop, will be the first tenants in retail space at One Brooklyn Bridge Park:

New York Observer: Brooklyn Bridge Bark, a high-end pet boutique, has signed one of the inaugural leases for 1,760 square feet of ground-floor space on Park Drive in a long-term deal. “One Brooklyn Bridge, being right next to the Pier 6 Dog Run in this gorgeous park,” said John Squires, president of Brooklyn Bridge Bark, in a statement, “is a prime location that lends itself to … playful exchange and social activity.”

Meanwhile, Waterfront Wines and Spirit, which specializes in boutique European wines and organic beverages, has leased 1,170 square feet on Joralemon Street in a long-term deal. “The building is an ideal location for a boutique wine store,” said Donald Killinger, a partner in the company along with Maio Martinez.

The Observer article quotes one of the brokers involved in both lease deals as saying there is much interest in the remaining retail spaces, especially those for restaurants.

The old Seaport Flowers location at 218 Hicks Street will soon be home to jewelry designer Dara Ettinger, who is moving her flagship store from Los Angeles to Brooklyn Heights. The store’s grand opening will be on April 30.

Ettinger, a graduate of Parsons School of Design, worked at Polo Ralph Lauren, Anthropologie, Cynthia Steffe and others before striking out on her own. Many of her designs feature big, bright and polished natural stones and she’s attracted quite a following (just check Tumblr!). Celebs such as Jessica Alba and Paula Abdul have been spotted wearing her jewelry.

The store rounds out what is becoming quite a fashionable strip on Hicks Street as it joins clothier J. McLaughlin and gift shop Overtures.
Photo: thelastplace.com

In this lively story of sports, politics, and the talented, hilarious, and charming characters associated with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Bob McGee chronicles the ballpark’s vibrant history from the drawing board to the wrecking ball, beginning with Charley Ebbets and the heralded opening in 1913, on through the storied eras that followed.

On Saturday, April 16, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m., BHS will host “What’s the Story? Diverse Storytelling Practices in Brooklyn,” the opening program in the Brooklyn Arts Council’s Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn: Traditional Tales and Their Tellers.

Storytellers and folklore scholars gather to discuss the relevance of storytelling in the diverse communities of Brooklyn. In the age of memoir, Facebook, and other means for promoting personal stories, we explore the important cultural practice of telling traditional stories—folktales, ghost stories, hero legends and myths—and the role of storytellers as community artists.

Also on Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., J. McLaughlin, 218 Hicks Street (between Montague and Remsen) will hold a “Sip and Shop” event for the benefit of BHS. Refreshments will be served, and fifteen per cent of sales receipts will be donated to the Society.

The Montague Street Business Improvement District calls our attention to Emily Krohn’s artwork adorning windows of many local businesses:

Check out the storefront window art along Montague Street! “Birds in Flight” can be seen on businesses in the district, including James Weir Floral Co., Prudential Douglas Elliman, and Montague Wine & Spirits. The design was created and painted by local artist Emily Krohn.

A reader sends us the sad news that Haystack, the charming handcrafted goods emporium at 130 Clinton Street (between Joralemon Street and Aitken Place), will be going out of business on April 30. It was just a year ago that we posted this Brooklyn Independent TV piece about the store. We’re very sorry to lose another locally owned, unique shop. (Photo: nycmag.com.)

New York Magazine: Verge Brooklyn Art Fair, a four-day series of gallery events throughout the borough, branches out to the Design Within Reach in Brooklyn Heights this Thursday. The arbiter of moddish [sic] housewares is throwing a party to showcase the latest works by Orlando Dominguez, who specializes in furnishings made from repurposed materials. Highlights include his colorblocked wingback chairs with textured panels and brightly painted legs.

This coming Saturday, February 5, Grace Church, 254 Hicks Street (corner of Grace Court, between Joralemon and Remsen) will present its annual Winterfair from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with an evening gala and silent auction beginning at 6:30 p.m. Items for sale at the fair include clothing (adults’ and kids’), toys, books, CDs and DVDs, tchotchkes, sporting goods, flowers and plants, baked goods, and more. Admission to the fair is free, and all are invited.

Silhouette artist Carl Weisser will be at the fair, and will do a freehand scissors cut silhouette (“Likeness Guaranteed and Children do not have to sit still”) in duplicate for $50 ($10 extra for a third copy if requested in advance), with frames available for $45. There will be a luncheon cafe serving freshly made hot entrees open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and a kids’ cafe open during the same hours.

The evening gala, which this year has a “South of the Border” theme (perhaps providing a psychic respite from the prevailing weather), will feature hot and cold hors d’ouvres, wine, beer and soft drinks, and the opportunity to bid on items in the silent auction (disclosure: your correspondent’s wife is in charge of the auction). Items offered in the silent auction have included fine artworks, tickets for theater, music and sports, gift certificates from local merchants and restaurants, designer and antique clothing, the use of vacation homes, and various services. Tickets for the evening gala, to which all are invited, are $25 if purchased in advance (call the church office at 718-624-1850 or buy them during the day at the fair) or $30 at the door.