the next williamsburg?

An interesting article about the attraction of our Bushwick neighborhood.  But we sincerely hope that Bushwick is able to hold onto all the great things that make it Bushwick.


Next Williamsburg: Bushwick, Brooklyn | Crain's New York Business
Six years ago, when Paris Smeraldo and Meg Lipke opened Northeast Kingdom in Bushwick, their menu featuring everything from $9 veggie burgers to a $23 braised lamb dinner was a bit of a reach. The area was still not the sort of place that drew many diners.

Even today, large swaths of Bushwick remain industrial backwaters, but the fact is that Northeast Kingdom, a 28-seat location at 18 Wyckoff Ave., is thriving in surroundings that have become more hospitable and even trendy in recent years.

“It's incredible,” said Brooke Hoffine, the eatery's manager.

The change is indeed dramatic. In the last year alone, three cafés, two bars, one art gallery, one organic grocer and several other retail businesses have opened. And more are on their way, as people stream in from neighboring Williamsburg and other areas in search of a meal, a drink or just a look around, and as artists and others take up residence.

The main reason they're moving in is simple: Bushwick is relatively convenient to get to, and it's cheap. While the average one-bedroom apartment in Williamsburg rented for about $2,400 per month in 2010, the average one-bedroom in Bushwick went for about $1,300. And while that sum is up 63% from an average of $800 four years ago, it still represents a New York bargain.  read more here......