After 25 Years, a Neighborhood Institution is Replaced by a Franchise

Park Heights Stationers, the card and copy shop that was a Prospect Heights and Park Slope institution for 25 years will be replaced by a burger franchise.

A Five Guys Burger and Fries is coming into the storefront on Park Place at Flatbush Avenue that has been empty for nearly a year.

The loss of the beloved stationary store and its replacement by a Virgina burger chain with over 754 stores accross North America signals yet another step forward in the "" of the neighborhood.

There is already a  on Seventh Avenue at Sixth Street as well as three others already in Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights, MetroTech Center and Bay Ridge). Two more are slated for Fort Greene and Cobble Hill. 

The menu is spare – basically just hamburgers and cheeseburgers, smaller hamburgers and cheeseburgers, hot dogs and cajun or regular fries.

"We follow the philosophy of focusing on a few items, and serving them to the best of our ability," the company says on its website.

But they do offer such free toppings including green peppers, grilled onions and grilled mushrooms, as well as veggie and grilled cheese sandwiches. Prices are moderate, starting at $2.95 for the veggie sandwich, $3.19 for regular fries and $4.51 for the "little hamburger."

Area merchants said they weren’t surprised that a franchise restaurant was coming into the space since few independent store owners could afford the rising rents.

“This is a prime area. The rent is higher, sometimes drastically higher. Nobody is going to get rich today,” said Mario Spinuso, owner of next door.

Sharon Davidson, executive director of the North Flatbush Avenue Business Improvement District said she believed the store’s rent rose from about $16,000 to $22,000 before it closed. According to a sign left by the owners on the gate, the shop closed due to “the rising cost of operation.”

Reactions to the news of the new tenant got mixed reactions from area businesses owners and residents, with some glad to see the space finally filled and others disappointed to see a franchise come into a space occupied by the old-timey independent store for a quarter of a century.

“Of course we’re always happy to have our vacancy rate lowered,” said Davidson, who noted that the vacancy rate for the North Flatbush BID, which stretches between Grand Army Plaza and Atlantic Avenue, has dropped from 25 percent a few years ago to 10 percent today, with an expected vacancy rate of 5 percent by the end of the year.

But others balked at yet another independent shop being replaced by a franchise.

“I’m not a fan of chains,” said Amelie Chabannes, a 35-year-old artist who lives in Prospect Heights. “They break the links with the neighborhood,” she said. “They won’t help you if there is no cash in your wallet … and I usually don’t like their products.”

Hilary Fitzpatrick agreed. “A lot of chains are moving in. That stationary store was there my whole life,” said the 24-year-old, who grew up in Park Slope but now lives in Mill Basin.  She said she used to go to the store all the time as a little girl.

“They had great stickers,” she said.

But others said they will be glad to have a burger place nearby.

“We don't have a decent burger joint within five blocks and this is surely better than a fast food chain coming in,” Matt Silverman, who lives across the street from the store, said via e-mail.

Flatbush Avenue will get at least one more burger shop this year: There is a  67 Burger slated to open on Flatbush Avenue at Sixth Avenue next to in coming months, Davidson said.