The Donuts Coffee Shop, on 5th Avenue near Union St, will be closing at end of the month. This place and it's neighbor Beso will be incorporated into the Associated grocery store when it expands. Big plans, people. More. Bigger. Better.
The Coffee Shop is in a limbo state now, between what has been and what will be. When I passed it there were 8 donuts for sale and the store was utterly silent, but still radiating that warm glow of orange. A young woman working there told me of how the shop was opened by her uncle 32 years ago. When her family arrived from Greece, they had 2 job options; the coffee shop business or construction. Her father went into construction and her uncle, coffee.
She said she hoped to undertake a new enterprise of some kind in Astoria, where she lives. All the best to her and her family, and good luck with what will be. I hope the warmth and coziness of that lovely orange and the sweetness of a giant round Coca Cola sign carry over into the next act of her life.
I'm glad I got to take some pictures of the shop because it's beautiful and welcoming, even with only 8 donuts for sale.
8 comments:
If it were only the 7th Avenue "Donuts" coffee shop that were closing!
too bad this place can't relocate across the street to where that crappy pizza place with the similar signage is.
Thanks for the photos.. I am sad, sad, sad that another nice old place with simple foods and no 4 dollar lattes, is closing. I used to get coffee from thses guys all the time and now, it will be gone...all I can say is there goes the neighborhood.
Hi Anonymous.
Sometimes it sure is time to be sad. Things can get kind of pretentious around here. There's a lot from the good old days to admire. Little things had more value, things that happen organically and not by the orientation dredged out of a focus group or someone's narcicissm. People sold things because people needed them, not as a way of implementing a marketing strategy.
And so many superficial seductions today just leave people craving even more bullshit. More, bigger, better bullshit.
OK, maybe I should just stop now, with the wish for a balanced and honest world in the future.
that sucks.
those 8 donuts are breaking my heart. thanks for this story--and the photos. i just added it to my post on chelsea's donut pub, which is still going strong, so far, since 1964. but for how much longer?
thanks jeremiah
who knew that 8 donuts plus 1 muffin would be an equation for heartbreak.
I am so sad about this. I have been photographing the disappearing diners and delis of Brooklyn for a while and this year was the worst with two of my favorites in Boro Park. Check out my Gone but Not Forgotten Photos at http://kitkaplan.smugmug.com/gallery/2265542#39950975
Kit Kaplan at 718Brooklyn.net
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