Invasion of the Chain Stores

As chain stores move into a Brooklyn neighborhood, some locals worry about the loss of local character and small businesses.

1 minute read

November 13, 2010, 9:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


The expected opening of a major drug store retail chain is seen as the spectre of a coming flood of chains in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

"Bedford Avenue, which runs parallel to the waterfront for the entire length of Williamsburg, is a lively mix of the kind of retailers that have all but disappeared in Manhattan: independent coffee shops, record stores, drug stores, boutiques, jewelry stores, bookshops and even a local bank, Cross County Federal Savings Bank.

Now CVS is building a store in the Edge, another waterfront high-rise a block north of the Duane Reade on Kent Avenue. And it looks as if Starbucks may replace the ever-popular Bagel Store on Bedford Avenue when its lease runs out next year."

Friday, November 12, 2010 in The New York Times

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