Bigwigs at South Pacificthemed
grocer Trader Joe’s must
open a third Kings County location
in Coney Island, according to
thousands of locals who signed a
petition claiming a local outpost
would help make the neighborhood
“Brooklyn’s next hipster enclave.”
(“Jonesing for a Joe’s! Thousands
sign petition demanding Trader
Joe’s open in Coney Island,” by Julianne
McShane, online Jan. 18).
The store known for its Hawaiian
shirt–clad employees would
bring fresh and inexpensive fare
to Coney residents who must now
otherwise shop at three larger,
chain supermarkets, according to
the petition’s co-organizer, who
claimed to own three apartments
in the neighborhood, and admitted
to jockeying for a Joe’s because
he said it would increase the value
of his real estate.
As of Jan. 23 more than 3,000
people signed the plea, which seeks
5,000 names, and calls for bringing
“more skinny-pants residents”
to Coney in addition to the grocer.
Readers had a lot to say online:
Trader Joe’s is a commercial enterprise.
After the “skinny pants
residents” come, it may be lucrative
for Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, et al., to
open stores in Coney Island, pricing
most people out. Be careful what you
wish for. Janet from Park Slope
“Hey, company we don’t own stock
in or have anything to do with... spend
your money to open up a store where
we want you to because WE SAY SO!
WAAAHHHH!” Jim
from Cobble Hill
Just a reason for Trader Joe’s not
to open in Coney Island. BECAUSE
YOU ARE TELLING THEM TO.
IAMRIGHTAGAIN
from CONEYISLAND
They have a gold mine, people act
like they are giving the food away.
Just in from FL
You can move back to your cul de
sacs if you miss the comforts of your
homes. Tony from Sheepshead Bay
Traders would be such a welcome
sight in the South Brooklyn!!!
Anna M from Brighton
Lol at the out-of-touch leisure
class that thinks a Traders or Whole
Paycheck would be of any use to the
working class.Henry Ford from
Bay Ridge
Leisure class? I bust my a-- five
days a week 9–8. I am the working
class and I want Trader Joe’s. The
area is dominated by Eastern European
markets, where you can forget
about friendly customer service, and
low-end grocers that will sell you
food that expires within two days of
purchase. Whole Foods would be a
stretch, but TJ is more than welcome.
Anna from Brighton
Stop n Shop is a low-end grocer
selling about-to-be expired food? Be
careful what you wish, a 100 percent
increase in your rent will arrive right
after Trader Joe’s. Henry Ford
from Bay Ridge
Who wants yet another “hipster
enclave” nowadays in Brooklyn — unless
they are local real-estate speculators?
SCR from Realityville
To everyone who’s a millennial
and is tired of the lackluster food options,
limited coffee shops and cafes
— Coney is going to be amazing in
five years :) Let’s bring TJ where it
belongs. David from Coney
To the Editor,
It’s been almost two months since
a fire destroyed the Emmanuel Episcopal
Church on E. 23rd Street in
Sheepshead Bay (“Historic Sheepshead
Bay church ravaged by midnight
blaze” by Kevin Duggan, online
Nov. 30). Workers have removed
most of the debris. But until recently,
the A-frame of the chapel remained,
a reminder of the uplifting spiritual
mission of the church.
Sixty years ago, when my family
moved to E. 23rd Street, we were
delighted to hear the church bells
on Sunday morning and see the respectable,
finely attired and smiling
church-goers, mostly West Indians,
walking to church. On Palm Sunday,
the parishioners would form a procession
and walk through the neighborhood
singing pastoral hymns to celebrate
Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem.
The rector of the church, Rev. Alexander
Gunthorpes, welcomed us
COURIER L 42 IFE, JAN. 25–31, 2019 M B G
new neighbors and always extended
an open invitation to attend services,
which I did on several occasions. The
church also served as a meeting place
for a variety of groups, including The
Paper Moon Players theater group,
AARP, and Narcotics Anonymous.
Fortunately, for some of us neighbors
who needed a meeting place to
rally local support to stop a developer
from overbuilding on the block,
Rev. Gunthorpes opened the door to
us. Throughout all of our (successful!)
efforts to block the building of
a 10-story, 50-unit condo, the church
was strongly supportive.
Another group that met at the
Emmanuel Episcopal Church was
the Messiah’s Congregation, a Christian
Reformed Church. They too
were a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
That church’s pastor, Rev.
Steve Schlissel, likewise welcomed
all to its services. At Christmastime,
we would run to the front door to
hear carols sung by the parishioners,
who always stopped at our house on
their way to spreading cheer in the
neighborhood.
Several years ago, I made a painting
of the church. I’m so glad I did.
Now both the church and the great
old house next door are gone, and this
painting will be there to call up the
peaceful tranquillity that Emmanuel
Episcopal Church brought to our
block. Margherita D’Anna
Sheepshead Bay
To the Editor,
I’m glad that Gov. Cuomo pledged
to fight climate change in his State of
the State address.
But to turn those goals into reality,
he must pass the Climate and
Community Protection Act.
The Act will move us to a 100-percent
renewable economy, while investing
in jobs and protecting communities.
It already has strong
support in the Assembly, the state
Senate, and community organizations
across the state.
Current scientific consensus is
that climate change may produce
life-threatening, perhaps civilization
destroying change — perhaps
within the next 50 years.
Only a madman would bet our
children’s lives on the scientists being
wrong.
There is no greater priority, and
no time to lose. We simply must pass
the Climate and Community Protection
Act now. Marc Ribot
Cobble Hill
To the Editor,
What’s with the post office in
Sheepshead Bay? When you go in,
there is a small box to place your
mail in. Invariably, the box is always
filled, and I have to walk away and
come back later when I hope the box
will be less filled. The box should be
emptied every half hour. That’s not
much to ask for.
When you say something to the
workers, they all become quite nasty.
We’re not paying their salaries to be
treated in this manner. I am not asking
the impossible to empty a box. If
this can’t be done, I suggest a larger
box be brought in. This is certainly
not the way to accommodate people,
especially at a time when we are
warned about not mailing items in
the boxes along the streets.
Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
To the Editor,
Mayor DeBlasio’s State of the City
speech announced upcoming new
ferry services for other neighborhoods
in Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten
Island, but forgot Canarsie (“Sunken
dreams! Ferry service not coming to
Canarsie any time soon, city says” by
Kevin Duggan, online Jan. 14).
There is money available to support
a new ferry service from Canarsie.
This would also offer thousands
of subway riders another alternative
during reconstruction of the Canarsie
L line tunnels over the next several
years. Adding Canarsie to stops
at Coney Island and Bay Ridge on
to Wall Street Pier 11 would generate
many more riders, resulting in a
more financially viable operation.
Why not apply for capital grants
from the New York State Department
of Transportation and Federal Transit
Administration to assist in funding?
The city’s Department of Transportation
does this and receives
tens of millions on an annual basis
on behalf of the Staten Island Ferry.
Albany also provides State Transportation
Operating Assistance for
transportation systems such as the
Staten Island Ferry along with local
share against federal grants.
Ridership on any transit service
generates yearly federal transportation
formula capital assistance.
Riders could purchase weekly or
monthly passes for discounted fares.
Larry Penner
Great Neck