LeNell's Days Are Numbered
LeNell Smothers, owner of the eponymous wine and spirit shop in Red Hook, has been searching for a new space for her beloved store since last summer. Unfortunately — for LeNell and for all of her fans across the borough — her lease is about to run out and she’s still got nowhere to go….
LeNell Smothers, owner of the eponymous wine and spirit shop in Red Hook, has been searching for a new space for her beloved store since last summer. Unfortunately — for LeNell and for all of her fans across the borough — her lease is about to run out and she’s still got nowhere to go.
In a note to the shop’s mailing list (which wasn’t published online), LeNell explains that her current landlord, who apparently works for Baluchi’s, won’t renew her lease because he is planning to open his own business in the space. (No official word on whether he’s planning on opening another branch of the Indian chainlet.) LeNell says that she had a draft lease for the vacant lot next to Good Fork, but it fell through this week. One of the owners of the lot is Red Hook developer Greg O’Connell, who owns the Fairway building, among many other properties. LeNell writes:
“We had architectural drawings, had agreed on basic lease points, and I’ve been thinking all along that we were just finalizing details. The space included the store on the first floor and the bar on the second. After discussing this project for nearly a year now, I get a visit from Greg recently telling me that he has just realized constructions costs will be more than he wants to pay. He won’t entertain thoughts of my partnering in building out the space. Just flat out pulled out at the last moment…which happens to be a few days before the end of my current lease. I’m in shock.”
The second space LeNell was considering won’t work out, either, as her landlord wants her to sign a five-year lease, and she’s looking for a ten-year commitment. At the moment, LeNell’s is covered in plastic sheeting, due to a leak that the landlord isn’t interested in fixing, but there’s still time to stop by. The lease is officially up this month, but in LeNell’s words, “I know it will take months for a formal eviction should it come to that.”
Photo by jasminepark
That “charming” southern accent gets a little old. She is not a nice person, and neither is her staff. I agree with the above comment. I dont see her as an institution… please. Go back SOUTH.
personally, I find Lenells pretentious, and the staff unfriendly, unless you want to spent $100 on a bottle of bourbon. I go down the street to the ghetto store and buy my booze through bullet proof glass. Lots of whining going on lately.. the store isnt all that. I would love a Baluchis to come in. get over it, its progress.
Her business is not viable. It is dead. Cant do business if you don’t have a place to conduct it. She hopefully will be dragged out by the sheriffs sooner than later.
10:54, careful now, you’re close to sounding like an idiot.
And every time someone says something like “We can all see why her husband left her”, they are trafficking in latent sexism. Period.
Oh, and take a look at earlier post by the ex of whom you speak. Feeling good about yourself?
And Polemicist, we regularly drive or ride bikes out to Red Hook and frequently stop in at LeNell’s. we also take friends and family out when visiting. Everyone always loves it and friends and my dad have been seriously impressed by her hard to find selection.
Her business is more than viable.
hey 12:44- peyo is Belgian. How about- bring on the big blue and yellow furniture retailer at the place where little house meet the big projects?
Here is another interesting blog about Lenell. http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=36897&sid=49566d24f0780bcecf855e0079972e35
As a small business person, it makes me sick that she would do this to a LL. She makes business tougher for all of us. Greg O. was wise to pull the rug out from under her. It saved him dearly in the long run.
I also heard her husband left her…I think everyone pretty much saw that coming.
I’m wondering why people are talking about “keeping a business going”, when what we are obviously talking about it a viable business losing its lease. Trashing the area, saying it can’t support these shops, is silly when the whole point is she HAS a viable business, just nowhere to put it.
I don’t know if Greg O is interested in telling his side of the story, but I hope he will, as her version puts him in a bad light. As to why she would not just move down to Court Street, probably because we have many excellent wine and liquor stores here already. Not as specialized as LeNell’s, though. But competition (Smith and Vine, Scotto’s, Heights, etc.)
I think that it is probably tough to keep a business going on that Red Hook Strip, just as there have been challenges to the establishments on Columbia. Yes, there are weekend visitors, especially in nicer weather, but just not consistent foot traffic weekdays and over the winter months.
The space is not hers. She was leasing the space, and the lease is ending.