Building of the Day: 495 Flatbush Avenue
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy. Address: 495 Flatbush Avenue, between Empire Blvd and Lefferts Avenue Name: Bond Bakery, now Phat Albert Warehouse Neighborhood: Prospect…
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy.
Address: 495 Flatbush Avenue, between Empire Blvd and Lefferts Avenue
Name: Bond Bakery, now Phat Albert Warehouse
Neighborhood: Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Year Built: 1925
Architectural Style: Industrial with Classic details
Architects: Unknown
Landmarked: No
For those growing up in Flatbush, and in the shadow of Ebbett’s Field, this was always the Bond Bakery building.
In researching this iconic piece of Brooklyn history, I’ve found that everyone who grew up here from before World War II to at least the Viet Nam era, remembers the tantalizing smell of baking bread emanating from the bakery.
Photo via Brooklynpix.com.
They also remember the clock tower keeping time for the neighborhood. The Bond Bakery supplied bread to the New York area, and was known for its special rye bread, sold under the Grossinger’s name, which it leased from that famed Catskill’s resort.
I wasn’t able to find out when they stopped baking here, but in 1997, the building was sold by the Denk Baking Corporation to the owners of Phat Albert’s.
It really is a fine building, especially the tower, and serves as the entryway to PLG, and to greater Flatbush. It would be great if the clocks could be restored, and all of the boarded up windows re-glassed.
The tower would make a great community space/museum/gallery. There is now a day care center and school on the second floor.
There have long been cries to landmark this building, for its architectural merit, place in the streetscape of Flatbush, and its history. I hope that happens, it’s certainly worthy.
[Photos by Suzanne Spellen]
This building–a warmly remembered landmark now given over to crap retail, a car wash and booze warehouse, its iconic clockface pitifully ruined–stands as a pathetic “gateway” from Brownstone Brooklyn to Flatbush and beyond. To me, it says, “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.” You would never guess, as you cruise from Grand Army Plaza and then the Prospect Park/BBG “greenbelt”, that its environs held the beauties of PLG tucked out of sight behind the shabby face of Flatbush Avenue. The building is more than an eyesore; it seems to demarcate a sudden passage from Brooklyn revived to Brooklyn still adrift in decay, which is now a false impression, to boot. That the owner would allow it to fester so, bespeaks a real contempt for the surrounding community. Opposite it on Flatbush Ave., the creative and beautiful subway entrance with its Zoo theme, and even the gorgeous murals on the construction fences, testify to the area’s vitality. It’s a lovely notion, yet I don’t necessarily advocate a blue-sky plan to make it an artsy center to gladden the hearts of gentrifiers (and undoubtedly “split” the community into a tedious smackdown of Phatware lovers versus yoga practitioners). Years ago, it simply served a solid purpose while being maintained with dignity and public spirit (i.e. a handy and handsome clock). I have a great idea that would provide jobs and provide a universally desired commodity. How about turning it into a BREAD BAKERY?
Phat Albert’s makes huge amounts of money, but it’s a discount store with a different demographic than brownstoner.com.
As to landmarking, this building is an example of landmarking going too far. People have memories of the bakery there, but that doesnt make protecting the building in perpetuity. It’s a building with nice windows and a clock. They baked bread there; it’s not historic.
It would make a kick ass Trader Joes/Farmers Market or community center. No Disrespect to the Car Wash, Phat Albert but I can’t wait to see the back of them. I would keep the beer wholesalers of course – for “historical integrity.”
What I would give to see that building purchased by a new owner, landmarked and restored! Wouldn’t be enough for me to buy it, of course. But, oh do I cherish the thought! Phat Albert’s is a destination retail spot for many in PLG but I can’t stand the place myself. The management is rude and disrespectful to the surrounding community; the workers’ attitudes are not much better. C’mon PLG Arts– if you start a serious campaign to take back Bond’s I bet you will get some real support for that campaign right back!
In the 50s, the smell of this bakery also mixed with the sounds and smells of a Beer Garden on the corner of Flatbush and Empire Blvd. (torn down and replaced by a Wetson’s, then a McDonalds, then a ???, now a Wendy’s. There was a hot dog stand at one corner of the beer garden, which faced out toward the street. As child gardeners at the BBG, we’d come straight from the fields with freshly dug vegetables and trade them for hot dogs (the owner was much wiser than we 😉
And Phat Albert’s is apparently very successful – although in order to shop there you need to be able to wait in line for at least 40 minutes, as there’s always only one cashier and every transaction appears to be complicated in some way. Both times I’ve tried to buy something there I had to leave before getting to the head of the line – it’s the old time/money tradeoff – if you’ve got one you don’t usually have much of the other.
Pechter’s Bread Factory, BTW, was in the now-destroyed Ward’s Bakery building – and I loved it too when I lived in Fort Greene. Let’s hope this building gets spared the fate of Ward’s – you know developers covet this site! I’m told the owner doesn’t want to sell right now, but if he ever does put it on the market, watch out!
in Grossinger’s Rye still made?
I remember the smell of the Pechters Bakery when I lived in Prospect Heights in the mid-1980s – delicious!
I also like the Ebingers Bakery building on Albermarle and Bedford, which is now a mini-storage.