Brooklyn Life

Crest Hardware Is Closing, Property Likely to Be Developed

The property will be sold and likely developed into apartments, Crest owner Joe Franquinha told Brownstoner.

The scene outside Crest this morning. Photo by Susan De Vries

by Cate Corcoran

07/09/2024 1

We are sad to report that Crest Hardware is closing after 62 years in business. Rumors have been circulating on social media for weeks after tenants said leases were not being renewed. In recent days, customers received a letter from the store announcing its closure.

The property will be sold and likely developed into apartments, Crest owner Joe Franquinha told Brownstoner in an email this morning. While he is the sole owner of the iconic Williamsburg store, established by his dad Manny Franquinha and uncle Joe Franquinha in 1962, he is only one of four owners of the property, all family members, and was outvoted on the property’s future. The owners declined to renew Crest’s lease, and intend to sell the property.

“What the new buyers do with it will be up to them. But one can assume condos,” he said.

The store is known for its highly knowledgeable and longtime staff as well as community events such as a yearly art show and block party. It caters to local artists and families with its assortment of homewares, hardware, paint, and garden supplies. It is also home to Franklin the pig and Finlay the parrot.

“Crest Hardware has been more than just a store; it has been a gathering place and a symbol of neighborhood resilience and connection,” Franquinha wrote in an updated statement today.

“Heartbreaking if true,” wrote a commenter named PizzaPartyMassacre on Reddit of the rumor weeks ago. “They’ve been such a huge supporter of the art/maker community in the neighborhood. I remember when they used to have art shows in the store, and the block party they threw in their back alley area. I’ll miss Franklin the Pig and the Parrot, more than anything I’ll miss their amazing staff.”

man on ladder — Owner Joe Franquinha putting up a sign announcing the closure next to an image of his father, Manny Franquinha, outside the store today

At the Crest Hardware Art Show, which ran at least 12 times before the pandemic, always in June, the art was hardware themed and hung in and around the merchandise, creating a bit of a game to spot it all and distinguish the art from the regular wares. The opening day party with live music, food, and activities for kids attracted throngs of visitors, including local artists with work in the show and families.

The music playing over the store speakers was often unexpected and frequently local, perhaps reflecting whatever the staff was into at the moment. On one occasion, a song by a well-known indie band happened to be playing when a former member of the group was at the checkout purchasing supplies for his son who was moving into the neighborhood after college, according to one of the clerks.

The store is closed today, and this morning Franquinha posted a farewell notice outside the store and on Instagram. A closing sale will run from Thursday, July 11 through August 30, and include store fixtures and Crest keepsakes. The store’s last day of business will be Friday, August 30.

A store closing party has been set for Saturday, August 24, in typical Crest style with live music, food for sale from local eateries, and activities for all ages in the backyard.

“It wouldn’t be Crest if we didn’t end with a party. We plan to have a blowout,” said Franquinha. More details will be forthcoming on the store’s Instagram, he added.

streetview of a crowd in front of crest hardware — A crowd at the June 2008 art show. Photo by Cate Corcoran

Located at 558 Metropolitan Avenue, the store occupies three lots, including a double one, all connected in the back. One of the properties is a garage, and a wood frame building has three floors of apartments above the store.

The closure joins a long list of others associated with the early days of the area’s artist community, such as Moon River Chattel, Enid’s, and DuMont. Just across the street from Crest, an even older business, paint store Klenosky Paint, also known for its longtime expert staff, closed in 2021 and is being developed into apartments.

Some of the Crest staff are looking for new jobs, Franquinha told Brownstoner. “We absolutely want the best for all of our staff. We have a lot of people who have been with us a long time. And yes they are all very talented and knowledgeable. Both in the garden and hardware department. If anyone out there is looking for excellent workers, some of them are currently on the hunt for new employment. Come on by and talk to them.”

As for Franquinha’s own plans for the future, they are up in the air. “Who knows,” he said. “This has been my life for the last 20 years, it’s hard to imagine what’s next. I honestly thought I would be running Crest for at least another 10 years at minimum.”