Metro Sports has Closed (Photo: QueensPost)
April 1, 2019 Staff Report
Another Sunnyside retail store has shut its doors for good, marking a string of neighborhood closures along Greenpoint Avenue in recent times.
Metro Sports, which offered brand name sneakers at 45-13 Greenpoint Ave. for at least a decade, closed Saturday. The owner of the store–accompanied by workers–was loading items into a U-Haul truck and elected not to comment.
The store is one of several to close on Greenpoint Avenue in recent times. Bings Hallmark at 45-15 Greenpoint closed in January 2018, only to be replaced by Prime Pharmacy; H&J Carrier, a gift shop at 45-11 Greenpoint Ave., closed in August 2017 and was later replaced by Boost Mobile; and Jane’s Gifts at 45-16 Greenpoint Ave. closed in June 2018, a space that was absorbed by ABC Variety in December.
Jane’s Gifts at 45-16 Greenpoint Ave. closed last year (Photo: Queens Post)
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46 Comments
Its, been the same since the 80’s! Greedy landlords are to blame.
Don’t blame landlords for bad business models. This place wouldn’t have made it in the 80s, let alone now.
i blame the internets where you can buy the same shoes for a fraction of the cost.
What about the retail black hole that is 43rd Ave b/w 42nd and 43rd Streets? Almost every storefront is abandoned and boarded up. What’s up with that? Queens Blvd too has some real sad retail stretches in Sunnyside of abandoned storefronts – that block with the movie theater and the bank? If it weren’t for Burger King, there’d be nothing at all in that area – I thought Sunnyside was supposed to be a nice neighborhood? Good thing we’re keeping it real by keeping Amazon out – otherwise these businesses would be priced out! (oops – they already are! maybe if we had some more money in the neighborhood, the kind that comes from $125K jobs, we’d have some ACTUAL BUSINESSES!
I love Jeff Bezos!
I don’t, no more nor less than any other CEO. But you know what I don’t love? Blocks upon blocks of empty storefronts. Nor do I love the crumbling infrastructure of our 7 train. Nor do I love gang-style beat downs and armed robberies in our neighborhood. Nor all the hotels in our area becoming homeless shelters. I love Sunnyside, but it’s becoming a dump. Amazon’s presence in Queens would have brought more money to our neighborhood, which means more opportunities for small businesses – existing and new – to actually make money and re-open some of those abandoned storefronts. Amazon’s clout would be far more effective in bringing infrastructure repairs to our subway line than any politician ever could (FYI, there is no $3B suddenly freed up for subway improvements, you know that right?) Furthermore, polls show most residents supported it. The HIGHEST PERCENTAGE of residents who supported it were NYCPHA residents in Queensbridge – you know that too, right? But I guess it’s up to white millennial liberals to go to the housing projects and tell the residents there that really, we know what’s best for them. We can then congratulate ourselves on how enlightened and socially aware we are, while the city falls apart around us.
Bravo, Ernie. Well said.
Amazon isn’t going to create $125K jobs for the average Queens resident. I have no idea where this number comes from. Maybe the software developer or executives coming from corporate will be making that much by moving here.
Ernie, you’re an idiot if you think NYC, one of the most powerful and wealthy cities in the world, would “fall apart around us” just because Amazon didn’t come here. Stop sucking Amazon’s dick. None of those “125K” jobs would have went to YOU, or any of the other blue collar idiots that live in Sunnyside. All of you guys would have been priced out. Stop ranting on the internet about shit you don’t understand.
I love the ad hominem arguments from people who can’t argue the merits. (Do you need me to define ad hominem for you, Iggy?) No one is saying the $125 jobs would go to queens residents, unless some engineer or business exec from queens applied for the job – just like any high paying jobs in the u.s., they recruit from all over the nation (here’s a little secret Iggy – mobility in search of higher paying jobs is what our country is built on – ask your immigrant neighbors.) So yes, people richer than you, Iggy, would move into the neighborhood. Horrors! I know you secretly fear people who have more money, but you don’t need to be ashamed. When new jobs pop up, attracting professionals making that kind of money, the effect is amplified across native businesses and residents – are you a plumber? An electrician? Run a dry cleaner? Run a bar or restaurant? Work in a bar or restaurant for tips? Do you sell furniture? Do you deliver food? Are you a carpenter? Do you paint apartments or houses? Do you renovate buildings? Do you build buildings? Do you sell crafts at LIC Flea? All prosper when there is more money in circulation. Why do you think the vast majority of residents in Queensbridge Houses supported Amazon? Are you saying they don’t know what’s good for them Iggy? But you do? Are you saying they are ‘sucking Amazon’s dick?’ (I very much doubt you would say that to them in their own neighborhood. People like you love to be tough as long as you’re anonymous.) Do you live on the dole? then yes, a rising tide would probably not help you right off the bat. I could point you to the research, but it’d be beyond you. And if you don’t think NYC is falling apart, you don’t ride the 7 train, or stroll down the streets with blocks of boarded up empty storefronts.
the owner is probably looking to sell to a developer. its a good time to build condos.
I’ve never understood what the more recent owners of that space were thinking. Before them it was called “Sunnyside Market” and had tons of fruit/veggies inside and outside. Then the new owners came in, changed the name to “Sunnyside Fruit Store,” and got rid of all the fruit. ?♂️
It was smart to see the butcher store move there and take over a piece of that huge space, but I’m surprised they don’t sell sandwiches there. Decent potential revenue stream they’re passing by.
Plenty of things to look at in the neighborhood (and other parts of the economy) before stampeding towards Amazon as a savior with their unverified claims.
Sunnyside is turning to the Darkside…
Here’s an idea – let’s make some of these blocks car-free or bus only. Making a more walkable neighborhood would help local businesses significantly.
Of course, this will never happen given how close it is to Queens Blvd but it’s an idea.
Yes by all means the key to retail success is keeping away potential customers. By all means do something even if it’s wrong. “But it’s an idea” and they let you vote, fu€k me.
Wow, I was unaware that by making 1 small block of around 300 feet car-free and pedestrian friendly that no one would be able to get anywhere. I mean, it doesn’t work anywhere else, that’s for sure.
I think you’re on to something though. Let’s get rid of sidewalks – they just get in the way of cars and parking and pedestrians just lead to more traffic issues so this will make things run nice and smoothly.
Read up and maybe work on your anger a bit. If someone offers a simple suggestion as a way to improve the neighborhoods they live in then perhaps you should debate the topic rather turn to insults.
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/11/2/the-negative-consequences-of-car-dependency
Making Greenpoint Ave bus and pedestrian only is so idiotic that it’s not worth pointing out, 43 Ave is eastbound, Skillman to the north is westbound. When these blocks are closed for pedestrians and buses only where do you suppose all the traffic will go? I’m not angry, I just have a low tolerance for incredibly stupid ideas. I’m sure you’re a congestion pricing fan. I’ll bet you it fixes the MTA just like legal gambling (NY Lottery, numbers, etc…) fixed education in the state. HEY KOOL-AID drink up. The five “points” in you link could just as easily be aimed at computers instead of cars, they would have the same value.
I never said to close the entire street, that would be madness without incremental change in an area so close to Queens Blvd. I’m suggesting that one small block such as the one mentioned in this article between 45th and 46th street is an option. Or, if you’d rather choose a street that is further away from Queens Blvd and heavy traffic, I would suggest the area right next to Noonan Playground between 42nd and 43rd street.
I’m also not sure why you’re bringing up 43rd and Skillman Ave, those have nothing to do with Greenpoint Ave and both of those are on the other side of Queens Blvd. They’re also East/West streets and Greenpoint runs diagonally so cars will just have to go up/down a block and turn, adding maybe 1 minute to their drive. It sounds like you’re hearing “car-free” and assuming that I want to shut down every single street in the neighborhood which is ridiculous.
In practice this is actually a terrible idea
Metro Sports is unlikely to be missed. Often had goons standing at the entrance who tried to lure passersby into the store by poking fun at the shoes they happened to be wearing at the time.
What type of sneaker goons stand outside of a this shop on greenpoint Avenue ? They scare people into buying sneakers ? Your either live in fear or a real racist at heart or retarted pick one
Why do you all cry racism when you come across a negative word? Not everything is a jab at you.
That’s so ridiculous. It was a good store and will be missed. Roxy – please take your medicine!
Completely ridiculous. The employees were all super friendly and the owner would often give a deep discount on sneakers after some conversation. Bought my daughter’s very first pair of sneakers there. So for you it may not be missed, but don’t speak for everyone.
At the same time. Lots of people order sneakers online (due to lower prices) in the neighborhood. This is a reality that certain types of stores will run into challenges
Good job CoC!
Sunnyside will be the new Detroit
It says in the article that each one of these stores was quickly replaced with something else and they don’t sound that high-rent, either. So what is the problem? Are you having trouble finding a place to buy shoes?
Forget AMAZON blame ZAPPOS!
Same Company
Zappos actually was bought out by amazon few years ago.
meh i’ll just get that crap on Amazon
Oh no homeless what did you do now?
The loud cheap Boost Mobile store can stay there but good neighborhood stores are closing. How is that the thrift shops can survive here but not these stores.
Dunce….it’s a thrift store….it’s affordable and is frequented because of it. For the most part it’s the rent.Ask Arthur from the BID about it….
both of those thrift stores are pretty good, tbf
Jimmy, Michael, AOC, Bill, where are you? Poor people and immigrants are affected. I said poor people and immigrants. Those are the magic words!
AOC’s job has little effect on Sunnyside businesses closing. The rest are directly involved and need to do something about it.
@Bill
The magic words are “poor people”, “undocumented immigrants”, and “DACA”.
Why would politicians care about anyone else? That’s asking for too much.
What a surprise
Thanks for being a stereotype
JVB where you at ?!
doing more photo-ops – he could care less.
Oh, look, AOC: a camera!
He “could care less”?
Did you mean that, or you’re just too stupid to know the phrase is “couldN’T care less”?
He’s a rotten, corrupt opportunist but I still don’t see why he should be out here lobbying to save some run-of-the-mill sneaker shop. For all you know the guy who owns the store just wanted to do something else.