Photo: QueensPost
June 1, 2014 By Christian Murray
The E-Bike store, located at 41-25 Queens Blvd, has closed.
A notice was placed on the window stating that it had been closed by court order.
The store, which opened in March 2012, had been subject to a great deal of controversy while it was in operation.
The owner would repair bikes on the side walk in front of his store and some of the work would involve grinding and welding. Furthermore, the owner often had several bikes parked on the sidewalk outside his store that were an obstacle for pedestrians.
The store had also been subject to criticism from public officials.
Last year, Joe Conley, chairman of Community Board 2, called on the Department of Sanitation and the Department of Consumer Affairs to investigate the matter.
“It’s a hazard,” Conley said of the store at the time. “The owner’s doing repairs on the sidewalk and oil and contaminants are going everywhere.”
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31 Comments
Well said …..Dov…….this is no longer the Sunnyside I knew as a child. Its amazing how the “Elitists” from the gardens love diversity just not in their backyard…hence “landmarking”…..the goal of which was ethnic cleansing….one of the posters here always seems to know the “law” ….its all wonderful until its in her yard. How can you expect people steeped in other values to change? Do you really believe that these immigrants are going to maintane their properties? Time for truth…and yes the biggest blight is the elevator shop on 43 ave…they are operating with a mis indexed certificate of occupancy….maybe the “lawyer’ can do something about that ….even f its not in the “gardens”
@ Dov pincus
WELL SAID!!!
@Dorothy. .” A cultural thing”?..Really?….when my third world neighbor washes his car with bounty towels and leaves them all over the street I guess that’s reason to celebrate our diversity. Is it a cultural thing to leave beer cans and bottles on the sidewalk and to urinate in public?.The rising crime rates in Sunnyside? ..wonder if that’s a cultural thing as well!
How about an ADULT bookstore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ Andrew It’s a cultural thing. It’s very common in other countries to work outdoors in front of repair shops and he kept that practice here where it is not acceptable, especially on a major thoroughfare like Queens Boulevard.
@ Annie D This has been an ongoing problem. Ebikes are illegal. All bikes are supposed to travel on the street and to follow the rules of the road. All motorized vehicles are supposed to be licensed but because the are illegal, Ebikes can’t get licenses. They also cannot be insured so good luck getting compensated for your medical bills if one hits you.
Now can we get the MOVING ebikes off the sidewalks in the neighborhood? Those guys have nearly killed me like 8 times.
I have no problems with his store per se as it’s not realy selling e-bikes but rather a servicing/repair store, but I think what he got wrong was the practice of fixing on the sidewalk. Either keep it indoors in his own store, or backyard (if it even has one). This isn’t a good location for his type of shop. Now if he had used that store as just the “front” for intaking/returning fixed bikes and take the bikes elsewhere to fix, then that would be an ok spot for that.
What about a book store????
@Buffy Davis
Ha! Yeah right!
he, not you!
Great gyros on homemade Turkish bread. Best sandwich in town. Wondering how you thought it was spanish?
Ari Fink – Mangal Kabob is Turkish.
I hope they open up an adult shop with booths.
Thanks for the info 7!
First of all, do you know that e-bikes are against the law in NYC, that his “product” (actually he offered a service) caused so much controversy that the city council banned e-bikes last year? He knew this.
Secondly, this had nothing to do with what his business was, it had to do with its location. Zoning laws and common sense keep garages, factories, and industrial plants away from certain parts of the neighborhood, and the community was close to being unanimous that this man’s shop was in conflict with that section of Queens Blvd. This man showed no interest in any of this.
Last of all, no one wants to see a local business fail, but many of us want a neighborhood that is practical and orderly, and shop owners who respect their neighbors and their community are a big part of that. This guy didn’t seem to care.
What DID he get right? There is no “relishing” or “rejoicing” – it’s simply a matter of maintaining harmony in a community,
the only people who relish the closing of a small business are people who have never been owners of one. there is nothing good that comes out of it. small businesses feed families of owners and employees. they pay (usually) taxes that feed the economy.
maybe he didn’t get everything right. i do know his product was interesting, and a good alternative to gas-scooters that produce noise and emissions everywhere.
the community board, and some residents seem to think that business is an all or nothing thing. don’t like the food vendors–close them. don’t like the e-bike guy, close him. why not work harder on resolving issues rather than rejoice in their closing.
About time!!!…How about Ecua elevator at 48-15 43ave?..this place is a total disgrace in a residential neighborhood!!!!…Elevator parts and welding done right on the sidewalk. ..not to mention 2 German shepherds never on leashes…This place has to be in violation of the building codes as well as sanitation codes..
Zero, the place is empty and the notice says the landlord has possession.
I think that it will be the Rangers in 6 over the Kings for the Stanley Cup. Victory parade down Queens Boulevard. Absolutely nothing to do with the Ebike store but who cares!
Place got an “A” but Indian food gives me the runs.
You’re the guy who won’t eat at Mangals, right? (Burger. No h)
Hey:
The coffee shop and Burgher King have reopened. Mouse burgers anyone?
Thanks, Zero. Very helpful.
Absolutely. Merchants should keep their sidewalks clean. Look at the sidewalk in front of the NY Style Eats restaurant on the other side of Queens Blvd. It’s so greasy and there is a trail of grime that goes all the way around the corner, past the hardware store, to their garbage area. Disgusting. And of course, there is an A on display in their window. McDonalds scrubs their sidewalk regularly.
Did anyone bother to read the posted court order to see if this is a temporary or permant closure? Was it closed for non payment of rent, saftey violations? Health concerns? Just because there is a court order closing down the shop doesn’t mean that the shop is closed for good.
nice. maybe he’ll clean the oil stains off the sidewalk before he moves his inventory elsewhere.
He was grinding, which is much different than welding. Nevertheless, it was an inappropriate location for his business. It’s funny to even think that his gloomy and grimy shop had “soul” while the cafe next door does not. While I haven’t gone inside yet, it looks lovely: open air, vibrant and cheerful. I see people gathered around that corner in the evening- it’s never looked pleasant. They look like typical Sunnysiders- are they really…hipsters? Oh my!
Yup sandrita cant have those messy greasy blue collar INDEPENDENT Small business owner..r next to a clean white soulless chain hipster store…
Thank god that e-bike business closed it was taking the appearance of the new business next door. Also made the street like dirty with all the oil spills and nasty bike parts all over the street.
it’s wonder this nonsense lasted this long – talk about foot dragging of our community “leaders” — do they know what goes on in their neighborhood, do they even walk around, eat at the neighborhood restaurants, do their shopping here?
He should have set up shop in a more industrialized area. More space cheaper rent. Why he decided to open at that spot is a mystery to me. What the heck did he think would happen when he started welding on a busy commercial street?