2008-09-15

Sycamore

Potted plants and gardening tchotkes on display at Sycamore
Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

Not the tree, but a new flower shop/bar that opened last week around the corner from me. During the day, it will operate as a flower shop, evenings, as a bar. This new venture from the owners of The Farm on Adderley, Gary Jonas and Allison McDowell, replaces Cortelyou Vintage at 1118 Cortelyou Road in my neighborhood of Flatbush.

When the street front was renovated, they discovered the original stained and leaded glass lights of the store windows. They had been painted over, but were in otherwise good condition; they were restored with lots of cleaning, plus some replacements and repairs. The flower shop occupies just the front of the space, visible from the street.

Storefront, Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road
Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

Succulents, Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

Cut Flowers, Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

Green Tea Roses, Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

Variegated Rose, Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

The bar occupies the rest of the space.

Bar, Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

The garden theme continues to the shelves behind the bar.

Pots on the Top Shelf, Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

A backyard deck extends the space to the outdoors, likely to the dismay of the neighbors.

Backyard, Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road

A wall of Boston Ivy, Parthenocissus tricuspidata
Boston Ivy, Parthenocissus tricuspidata

Every new business on Cortelyou Road is examined under the collective microscope of the community, sometimes on blogs, but mostly on email discussion groups and in casual conversation. This block of Cortelyou, in particular, has seen a lot of change in the 3-1/2 years I've lived in the neighborhood. As in other neighborhoods of Brooklyn, change highlights tensions between "old" and "new" Flatbush, especially around the issues of economic sustainability and neighborhood and cultural stability. With specialty roses at $2 a stem, not to mention beers at up to $8 and $10, Sycamore will amplify those concerns.

That said, this is, at least, a neighborhood enterprise. Gary and Allison live just two blocks away in Flatbush. The architect, Ole Sondresen, who also designed The Farm on Adderley, is also a neighbor of mine. They are investing their energy and creativity into the neighborhood where they live. That, I think, is a good thing.

Related Content

Flickr photo set
Cortelyou Road

Links

Ole Sondresen
Flatbush Vegan
Ditmas Park Blog
Brooklyn Paper

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

beautiful pictures.. thanks for that... I am happy about a pretty new business but I am also concerned for neighbors that live on westminster ... they'd already had noise issues with the restaurant and now the bar is closer and of course, folks will be drinking. I'm glad I don't live on that side of westminster.

Anonymous said...

Allison has curated some absolutely lovely exotic flowers that do not seem unreasonably priced at all, and the beer list is just as enticing. And it's not as though Sycamore has supplanted a cheap flower-and-beer bar. DP is a more exciting, energized, and let's face it--fun--place thanks to Allison and Gary's ventures. I hope they continue.

Anonymous said...

We thank the Gods for Gary and Allison!

Anonymous said...

Very nice photos. I like the large black Echeverias sending up their stalks.