Two open calls — please comment down below or email me at info@courtstreetjournal.com:

1. Are you a recent bride or groom? Working on something and would love to chat with you.

2. I’d like to know your favorite Brooklyn Chinatown spots. And your orders, of course!

The Roundup

James Caputo of Caputo Bakery is opening a bagel shop in Park Slope this fall. “The menu focuses on sourdough bagels, used for open-face and breakfast sandwiches, as well as pastries familiar to Caputo regulars,” Eater reports.

Are you on the pied-à-terre tax list? Here’s how to check. After a brief review, I found several unqualified properties on the list. It’s possible the government simply pulled properties worth more than $1 million without verifying that they’re second homes or unoccupied. That is to say, take the list with a grain of salt, and don’t forget to check your mail.

The former Buttermilk Channel team is opening something new in Crown Heights.

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Shania’s Max Bet, a new bar in Gowanus, opened this week. The crew behind it sounds like a total riot.

Brooklyn Heights’ All in One Deli Mart closed after more than 30 years of business.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a new president and CEO.

Construction is underway at Alison Roman’s First Bloom, according to her latest newsletter.

Diversions

The Food and Drug Administration recalled Brooklyn Roasting Works’ Pasteurized Cold Brew Concentrate, 2.5 gallon bag-in-a-box, distributed between April 1 and June 20 of this year. Brooklyn Roasting Works is based in the Navy Yard and sells throughout New York and New Jersey.

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A 9,000-square-foot pool meant to float around the East River is being constructed in Red Hook.

Gowanus Golf Club is opening in Dumbo.

Goings On

• There is a Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force meeting today from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. online. Materials will be shared here on the Advisory Task Force website. Click here to join.

• Hatchet Supply is hosting a pop-up with Saturn Los Angeles, a climbing streetwear brand, on Saturday, Aug. 1.

• A public information session regarding the Brooklyn Marine Terminal will be held Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. online. The session will review site plan updates, with the same content as the one on July 14.

• Cookbook author Katie Parla is throwing a backyard party at Popina on Thursday, Aug. 6.

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• Frø Bakehouse in Red Hook is hosting a Summer Smørrebrød Series, featuring five chefs’ original takes on the open-faced sandwich. The next installment will be Saturday, Aug. 8 and Sunday, Aug. 9 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., or until they sell out.

• Spike Lee and Brooklyn Nets co-owner Clara Wu Tsai are planning a two-day festival called “Playback: The Brooklyn Watch Party,” kicking off Friday, Nov. 6 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

One Last Thing

Fun story about the Salvador Mundi Museum of Art in the Waterfront District. I’ve passed by the museum a number of times, but haven’t ever gone inside. Have you?

West Brooklyn’s Danish bakery scene has a new entrant, and who knew Shen Beauty’s messy closure would lead two friends to open a beauty collective?

Here are two new businesses coming soon to Court Street.

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The storm and ensuing “poo-nami” that coincided with opening weekend was biblical. Just before the sky opened up, I published TV Summer, a photo series by Ben Whitmore capturing this summer’s watch party energy.

The World Cup has brought about a boon for local businesses. Open Table reservation data shows the number of seated diners in New York City increased by 12 percent in July and 15 percent in June year over year. Moreover, a New York Hospitality Alliance survey found that 63 percent of businesses saw increased sales, driven mostly by watch parties and upgraded TV and audiovisual equipment.

What’s next in the queue now that the World Cup has wrapped?

The Roundup

Voice of Gowanus has filed a legal petition against the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, National Grid and the owners of 459 Smith Street, a.k.a. Parcel III of the Citizens former Manufactured Gas Plant. “The petition challenges the government’s approval of a remedial work plan that is not capable of effectively addressing the persistent contamination on and off-site of Parcel III, a site that according to DEC’s own findings poses a significant threat to public health and the environment,” a press release says.

Mayor Mamdani appointed Lina Khan to lead the Economic Development Corporation. The antitrust activist was previously chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission. Her new appointment has implications for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, whose redevelopment is overseen by the EDC.

The Red Hook Pool officially opened on Saturday after another season of delays due to mechanical issues.

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Brooklyn Defender Services workers, who provide free legal representation and advocacy to low-income New Yorkers, picketed on Monday. They want higher wages and better working conditions, including work-from-home benefits.

NYPD needs help identifying a person they believe is connected to 11 recent break ins that took place in West Brooklyn and beyond.

Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, a non-profit, is looking for volunteers of all ages for its free public kayaking program on Pier 2. Volunteers get access to kayak training sessions and guided kayak trips for free.

Diversions

Confidant is under consideration for a Michelin star or Bib Gourmand.

Red Hook Focacceria is bringing focaccia ingredients back to basics. The bakery opened at 421 Van Brunt Street earlier this month.

Philly jawn Love & Honey Fried Chicken is coming to Barclays Center.

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The real estate market in Carroll Garden continues to heat up. PropertyShark reports that the median sale price in the neighborhood doubled year-over-year to $2.68 million in Q2.

Lucali is serving Armand de Brignac through the end of the month.

Goings On

• Brooklyn Bridge Park is hosting Pokémon Day Out, a weekend-long 30th anniversary celebration, at Pier 6 starting today. Speaking of, I am looking to offload Pokémon cards, if anyone is interested.

• Voices of the Waterfront is organizing a treasure hunt and clean up of Red Hook Park and Pier tomorrow, July 25. The event page says to “don your maritime costume” — i.e. pirates, mermaids, barnacles, etc. — “then compete to collect the most, weirdest and wildest trash hauls along our working waterfront.”

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• A silent disco ballet is running in Dumbo until end of month.

• Brooklyn Crab is holding a Jaws trivia night on Friday, July 31.

• Public Records is throwing a block party brunch with Stretch Armstrong on Saturday, August 15.

One Last Thing

Cobble Hill Gossip Line’s latest dead drop is bursting with nostalgia. I won’t spoil it for you — I’ll just say it made me miss my Game Boy.

Not this summer. The Knicks are NBA champions. The World Cup is in NYC (New Jersey). America is 250 years old.

You are watching TV, though outside at your local bar, surrounded by strangers. You drink and cheer together, hoping for a singular outcome. It’s hot and you’ve been sweating for hours, but the vibes are too good to leave. Someone shakes their fist in the air, a sign of victory. You match their energy and do the same.

Years from now, they’ll ask you, “Where were you Summer 2026?”

You were here.

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On Tuesday evening, I attended a happy hour at Substack’s offices. My social anxiety was at a high until I realized just how friendly fellow Substackers are. I get spammed with “Substack is for healing your inner child”-type Notes occasionally, but there really is a different vibe going on here than other places on the internet.

It is because of you that I was invited to Substack’s event in the first place. Thank you for reading, and if you don’t already…

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Well Arched, a beauty collective by podiatrist Dr. Krista Archer and brow maestro Joshua Beeler, will soon open on Court Street between Garnet and 9th. More on that early next week. In the meantime, have you seen us around the neighborhood?

The Red Hook Star-Revue’s July issue is out, and it includes our latest “Open for Business” column. I wrote about The Lamp Doctor, a 55-year-old speciality business restoring lamps, chandeliers and other lighting fixtures. Carol Romeo and her late husband Peter started The Lamp Doctor together in the ‘70s. After more than half a century in Midwood, Romeo relocated to 135A Huntington Street. How cool is their business card?

Also in the column — Steven Alan is working on womenswear, and Overdye is a showroom in Dumbo curating artisanally crafted products from Visvim, Arc’teryx Veilance, Taiga Takahashi and more.

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The Roundup

A wrong-way driver drove into Garden Gourmet Deli and Grill at Henry and Union earlier this week. The driver reportedly almost hit a NYPD detective before driving into the storefront. He “was arrested at the scene of the caught-on-video smash-up and found to be driving with a fanny pack holding heroin, MDMA and LSD,” NYPost reports.

Tenants of Riverside Apartments in Brooklyn Heights protested unsafe living conditions — ranging from rats and a mite infestation to heat failures and water shutoffs — at a rally this week. They say the conditions are a result of neglect from notorious landlord Pinnacle Group.

An illegal semi-trailer got stuck at an intersection in Brooklyn Heights for more than 1.5 hours this week. The Columbia Street Waterfront District BK Instagram account, run by community advocate John Leyva, has diligently documented instances of large trucks and buses navigating narrow streets they should not be on. State Senator Andrew Gounardes is working with DOT to mitigate the issue. If you have video of relevant incidents, you can send them to admin@columbiastreetwaterfront.org.

NYC Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn posted on LinkedIn last week that he was looking to hire an Assistant Commissioner “to address the aging infrastructure of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street.” The job listing appears to have since expired.

Locals expressed concerns about bike lane safety, as well as the Flatbush Avenue redesign and planned bike boulevard, at CB6’s general meeting last month.

Resilient Red Hook created a Freight 101 video explaining how goods move through the city — and how these logistics might impact the waterfront.

Diversions

The Chocolate Room Brooklyn appears to be opening a second location in Greenpoint, where former bookstore Archestratus used to be.

Sal Tang’s is closing, with final service on Saturday, August 1, the restaurant announced via Instagram yesterday. While the partnership between restaurateurs Sal Lamboglia and Wilson Tang is ending, Eater reports that Lamboglia is holding onto the space, with plans to open a new concept.

Chris Pine is suing a Cobble Hill developer for failing to return $100,000 in fees after negotiations for a short-term rental fell apart.

Developer Zelig Weiss bought the former Dinosaur Bar-B-Que site for $11 million. On that note, I am thinking of starting a Gowanus development tracker. Hit me with any thoughts/ideas.

A sailboat was told to exit the Sail4th parade for displaying banners that read “Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Climate Solutions” and “Save the Clean Water Act.”

Goings On

• NVRSTK Studios is running a summer camp that teaches kids how to customize sneakers.

• Tony Shirtmakers is popping up at Lindquist Brooklyn on Atlantic Ave today, July 17 and tomorrow, July 18 from noon until 6 p.m.

• The Brooklyn Heights Association is hosting a Bastille Day celebration and live Fifa World Cup 2026 Final viewing party as part of Montague Open Streets on Sunday, July 19 from noon to 6 p.m. The Bastille Day fête is in partnership with L’Appartement 4F and will feature music, games and of course, baked goods. Tickets are available here.

• The Atlantic Ave BID is hosting live music as part of Hoyt Open Street on Saturday, July 25 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Pets are welcome.

• Voices of the Waterfront is organizing a treasure hunt and clean up of Red Hook Park and Pier on Saturday, July 25. The event page says to “don your maritime costume” — i.e. pirates, mermaids, barnacles, etc. — “then compete to collect the most, weirdest and wildest trash hauls along our working waterfront.”

• Brooklyn Community District 2 and the Department of Sanitation are holding a virtual info session about the Empire Bins rollout on Wednesday, July 22. RSVP here.

One Last Thing

A Gowanus artist’s compound has a Gaudí-esque “biomorphic bubble wall” with a reading nook, storage for firewood and a porthole through which to access the floor above. The compound consists of two buildings and is on the market for $6.75 million.

Last week, I wrote that Mark Iacono shut down Lucali so he could attend Michael Rubin’s party in the Hamptons. Apparently Red Hook Tavern was also in attendance. To be ultra wealthy and shuttle in your favorite Brooklyn eats.

Those watching the new season of The Bear will catch “The Franks” of F&F in Episode 7. Jeremy Allen White, Carroll Gardens native, told Jimmy Kimmel as much when he went on his show recently.

Nevins Landing in Gowanus is getting “a museum courtyard’s worth of public art,” according to Curbed. Two such pieces include a 30-foot polar bear and a 13-foot cub, the latter of which debuted at Burning Man in 2022.

The Roundup

A year’s worth of efforts to rid the basement of P.S. 372, an elementary school in Gowanus, of chemical fumes have been unsuccessful. State officials alerted parents and staff at the beginning of the Juneteenth holiday weekend that additional contamination in the annex building had been found. The city teachers union is responding to staff concerns by conducting a confidential and voluntary health survey in September.

Two ships sank in Red Hook waters this past week. Both are owned by Crew, the hospitality group behind ship-restaurants like Fireboat and Grand Banks. Pilot, a schooner-turned-restaurant that was in the process of becoming a National Historic Landmark, sank at its maintenance location last week. Days later, Victory Chimes, a historic schooner and windjammer from Maine, sank.

A Master of Public Health student at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University wrote an op-ed about the urgent need for the city to ensure flood protection for Red Hook and waterfront West Brooklyn. An excerpt:

Today, 60% of properties in southern Brooklyn have a risk of flooding. This risk will only worsen with climate change. Within the next 30 years, Brooklyn’s sea level is expected to rise by over a foot and a half, and high-tide days are expected to occur eight times as frequently as they do now- at nearly 80 per year.

A celebrated fashion creative director and stylist whose eye shaped campaigns and covers for nearly three decades has passed. Gregory Wein was the fashion and style director of Out Magazine for a decade before joining Abercrombie & Fitch as global style director in 2008. He has worked with such brands as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford and Calvin Klein, according to Cobble Hill Chapels, which will host his celebration of life today.

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The former Macy’s in Downtown Brooklyn will become “BKX,” a.k.a. “the largest contiguous retail space in New York City” spanning entertainment, dining and retail, Brooklyn Eagle reports.

Books Are Magic is partnering with the Gotham FC Women’s Soccer team to drive historic attendance to their Wednesday, July 15 match at Citi Field. Use code BOOKSAREMAGIC for 20 percent off tickets. The bookstore also has a GothamFC player recommendation display at its Montague Street location.

Brooklyn Community District 2 — which includes Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO — is getting stationary on-street trash containers from the Department of Sanitation. Starting this fall, all residential buildings with 31 or more units are required to have Empire Bins, as they’re called. Click here to enroll before the Friday, July 31 deadline.

Barrel Yard, a 40,000 square-foot winery, cidery and (soon enough) distillery has opened at 185 Van Dyke Street on Red Hook’s waterfront.

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Goings On

• Chelsea Piers and Ample Hills Creamery have co-created an ice cream flavor called Matcha Berry Mash Up (matcha green tea with strawberry swirls). The two are hosting a celebration at Ample Hills’ Prospect Heights shop at 623 Vanderbilt Ave on Saturday July 11 from noon to 4 p.m. Onsite giveaways include a grand prize of a 12-month membership to Chelsea Piers Fitness Prospect Heights and a full fall trimester of youth programming at Chelsea Piers Field House Brooklyn.

• The Six Bells Countryside Inn is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a free-admission jubilee on Saturday, July 11. They are also hosting their third miniatures retreat this fall (Wednesday, September 23 to Friday, September 25). Jessica Williams recently gifted Jimmy Kimmel a miniature chair she made at the retreat. Interested parties should email theinn@thesixbells.com.

• Volunteer Opportunity: Make sandwiches to fill the Brooklyn Heights Community Fridge on Monday, July 13 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Food prep will be in the Brooklyn Heights Association’s conference room on the 2nd floor of 55 Pierrepont Street.

• The NYC Economic Development Corporation is holding a virtual informational session about the Brooklyn Marine Terminal on Tuesday, July 14. RSVP here.

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• M.Patmos is hosting another expressive repair workshop with Atelier Mironi on Saturday, July 18.

• The Brooklyn Heights Association is hosting a Bastille Day celebration and live Fifa World Cup 2026 Final viewing party as part of Montague Open Streets on Sunday, July 19 from noon to 6 p.m. The Bastille Day fête, in partnership with L’Appartement 4F, will feature music, games and of course, baked goods. Tickets here.

• The Cellar at District is holding The Exhale Ritual — a combination of fascia release, stretching, red light therapy, Meridian massage and crystal singing bowl sound bath — the evening of Thursday, July 23. Tickets here.

• Brooklyn Pop-Up’s Red Hook Summer Market will take place at 161 Dikeman Street on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26.

One Last Thing

A trip down memory lane to the 1800s, when an Atlantic Avenue tailor built five 20-foot, Gothic-style houses on Clinton Street. The Brooklyn Heights homes were nicknamed Honeymoon Row.

Nearby, at Henry and Carroll, I noticed this very patriotic display in honor of America’s 250th birthday.

I am currently upstate for the day and off to Pennsylvania tomorrow to visit family. How are others celebrating America’s quarter-thou?

The Roundup

The former after-school program director of Brooklyn New School on Henry Street has been accused of stealing more than $111,000 over six years. She allegedly spent the money on hotel stays, liquor and payments to a luxury real estate company, People reports.

Speaking of America 250, Nick Bello’s breakdown of the Battle of Brooklyn is worth a read. History buffs might already know that the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Carroll Park both used to be forts.

New York State officials unveiled a $5 billion plan Monday to complete Atlantic Yards. The plan would add six high-rises and 5,600 homes, including about 1,242 units set aside as affordable. Union pension funds, including those of local carpenters, bricklayers and communications workers, would finance much of the project, which could take a decade or more to build.

As hot as it is, children won’t be able to splash around the Red Hook Pool just yet due to a mechanical issue. It’s the second year in a row the pool’s opening has been delayed.

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Downtown Brooklyn has a new asphalt art mural called Brooklyn Blossoms by Carla Torres, whose work has shown at the Noguchi Museum, according to a press release. The mural, which spans 21 sites across the Shared Streets network, is part of a partnership between NYC DOT and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership.

A tentative trial date for the federal corruption case of Frank V. Carone, former Mayor Eric Adams’ longtime aide, has been set for August. Carone was indicted last week on bribery and money laundering charges, according to the NYTimes.

Adam Driver is trading his Brooklyn Heights condo for three units at The Standish, where Matt Damon, John Krasinski and Emily Blunt also live. There are two things Driver will forever be famous for in my mind. First is Girls (duh). Second is this 2012 GQ Men of the Year video, in which he jogs away from “adoring fans” while modeling ‘70s-inspired sportswear. Because of this video, I played Lime’s “Babe We’re Gonna Love Tonight” throughout my college semester abroad. ╮ (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.) ╭

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Goings On

• There’s a Reggaeton Rave at Industry City tonight, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• This year’s Macy’s 4th of July fireworks mark the show’s 50th anniversary and coincide with America’s 250th. The city has reworked street closures to ease last year’s crowding. Brooklyn Bridge Park closes all day Saturday, reopening at 4 p.m. for ticket holders only through the Atlantic Avenue and Old Fulton entrances. If you’re driving or walking through the neighborhood, check this map for frozen zone boundaries, towing times and where you’ll need a Community Pass (email the Brooklyn Heights Association at info@thebha.org by 5 p.m. today to request one).

• Sail 4th 250 will see several tall ships dock at Brooklyn Bridge Park from Sunday, July 5 to Tuesday, July 7. Tickets are free, with reservations strongly recommended. Tours will take place from noon to 6 p.m. most days.

• Cardinal Gift Shop in Fort Greene (outside our usual coverage area, but a great store) is having a miniature pet sculpture workshop on Tuesday, July 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets here, and be sure to bring reference photos of your pet.

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One Last Thing

This word appeared in the newsletter A Word A Day this week: Carrollian, after Lewis Carroll, who famously authored Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1965. Carrollian means “fanciful, absurd, logic-twisting or playfully nonsensical.”

The big news this week is Brad Lander winning the Democratic nomination for Congress in New York’s 10th District, beating out incumbent Dan Goldman. Jo Anne Simon won reelection in the 52nd State Assembly District, which covers much of West Brooklyn, a seat she has held since 2015.

One bit of news that caught my attention this week was Poetica Coffee sparking a Department of Justice Civil Rights Division investigation. The coffee chain reportedly posted and has since deleted a photo of Rep. Goldman at its Park Slope location. “At Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between,” the post read in part. Poetica announced it had refunded Goldman’s order and told him not to return.

Goldman responded by saying he had stopped in with his 7-year-old daughter. A barista let his daughter use the restroom, and he purchased a coffee afterward out of gratitude.

Following the Instagram controversy, protestors and counter-protestors gathered at Poetica’s Williamsburg location. Poetica’s Instagram account appears to have since been deactivated.

The Roundup

Jay-Z is celebrating 30 years of Reasonable Doubt with a Dumbo pop-up and limited-edition Brooklyn Public Library card. The Dumbo pop-up runs until July 5 at 92 Plymouth Street, with library cards available until supplies last.

Two Atlantic Avenue towers that promised 35 percent affordable housing renegotiated after facing high interest rates and cost pressures. Norman Oder, who writes Brooklyn real estate watchdog Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report, reported the news last week.

Smør Bakery is bringing its cardamom buns and other baked goods to Court and President. The bakery polled Instagram followers in March about where to open its next location. Carroll Gardens won, with 40 percent of the votes.

Very Friendly Music, a record store and recording studio, opens tomorrow, June 27 at 610 Dean Street in Prospect Heights. The store will stock 40,000 to 50,000 records across genres, CDs and cassettes, with turntables and more audio equipment to come, Grand Army Gazette reports.

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Cremini’s has received Slow Food’s Snail of Approval, a certification given to city-based restaurants, bars and food and beverage artisans that emphasize good, clean and fair food for New Yorkers. Read more about the restaurant specializing in Le Marche cuisine here via CSJ Index.

Plymouth Cafe, a.k.a. Plymouth Deli, in Brooklyn Heights has closed after more than four decades. Peter Hong, who ran the cafe with his brother David, told BK Eagle he’s retiring.

Two West Brooklyn firms contributed to the Obama Presidential Center that recently opened on Chicago’s South Side.

The Majestic, a 10-story U-shaped residential building at 540 Degraw Street in Gowanus, has topped out, according to an announcement from The Domain Companies. Set to open next year, the building includes 255 apartments, a roof terrace, indoor-outdoor rooftop fitness center and courtyard garden. Nearby, at 175 Third Street, developers have secured $785 million to build the largest tower in Gowanus.

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Goings On

• The Columbia Street Waterfront Association and District 29 Cleanup Crew are holding a clean-up at Columbia and Degraw Streets tomorrow, June 27 at 10 a.m. There will also be a work day at Human Compass Garden Sunday, June 28 at 10 a.m.

• Sixteen Mills will sell gluten-free sourdough bagels without preservatives, gums, sugar, dairy, eggs, nuts or coconut tomorrow, June 27 from 10 a.m. until sold out.

• Van Alen Institute is holding a signing party for Gowanus Yearbook, a student-led research project, tomorrow, June 27 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

• The Garden Club is hosting a witchy event tied to the full moon on Monday evening, June 29. There will be tarot card readings, wine and snacks. RSVP here.

• The BMT Development Corporation will meet Tuesday, June 30 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in person at Brooklyn Borough Hall and virtually here. The meeting follows one this morning with the BMT Advisory Task Force.

• Anaïs is hosting a night of magic and mentalism on Tuesday, June 30.

• Books Are Magic is running a city-wide scavenger hunt in celebration of the World Cup until Friday, July 31. Pick up an official map at either location.

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One More Thing

I am truly mesmerized by the visuals (separate links) for Martin Bisi’s new single “Cubesmart Sunset.” Erase the F train, erase the rain! (JK, we definitely need both.)

For the Red Hook Star-Revue’s June issue, I wrote about what’s shaping West Brooklyn’s real estate market. One thing from the reporting process that really surprised me is the trend of “digging down,” or subterranean home expansion. In ancient times, people were thought to have burrowed into the earth for survival. Nowadays, people are constructing wine cellars and gyms — even basketball courts and parking garages. Thanks to Hoodline for picking up the story. Read the full version here and hit the button below to subscribe to the Star-Revue.

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In this issue — High Beam, Jalopy and Brooklyn Crab impacted by Red Hook robberies, Trudie’s Tavern’s fabulous chicken dinner, Red Hook Tavern and Hometown Bar-B-Que picked up by JetBlue, Carroll Street Bridge celebrations and more.

Local Businesses Impacted by Break-Ins

A string of Red Hook robberies on June 15 impacted High Beam, Jalopy Theatre and School of Music, Brooklyn Crab and potentially others. High Beam founder Selina Ullrich confirmed via text that her business had been broken into. “There was a string of targeted robberies in the neighborhood and we were impacted,” she said. “Everyone is safe though and that is what is important.”

Jalopy posted about the robbery on social media, reporting that while no one was hurt, the business sustained “significant damage” to its front door and cash register, from which cash appeared to have been stolen. Jalopy is accepting donations here.

Ullrich added that High Beam’s break-in “looked very ‘professional’ from the footage,” with people going in and out “quite efficiently” and before alarms went off.

Thank you to Ward 6 for the head’s up.

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The Roundup

Trudie’s Tavern officially opened yesterday. Nate Adler and Rachel Jackson, the husband and wife duo behind RAD Restaurants, along with Emily Tripp, chief operating officer, transformed what used to be Buttermilk Channel into an upscale New York-style tavern. The main dining area has been sectioned off and faces a hand-painted mural by Izzy Bulling. Booth seating along the opposite wall creates a more intimate feel. The food is incredible. My husband and I tried the oysters, pigs in a blanket (meat from Meat Hook), potato pancake, rotisserie chicken dinner and handkerchief egg noodles. Zero misses. The chicken, in particular, was a standout — it came with a gravy that was slightly acidic and herbal, which I have thought about daily since trying it last Sunday. It’s $38, a great value for two.

James O’Brien, who owns Popina in the Columbia Street Waterfront District, is opening a bar at the Williamsburg Wharf.

Val’s, a bar and diner, will open in July in the Red Hook space that was once Pitt and Fort Defiance before it.

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Henry Rich, managing partner of the Oberon Group and the operator behind June, Rucola, Rhodora and Anaïs, is opening a restaurant in the New Museum this summer. He told Grub Street that he was named after Henry Street in Cobble Hill, where he grew up 𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

Jet Blue business class flyers will be able to enjoy food from Red Hook Tavern and Hometown Bar-B-Que next year, according to the airline.

A Vinegar Hill neighbor and advocate who passed away in May is memorialized through an intersection.

The Six Bells collaborated with The Wallach Project on a collection of home goods and dresses.

Yard Bar in Cobble Hill has closed down.

Joe Jonas is selling his condo at The Olympia in Dumbo for $6.75 million.

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Goings On

• Creatures of the Canal is throwing an event today from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. to celebrate the reopening of the Carroll Street Bridge. RSVP and schedule here.

• Local community platform Igloo and gelateria Albero Dei Gelati are giving away free gelato from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. today at the entrance of the Carroll Street bridge.

• The BMT Advisory Task Force is holding their next meeting on Friday, June 26 at 10 a.m. The meeting is open to the public via this link, and the EDC will post materials in advance here.

• New Mom Run Club is hosting its next run on Saturday, June 27. The beginner-friendly run club gathers every second Saturday for a two-mile run in Prospect Park, followed by coffee and baked goods. RSVP here.

• The Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse, a biennial fundraiser that grants access to a historic home, returns this October. This year’s home will be One Monroe Place, a landmarked 1852 corner mansion currently home to the Weirs, who own a floral business in the neighborhood.

One Last Thing

A Civil War-era painter named Fidelia Bridges so beautifully captured her view from 93 First Place, where she was once a governess for a wealthy family.

The top thing on everyone’s minds today has to be The Knicks. LGK! God bless that team for shaking this city awake and giving us something good to bond over. Tonight will be big, and the watch parties will be in full effect — just not at Prince Street Pizza. ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!

In this issue — I joined the Cobble Hill Gossip Line, Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie’s open letter on AI, Emma Straub links up with Elizabeth Moss, Brad Lander is found not guilty, the city is ordered to tell us when it dumps raw sewage into the Gowanus Canal and more.

A Place to Gab and Gossip

One of my new joys is receiving a text from the Cobble Hill Gossip Line. You may recognize the name from their zine or last week’s Feed Me mention. If I’m being honest, I was surprised by Emily’s take, so I figured I’d text the line and find out for myself.

I was not expecting how immersive the initiation process would be. After some brief back and forth, I received a location and a photo of a dead drop packet. I went out into the heat with my tiny little dog, picked up the materials and filled them out. I was in.

Who’s behind the Gossip Line? I’m sure some sleuthing would reveal all, but not knowing is part of the experience. What I do know is that this person(s) is chatty. Where do they find the time to dead drop packets across West Brooklyn and circulate screenshots of local gossip, all via 1:1 text messages? And what’s it for?

“it’s half community clubhouse half participatory site-specific performance art installation,” the entity tells me, in their signature low-caps way. “no hard rules, except be a good neighbor. my commitment is to keep this real (not for social, not transactional, extremely sassy, locals only).”

What I appreciate most about the Gossip Line so far is its underground aspect that feels like a direct response to what’s been missing in NYC. Call it a lack of gatekeeping, a cultural flattening, an affordability crisis driving out the very people who give this city the character we love. Whatever it is that has been sucking all the vibes out of this city, the Cobble Hill Gossip Line feels like a rose through the concrete, something scrappy and alive pushing through anyway.

Text 917-244-8867 to join.

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The Roundup

Elizabeth Moss is turning American Fantasy, Emma Straub’s newest book, into a movie. What a blessed occurrence to come out of a Watch What Happens Live appearance. HUGE congrats to Emma! Future neighborhood watch party?

An appellate court ruled this week that the city has to tell residents when it dumps raw sewage and polluted stormwater into local waterways, such as the Gowanus Canal.

Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie posted an open letter titled AI and the Death of Customer Service this week. It’s both an explanation for why they’ve suspended shipping and a larger commentary on big companies replacing human jobs with AI that tries to “handle” us.

A report from the Environmental Defense Fund says that the delivery warehouse boom, which includes Amazon’s Red Hook locations, is increasing fossil fuel emissions and disproportionately impacting lower-income neighborhoods in the process.

Bess Wohl, of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights, became the fourth woman to win a Tony Award for Best Play last week. She wrote Liberation about a second-wave feminist group of women in ‘70s-era Ohio. My husband and I saw it together. It was fantastic. How fitting that Bess quite literally made women’s history in the process. Life writes better than any of us!

Brad Lander was found not guilty this week of obstructing an elevator at 26 Federal Plaza, the federal building where his September 2025 ICE protest took place.

I need to tell you about Unitea Blends, my therapist’s herbal tea brand. It is difficult to find caffeine-free tea that is also organic and delicious; Unitea is all three. My favorite is Inner Radiance because it helps ease digestive discomfort (and I like cardamom). Janeese draws from her mental health expertise to craft the blends, which also support mental clarity, hormonal balance and sleep.

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Goings On

• En Garde Arts and Make the Road New York are hosting a benefit concert of Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes) tomorrow, June 14 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn Heights. The piece, adapted from interviews with immigrant communities across the city, follows a group of undocumented immigrants on the eve of an ICE crackdown whose gathering becomes a defiant celebration of community and resilience. All net proceeds benefit Make the Road New York. Tickets here.

• The Carroll Street Bridge is reopening, and locals are planning a fête for the public on Monday, June 15 at 7:30 p.m.

• Hoyt Street Open Street is next Sunday, June 21 (a.k.a. Father’s Day) from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be live music as part of Make Music New York, the city-wide summer solstice celebration.

• I Scream Theater, a one-woman multimedia cabaret by C.M. Soto, comes to Brooklyn Art Haus on August 7 and 13 at 7:30pm. The two-act show blends poetry, noir film, neo-burlesque, comedy and circus arts into a confessional journey through addiction and abuse toward creative salvation. 18+ content advisory. Tickets here.

• Charli xcx’s Music, Fashion, Film Tour includes two nights (September 14 and 15) at the Barclays Center this fall. Tickets here.

I saw Brad Lander and team outside of the Carroll Street subway stop on Tuesday morning. He was speaking to passersby after debating Rep. Dan Goldman the night before.

Where did you watch The Knicks on Wednesday? I sampled Ramblin’ Chick’s new Knicks-inspired burger (delicious, they don’t miss) before heading to Giuseppina's, run by the brother of my favorite Sagittarius in the neighborhood. I watched the game while the restaurant played Billie Holliday and Frank Sinatra in the background. A vibe!

I really enjoyed this snap Nick Bello took of everyone watching the game out of the back of Prince Street Pizza’s Dominic Morano’s car. The energy in these streets is phenomenal.

In this issue — beer and cocktail bar Hidden Rivers opens soon in Gowanus, Ven.Space’s new archives, Whole Foods is coming to Smith Street, a Loup Charmant pop-up at The Delta, Liz’s Book Bar participates in the city’s first-ever Juneteenth Black Bookstore Crawl and more.

The Roundup

Hidden Rivers, a beer and cocktail bar, is opening at 291 Nevins Street in Gowanus on Tuesday, June 6. Husband and wife duo Patrick Watson and Michele Pravda, who own Smith & Vine wine shop near Carroll Park, are behind it. I’m speaking with Patrick later today and will share more soon.

Ven.Space opened a permanent archive location at 163 President, where past season collections will be on sale. “We will refresh product every so often,” founder Chris Green told me. Hours are Thursday to Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Everything was 50 percent off the pricetag yesterday.

Movement Gym’s Gowanus location is among those named in new Unfair Labor Practice charges filed against the climbing gym chain, according to an email. Workers United, the national union representing Movement workers, has accused the chain of bad faith bargaining.

Whole Foods is taking over the former Rite Aid space at 182 Smith Street. Where do people do their shopping? I like going to Park Natural at Court and Union — great produce, ahead of the curve on non-toxic food options and I found the viral Loonen water there this week. Whole Foods Gowanus can be difficult to navigate, especially on the weekends. I wonder how packed a second, nearby location will be.

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Dumbo really is the Times Square of Brooklyn. My jaw dropped at $14 Mister Softee cones. It’s a beautiful neighborhood that is absolutely overrun with tourists and price gouging as a result. How can we help?

New York State no longer requires liquor license applicants to disclose whether customers will be allowed to dance. Venues that previously had a no-dancing condition baked into their license can now apply to have it removed. It’s the latest in an only-in-New-York saga dating back to the city’s 1920s-era cabaret law, which was repealed in 2017.

Recent developments:

• Locals rallied on Sunday to urge the city to convert Columbus Park, currently a parking lot used by judges, into an actual park.

• There is a petition opposing the change in traffic direction on Woodhull in the Columbia Waterfront District.

• A Williamsburg-based developer plans to convert the former Dinosaur BBQ space (604 Union Street) into a nine-story mixed-use building.

• The Brooklyn Museum is getting a $48 million upgrade to become more energy efficient.

• Red Hook Public Library’s renovation is nearly complete, 12 years after plans were first proposed.

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Goings On

Columbia Heights will be closed from Cranberry to Middagh Streets for milling and paving today, June 5.

Loup Charmant, which sells organic cotton clothes, is having a pop-up at The Delta, open Thursday to Sunday. The girls may want to stop by for summer dresses, matching sets and intimates. It is cute. Here’s a pic:

Urban Meadow Community Garden is having an event tomorrow, June 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. There will be a book swap, garden tours, crafts for tots, hot dogs (also vegan ones) and sweet treats. RSVP is here, but not required.

FAD Market returns to Montague Street on Sunday, June 7.

Liz’s Book Bar is one of 10 Black-owned bookstores participating in the first-ever NYC Juneteenth Black Bookstore Crawl, kicking off Friday, June 12. Liz’s is also hiring part-time and full-time booksellers, bartenders and baristas.

Loafers is throwing a fête for Brooklyn Pride’s 30th anniversary on Saturday, June 13.

A free art supply swap at Brooklyn Borough Hall on Saturday, June 13 will accept your unwanted usable supplies and let you take home what you need.

Community organizations and artists are planning a Carroll Street Bridge reopening party on Saturday, June 20 (peeped in the comments on this post). Locals want the historic bridge to be for pedestrians and cyclists only.

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Brooklyn Botanic Garden is celebrating the longest day of the year with sunrise and sunset performances on the Cherry Esplanade on Sunday, June 21.

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s free summer movie series includes When Harry Met Sally, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Do the Right Thing and more, starting Thursday, July 2.

One Last Thing

A woman allegedly stole $700,000 from her Brooklyn Heights co-op and went on a luxury spending spree. She reportedly spent more than $50,000 on 150 pairs of shoes, including 28 Louboutins and 16 Valentinos, between 2018 and 2024. She also bought $12,000 worth of furs (probably not that many furs?) and a Rolex watch. She was charged with second-degree grand larceny and must return to the court in August. She now lives in New Jersey.

D’Amico Coffee shut down suddenly on June 1, with two notices from the City of New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene appearing on its door.

The development comes more than a week after a NYPost report on the less appetizing reason behind Caputo Bakery’s closure. City inspection records reveal their own troubling findings at D’Amico.

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I have been wanting to share this somewhere in case any Erewhon lovers subscribe: Baya Bar’s Glowberry smoothie is just like the Hailey Bieber / Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie, but half the price. Highly recommend!

In this issue — Steven Alan’s Court Street shop, Caputo Bakery’s closure narrative evolves, plans for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal hit a snag, Olympic sailor Nicole van der Velden volunteers at the Gowanus Canal and more.

The Roundup

Steven Alan has quietly opened a store at 196 Court Street, where Su’juk used to be. (My husband and I passed by the shop on our walk back from line dancing last night, hence the nighttime snap.) An original in the city’s multibrand boutique scene, Steven has been making a comeback since closing all of his U.S. stores, including his previous Atlantic Avenue one, back in 2019. Emilia Petrarca, one of my favorite fashion writers, reported on his return to physical retail with a Chelsea store opening in 2024. Steven’s presence in the neighborhood, along with Ven. Space and Outline, reminds me of this story I wrote back in 2023 about the next-generation of specialty retail. Taste, uncompromised by VC investment, is back.

The narrative surrounding Caputo Bakery’s closure has evolved after NYPost reported the bakery’s operating license was revoked due to state health-code violations. Inspectors found mold, mouse droppings and a live mouse “in the boiler room on open baskets of exposed breads which are human food by-products intended to be used as animal food.” James Caputo had the opportunity to reapply for his license, but chose not to.

A key financing mechanism for the overhaul of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal has been left out of the state budget, a win for locals who feel the project has been rushed and lacking in transparency. The measure, which would have established a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program to fund infrastructure upgrades, was blocked in the Assembly by local lawmakers including Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.

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A woman gave birth while handcuffed in a courtroom inside of Kings County Criminal Court this month. “The woman, Samantha Randazzo, was afforded neither privacy, nor dignity, nor competent medical treatment,” writes Politico. Brand Lander, along with public defenders and advocates, protested the inhumane treatment last week.

Olympic sailor Nicole van der Velden volunteered with the Gowanus Canal Conservancy ahead of competing in this weekend’s SailGP race on the Hudson. Van der Velden and the group of SailGP athletes volunteering with her called the state of the Gowanus “shocking.”

Andrea Strong reports that Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group will run the food and beverage program at Hotel Bossert.

Mayor Mamdani unveiled his “Block by Block” affordable housing plan at an event in Gowanus this week, pledging to build 200,000 affordable and rent-stabilized homes over the next decade through a $22 billion investment.

Corto, a Brooklyn Italian cafe, is opening in Gowanus next month.

A free ferry service bringing passengers from Midtown or Downtown Manhattan to Ikea in Red Hook is back.

Some quick hits: Matt Damon sang “Sweet Caroline” at Montero’s this week; Books Are Magic released a Knicks books tee; a laser-cut aluminum Crown of Thorns stool was on display at a Carroll Gardens church during NYCxDesign week; and the amenities inside this $16.7 million Cobble Hill home include a gym, sauna and wine cave.

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Goings On

• Books Are Magic is holding an all-weekend book drive at its Smith Street location on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31. Bring like-new and gently used books for babies, kids and teens.

• The Red Hook Regatta returns to Valentino Pier on Saturday, May 30 from 1 to 5 p.m, featuring 3D-printed, remote-controlled and DIY boats racing an obstacle course off the Red Hook shoreline.

• Families for Brad Lander are hosting a Prospect Park picnic on Sunday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to noon.

• Montague Knows, a first-ever open streets event where local businesses share skills, is this Sunday, May 31 from noon to 5 p.m. There will be rowing techniques from Orange Theory, salad secrets from L’Appartement 4F, container garden how-to’s from James Weir Floral and more.

• The Brooklyn Heights Association is hosting a homecoming party for its recently re-homed Community Fridge on Sunday, May 31.

• The Columbia Street Waterfront District and Carroll Gardens Association’s community forum with Rep. Dan Goldman has been rescheduled to Tuesday, June 3 from 3 to 4 p.m. at Cabrini Hall at Sacred Hearts & St. Stephen Church (125 Summit Street). Community members can submit issues and questions ahead of the forum here.

• The Last Summer, an original rock opera set in the nuclear apocalypse, will take the stage on Friday, June 19 at Judgy Baby, a multi-purpose art and music venue in Gowanus that hasn’t officially opened yet. There will be live rock music, flashy costumes and “a whole lot of ooze.” Tickets here.

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One Last Thing

I can’t get enough of Kareem Rahma’s Keep the Meter Running YouTube show, in which he asks taxi cab drivers to take him to their favorite spot (“and keep the meter running”). This episode features a Nepalese flautist and poet named Khakendra Pun, who ends up recording a song at the recording studio of Gowanus activist Martin Bisi.

Last week, my husband and I watched The Devil Wears Prada 2 at Cobble Hill Cinemas. It’s a sign of the times that Andy (Anne Hathaway) finds her next apartment in the neighborhood (yes, it’s a new build). In Brooklyn Heights, a carriage house off of Love Lane is asking nearly $6 million. Earlier this week, Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale held a stoop sale, and The Ordinary announced it will run a branded bus between Domino Park and Prospect Park for free from May 26 to June 9. I am very curious to try it!

In this issue — Alison Roman is opening First Bloom in Brooklyn Heights this fall; the city’s best croissants are actually in Brooklyn; a tender thriller starring the Gowanus Canal; and more Amazon e-bikes might be coming to the Court Street bike lane.

The Roundup

Our friends at Grand Army Gazette launched an apartment whisper network — a truly genius idea given how many people are finding their next apartment offline. Also, Boerum Bulletin launched a classifieds section.

First Bloom, the Catskills grocery store Alison Roman opened in 2023, is coming to Brooklyn Heights this fall. The cookbook author and food personality wrote in a blog post this week that First Bloom would be “a permanent resident of The Big Apple.” She also shared four job listings (general manager, head chef, head baker/pastry chef and social media manager) stating First Bloom is “opening a second location in Brooklyn Heights.”

A fire broke out at an apartment building in Red Hook early Thursday morning, injuring four people and sending two residents to the hospital.

After months of pushing the city to open an empty preschool at 129 Van Brunt Street, parents can rejoice. The city announced this week that it will open the school, which has 63 seats. It had reportedly been empty for more than a year, despite the city spending millions on renovation costs and rent.

A new request on the New York Economic Development Corporation’s website gives a glimpse into what the Brooklyn Marine Terminal’s ongoing redevelopment might look like. The request for expressions of interest is for operators and partners to help launch an all-electric cargo barge service between the BMT and a new facility being built in the South Bronx, where refrigerated containers of imported food would travel by water instead of truck.

Brooklyn French Bakers and La Bicyclette won People’s Choice Award and Best Original Creation, respectively, at French Morning-Frenchly’s annual Best Croissant in New York competition this week. Congrats to Mille-Feuille, winner of the jury prize — worth checking out their Prospect Heights location.

The Gowanus Canal stars alongside Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver and Miles Teller in Paper Tiger, which Time calls “a tender thriller” set in 1986 Queens. While we’re on the topic of the canal, 200 people have already taken Voice of Gowanus’ Health Survey, according to the Star-Revue. Click here to take the survey.

Are more Amazon e-bikes coming to the Court Street bike lane? The bikes cost less to operate and are thought to be safer and more sustainable by the city, which means we might be seeing more of them. They are responsible for delivering half of the 10,000 to 15,000 packages dispersed daily from Amazon’s Red Hook warehouse.

The Cobble Hill Association seeks three bands to perform at their annual Cobble Hill Music in the Park summer concert series, running throughout July.

The Six Bells’ spring sale features mostly holiday décor and tableware (stock up before hosting season comes back around?). My picks are: this adorable mini tomato tote bag, a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle and a tomato candle.

Bar Ferdinando is selling zipper totes.

Goings On

• Dae is popping up at Snow Peak in Williamsburg this weekend.

• Queer wine club Chardonngay is having a pre-Pride Month event at Saturn Road on Thursday, May 28.

• The Atlantic Avenue BID will hold its annual meeting at Eleventh Hour on Wednesday, June 3 at 10 a.m. There will be catering from the brand-new Sea and Soil location on Atlantic Avenue. Property owners, commercial tenants or residents within the BID’s boundaries can register to become BID members here. You must be a BID member in order to vote at the meeting.

• Van Alen Institute will throw its annual Bond Street Bash on Thursday, June 4 from 7 p.m to 10 p.m. The fête celebrates the architects, artists, activists, policymakers and changemakers shaping a community-driven future. Tickets here.

• Columbia Street Waterfront Association is hosting a book swap at Urban Meadow Garden, on Saturday, June 6 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• A fundraiser benefiting Red Hook’s Summit Street Community Garden will feature jazz, food and refreshments on Saturday, June 6 at 5 p.m.

• F&F’s pizza sessions return Monday, June 15 with Chris Bianco of Bianco Pizzeria and Chris D’Auria of Frank Pepe. Each session is $125 (tickets here) and includes food and drinks. For an extra $50, you can hang out with the chefs at the afterparty.

• Littlefield in Gowanus will host About Last Night, a show where people share dating and hookup stories live onstage, on July 30.

One Last Thing

New York Nico interviewed The Green Lady and her husband Robert about their 59-year love story. “I’m warning you: Make the best of it. It goes so quick,” Robert says. ε(´｡•᎑•`)っ 💕

I launched this publication nearly three years ago and moved onto Substack around this time last year. I can’t tell you how much joy writing this dispatch brings me each week. Knowing there are people on the other side of this thing, reading and engaging with it, is beyond my comprehension.

Thank you for being here. You rock.

As Kyle Chayka, neighbor and New Yorker staff writer, wrote, CSJ is “designed to feel like a storybook.” This neighborhood is endlessly inspiring to me, and because of Tim Le, illustrator extraordinaire, and Paulo Tonn, graphics mastermind, CSJ reflects that. How cool that we get to make something beautiful *just because* and have fun at the same time! Hats off to Emily Sundberg for making us even more visible to Kyle and for shouting out local Substackers in her interview with platform co-founder Hamish McKenzie.

Also this week: we made our print debut via a column in the Red Hook Star-Revue. It’s got the scoop on what Nate Adler and Rachel Jackson are cooking up at Trudie’s Tavern — Keith McNally vibe, rotisserie chicken (duh), sundaes for dessert using Buttermilk Channel’s old ice cream machine — and a slew of other neighborhood openings (The Garden Club, The Emerald Dispensary, Harris Home and more). Click here to subscribe to the Star-Revue’s newsletter.

It has truly been a fantastic week. I hope for more like it. Now, let’s get into it, shall we?

The Roundup

Speaking of the Star-Revue, they published a Q&A with Andrew Guglielmi of the Department of Environmental Conversation about Public Place, the former manufactured gas plant site in Gowanus. The DEC has invoked its legal authority to access Parcel 4 of Public Place, with plans to enter this month to identify contamination sampling locations.

Also, in the Star-Revue, an interview with Carol Song, founder of Dae, about the harassment and hate she and her staff received while running the neighborhood café these past few years. We were the first to report on Dae’s closure at the end of April.

Are you a “whip smart, ambitious young person with an interest in hospitality?” Lula Phelps, one-half of Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, is manifesting you to assist her and her husband.

Council Member Shahana Hanif is looking for a “policy wiz” to join her team as Legislative & Budget Director.

The Noguchi Museum is accepting applications from rising junior and senior public high school students for a paid studio art-making summer intensive.

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DUMBO locals are anxious about the chaos that will probably ensue in their neighborhood when the World Cup comes to town. *That* infamous selfie spot, price-gouging street vendors and trash are top concerns, along with a lack of confidence in the city’s ability to intervene.

Atelier Ariana, Breads Bakery, Brooklyn French Bakers and La Bicyclette are all finalists for French Morning-Frenchly’s annual Best Croissant in New York contest. There are 10 finalists, four of which are in our neck of the woods. The contest culminates in a live tasting event on Tuesday, May 19. Revisit our story on the neighborhood’s French influence here.

L’Appartement 4F’s founders inspired a new scent from haircare brand Dae: Vanilla Dae Beam.

Walgreen’s last Brooklyn Heights location (120 Court Street) is closing. The landlord reportedly terminated the lease, and there are plans to convert the building into a mixed-use residential. I have said this in friend group chats for years and will say it here now: We need a new kind of neighborhood pharmacy. I have ideas, if anyone’s interested.

Brad Lander’s trial (he got arrested in the fall for protesting ICE) has been postponed until June.

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Goings On

• The Longest Table returns to Brooklyn Heights tomorrow, and is featured in a brand-new Food52 piece.

• Smith Street Stage returns to Carroll Park tomorrow with Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar running from Saturday, May 16 to Sunday, June 7.

• Atlantic Avenue Day of Design kicks off tomorrow, May 16.

• Brooklyn Bridge Park will host a kite festival tomorrow, May 16 beginning at 11 a.m.

• The Red Hook Business Alliance is holding a weekend rummage sale starting tomorrow, May 16.

• The Cobble Hill Tree Fund will sell flowers and herbs as part of its spring plant sale tomorrow, May 16.

• Bathhouse, which just opened on Atlantic Avenue, is hosting a series of sauna rituals, a.k.a. Aufguss, led by the country’s top sauna masters on Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20 at the new location.

• Brooklyn-based tea atelier Forgrave is popping up at ByClio (400 3rd Avenue) for International Tea Day on Thursday, May 21. There will be special pastries, a black tea cake made with Boy’s Club and more from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Celebrate Brooklyn’s summer lineup includes a benefit show headlined by the legend herself Patti LaBelle on Friday, June 26 at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park. Every year, around the holidays, I revisit this Esquire story breaking down LaBelle’s infamous 1996 “This Christmas” performance. A true icon!

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One Last Thing

I am delighted to learn that Buttermilk Channel, like other gone-but-not-forgotten New York favorites, lives on in Tokyo. Field trip?

CSJ is in print! Starting this month, you'll find us inside the Red Hook Star-Revue.

Our debut “Open for Business” column is in the May issue. It’s a dispatch on spring openings throughout the neighborhood, including a first look at Trudie’s Tavern, a New American restaurant from RAD Restaurants founders Nate Adler and Rachel Jackson (Gertie, Gertrude’s). Think raw bar, rotisserie chicken and a “Keith McNally-style” vibe where Buttermilk Channel used to be. Read it digitally here, or pick up a copy wherever you find the Star-Revue.

We’d also love for you to subscribe to the Star-Revue’s newsletter. George Fiala has been covering this part of Brooklyn since 2010, and his organization just took home five statewide press awards. Their newsletter is worth having in your inbox.

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On CSJ

Caputo Bakery gets the Index treatment. CSJ Index is our running archive of the neighborhood businesses, institutions and characters that define this corner of Brooklyn. This week, we dug into the Grub Street piece that uncovered the real story behind Caputo Bakery’s closure, and wrote up everything worth knowing about what they did, what we’ll miss and why James Caputo more than earned his retirement. Read it here.

The Roundup

It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday. If you don’t yet know where to go, and you have little ones, consider these local spots featured in Grub Street’s 40 best restaurants for kids and parents feature: Cafe Spaghetti, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Insa, Gage and Tollner and Ingas Bar.

Grace Gray Faison, a sixth-generation Brooklyn Heights resident and Plymouth Church elder, died on April 26 at 101. A fixture of neighborhood life for decades, she was known for her sharp wit, quiet acts of charity and a knack for getting things done without asking permission — including rescuing a half-ton 1870s cast-iron bell that now anchors the Grace Faison Bell Garden at Plymouth Church. In 2022, she revealed that during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s she had secretly housed women in her Heights apartment while they obtained then-illegal abortions. Plymouth Church will celebrate her life at 4pm on Saturday, May 23.

Billy Durney, founder of Hometown Bar-B-Que and Red Hook Tavern, has opened a cocktail bar next door to Red Hook Tavern. Tavern Next Door serves disco-era cocktails from his brother Conor, plus snacks and a version of the Tavern burger. The concept is “based on one crazy night in Paris many years ago,” Durney wrote on Instagram.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined the Bergen Bike Bus on Wednesday to announce plans for 10-mile bike boulevards along Bergen and Dean Streets, running between Court Street in Cobble Hill and East New York Avenue in Ocean Hill. The city’s Department of Transportation will redesign both streets to prioritize cyclists and pedestrians while maintaining local vehicle access. The project is in early stages; DOT has opened a public feedback portal and will release design plans later this year.

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In real estate news: Lily Allen and David Harbour’s house sale reportedly fell through. The Sun broke the story, though the original article has since been taken down. A development site on Luquer Street in Carroll Gardens sold for $5.25 million. And a $17 million Cobble Hill townhouse — the neighborhood’s priciest listing — found a buyer after dropping $5 million off the ask.

Devoción Coffee is coming to Gowanus. The specialty coffee shop was one of four new tenants to sign a lease at Society Brooklyn.

The Six Bells is looking for a social media manager. Send your cover letter, resume, portfolio, and work samples to hiring@thesixbells.com.

Has anyone seen The Devil Wears Prada 2, yet? They filmed at Long Island Bar, which The Infatuation recently said has some of the best fries in the city.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que will serve its last meal on Wednesday, May 13.

Casa Tua, the global hospitality brand behind restaurants in Miami, Paris, Capri and Aspen, is bringing its food hall concept Cucina to One Hanson Place, the landmarked former Williamsburg Savings Bank building across from Atlantic Terminal. The Brooklyn outpost will feature a theatrical bar and dining area, with vendors rooted in Brooklyn and ethically-sourced ingredients. Opening is tentatively set for 2027.

Brooklyn College reversed course and will have graduating seniors walk across the stage at their May 28 commencement at Barclays Center. The school decided to skip the tradition for roughly 4,000 students due to time constraints, but reconsidered after thousands signed a petition.

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Goings On

• M.Patmos is hosting an “expressive repair” workshop tomorrow, May 9. Guests can bring an item in need of repair and a fresh perspective.

• The Garden Club is hosting a junk journaling event tomorrow, May 9 in partnership with KushKards. Cut, collage and make a DIY Mother’s Day card — all materials are provided, but best to bring your own journal, if you have one.

• Anaïs Wine Bar is hosting a strawberry rhubarb froyo pop-up on Sunday, May 10 — small-batch froyo brand Sourcherries will be serving the seasonal flavor with granola. Peak rhubarb season has arrived.

• Poppy’s is popping up with a spring happy hour on Thursday, May 14 — fresh bites, crisp wines, and oysters.

• Hudson Wilder will transform into a Phaidon bookstore as of Thursday, May 14, stocking rare and out-of-print titles alongside new releases and classics. The week includes conversations, book signings and other programming leading up to DUMBO Design Day on May 20.

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• The Columbia Street Waterfront Association and Carroll Gardens Association are hosting separate community forums with NY-10 congressional candidates Rep. Daniel Goldman and Brad Lander, both at Sacred Hearts & St. Stephen Community Room (125 Summit Street). Goldman’s forum is Saturday, May 16 from 1–2pm; Lander’s is Wednesday, May 20 from 5–6pm. The forums are non-partisan. Submit your questions here.

• Council Member Alexa Avilés’ office is hosting a free tour of Green-Wood Cemetery on Saturday, May 16, a chance to explore the landmark and learn about some of the notable figures buried there. Register by texting 646-276-0749.

• The Brooklyn Heights Association is gathering new moms and babies under 6 months for a free morning session of chatting and decompressing on Monday, May 18. It’s open to all for a first visit — after that, BHA membership is required to keep coming back.

• Filipino community organizer Sari-Sari Studios is throwing a line dancing party at Ace Hotel Brooklyn on Thursday, May 28 in honor of AAPI Heritage Month. Tickets are $25 — bring your best tinikling footwork.

One Last Thing

I so enjoyed this article about Pratt students who meet twice monthly to repair items of clothing together. I love the idea of young people breathing new life into an item someone with less patience and skill might have thrown away. “A moth hole is such a beautiful thing to have,” one, a junior, said. “It’s just an opportunity for something new.”

Who They Are
A fifth-generation family bakery that fed Carroll Gardens for 122 years. Founded in 1904 by Giovanni Caputo, a native of Palermo, and closed in April 2026 when a broken oven, and 25 years of 24/7 work, finally gave James Caputo permission to retire.

What They Did Best
The bread. Ciabatta rolls, twisted taralli, croissants, Sicilian loaves made at a loss because they mattered. Peter Luger bought it. Court Street Grocers bought it. Sam’s Pizzeria bought it. The Meat Hook built their Carroll Gardens sandwiches around it.

What We Had
The lard bread. The best in the neighborhood and at its prime straight out of the oven.

Why We Went Back
Because someone was always there. When Hurricane Sandy knocked out every other supplier, James showed up with bread. When Court Street Grocers couldn’t find the right hero roll, he went back and tweaked the recipe until it was right. More than a hundred years and five generations of showing up.

Need to Know
Closed as of April 27, 2026. The Italian-made Logiudice deck oven that anchored the bakery failed beyond repair. The steam generator gave out, deep in the building’s foundation, and replacing it would have meant weeks of shutdown and enormous cost. James was ready for a break. No health code violations, no landlord dispute — the family owned the building. A note: not affiliated with Caputo’s Fine Foods at 460 Court. Two separate families, two separate institutions, one shared street.

Caputo Bakery
329 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231

The Comfort of a Neighborhood Bakery

Caputo Bakery warmed the neighborhood for 122 years. One hundred twenty-two years.

It’s difficult to imagine what it takes to own and operate a family-run business for five generations and more than a century. The dedication, focus and humility needed to show up every day, even on the days you don’t feel like it, because people are counting on you — because they need their daily bread.

CSJ was the first to share news of the closure, on Monday afternoon. Thank you to reader JRapps for tipping us off. James Caputo, fifth generation owner-operator, had taped a farewell message to the neighborhood on the bakery’s front door, which has since been flooded with heartfelt responses and “we miss you’s.”

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The news came as a shock. Customers and businesses that sourced from Caputo’s were left blindsided by the abruptness of it, and speculation spread quickly online. James and his father John told 1010 Wins that they were closing the bakery so that James could retire.

A review of city records offers no support for rumors that the closure was due to health code violations. The building at 329 Court Street is owned by James and John themselves, ruling out a landlord dispute as a factor. The Department of Buildings records show several low pressure boiler violations dating back to 2009, a paperwork compliance issue common in older buildings.

A note: Caputo Bakery is not affiliated with Caputo’s Fine Foods, the Italian grocery at 460 Court — two separate families, two separate Court Street institutions.

Court Street Grocers, which sourced bread from Caputo’s for 14 years, shared their own farewell this week. The relationship began just after Hurricane Sandy, when James showed up with bread while every other supplier was unable to deliver. When they told him they hadn’t found the right roll for their heroes, he came back days later with exactly what they’d described, and tweaked the recipe for years after. “Any success we’ve had has been intertwined with theirs,” they wrote. “Man do they deserve a break.”

A huge hole has opened up at 329 Court Street. We wish the Caputo family a wonderful retirement, and I’d be remiss not to say I hope someone takes over the place and fires it up once more.

A Thousand Neighbors

CSJ crossed 1,000 subscribers last week! This number means a lot to me not because of what it says about growth, but because of what it represents: a thousand people who care about this neighborhood enough to invite this newsletter into their inbox every week. Thank you for reading, for sharing and for making CSJ what it is. We’re just getting started.

The Roundup

Timothy Brown, the Boerum Hill man beaten by NYPD detectives inside a liquor store near Hoyt and Baltic Streets, is now suing the city for $100 million. Brown, a home health aide and licensed security guard who was mistaken for a drug suspect, said at a press conference this week that he had no idea who the officers were before they grabbed and began punching him. His attorneys say the officers also failed to activate their body cameras, a violation of NYPD protocol.

Montero Bar shared a heartfelt farewell this week as the family prepares to pass the torch. “You weren’t just customers, you were part of our community and our family,” wrote the Montero family in a note to regulars — a fitting goodbye to a bar that has been an Atlantic Avenue institution for generations.

Red Hook Barrel Yard, a 40,000-square-foot waterfront complex at 185 Van Dyke Street featuring a winery, cidery and cocktail bar, opens May 9. The space uses ingredients grown exclusively by New York state farmers and has partnered with Brooklyn seafood restaurant Lundy’s (whose mozzarella sticks are apparently all the rage) for a waterfront menu. A distillery is set to follow later this year.

The Brooklyn Marine Terminal Development Corporation held its first open public meeting Thursday, marking a shift in transparency after the planning process for the 122-acre site was widely criticized for lacking public input. The EDC has committed to posting notices, materials and transcripts for all future task force meetings in advance. A reminder that public comments on the BMT Draft Scope of Work are due May 8 — next Friday.

Mayor Mamdani announced this week that NYC’s FIFA World Cup fan events will be free, reversing a plan from the Adams administration to charge admission. Brooklyn’s official fan zone will be at Emily Roebling Plaza in Brooklyn Bridge Park, running the full duration of the tournament from June 13 to July 19. Some residents near the park have raised concerns about the overlap with Fourth of July fireworks and the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe in Cobble Hill has closed, citing high rent in a note posted to its front door. Thank you to reader Ryan Tammaro for tipping us off. A second note, apparently left by a third party, appeared alongside it claiming the closure was due to seven months of unpaid rent — though CSJ has not been able to independently verify that claim.

Cobble Hill novelist Teddy Wayne kept a secret from his wife — also a novelist, also in the apartment — while writing his new thriller The Au Pair, about a middle-aged Brooklyn writer who cheats on his spouse with the au pair. He kept the plot from her as he wrote. She loved it.

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Goings On

• The Garden Club is celebrating its grand opening today, May 1, with a slew of activations that kick off at noon.

• The Poetry Society of America is accepting submissions for Storefront Poems, a project that will install up to five winning poems in the window of its Smith Street office for the month of August. Submit a single unpublished poem of 10 lines or fewer here.

• Gage & Tollner is hosting a special benefit dinner on Tuesday, May 5 honoring the legacy of Chef Edna Lewis. The evening celebrates the 50th anniversary of Lewis’ cookbook The Taste of Country Cooking and tickets include a copy of the anniversary edition. Reserve your seat here.

• The Gowanus Canal Conservancy is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a party at Powerhouse Arts on May 7, honoring Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez and the Gowanus Oversight Task Force, with a DJ set by Questlove and performances by Slavic Soul Party and Dionne. Get your ticket here.

• Atlantic Avenue is hosting a Day of Design on May 16 as part of the NYCxDESIGN festival, with corridor-wide programming offering an in-depth look at the district’s shops and studios. RSVP here.

• The Longest Table, a blocklong communal picnic featuring a table set for 700 people, returns for a second year in Brooklyn Heights on Saturday, May 16. RSVP here.

• Storm King Art Center has announced its summer live music lineup, with open-air performances from Kim Gordon (June 20), Black Country, New Road with Horsegirl (June 21), Devonté Hynes Ensemble (July 11) and Sun Ra Arkestra (August 15).

• Master bakers Graison Gill, Natasha Pickowicz and Patrick Shaw-Kitch are reuniting at Brooklyn Granary & Mill for the third edition of Old Grains of New York, a weekend-long intensive on whole grain baking. The class runs the weekend of July 25 and explores how flour connects to identity, origin and flavor. Get your ticket here.

• Neighbors & Makers, a street fair celebrating local makers, families and community, is coming to Smith Street on Saturday, October 17.

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One Last Thing

I’ve been subscribing to A.Word.A.Day — a newsletter that lands in my inbox every morning with a new word — for more than a decade. This week it sent me one that felt made for this neighborhood: pizzaiolo (peet-suh-YO-lo), meaning a pizza maker. Given that we live in what I’d argue is a pizza capital, and that Prince Street Pizza just opened on Smith last week — Naughty Slice goes off, backyard is beautiful — I couldn’t resist passing it along.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Caputo Bakery was in business for 124 years. It was established in 1904 and ran for 122 years.

New in the Neighborhood

My husband and I visited Bar Ferdinando last Friday evening. A food critic had arrived just before us, adding to the overall excitement. At the bar, young men in baseball caps and women in tube tops gabbed with one another. We ordered quite a few things; my favorites were the pane e panelle and the gamberi all’aglio e peperoncini. Also, the cheesecake dessert was not to be missed.

Did anyone visit Prince Street Pizza on opening day yesterday? I want to hear how it was! It looked like a movie. Also, what was Brooklyn Strategist will soon be Light Switch, a café by day and wine bar by night, The Strong Buzz reports.

Elsewhere

Sam’s Restaurant, a red-sauce Italian American institution dating back to 1930, is being refreshed. Georgia Fulton, a 12-year veteran of Long Island Bar, is in the final stages of renovating the space after six months working alongside owner Louis Migliaccio. With investment from Joel Tompkins, Long Island Bar co-owner, and Sam Premutico, a Sam’s regular, the restaurant will preserve key elements — the brick oven pizza, vintage murals, wooden telephone booths — longtime patrons love, while brightening the space, adding barstools and paring down the menu. Sam’s will maintain its longstanding relationships with Court Street stalwarts: bread from Caputo Bakery, meat from Staubitz Market and cookies from Court Pastry Shop.

Two NYPD officers have been placed on modified duty after a video showing them beating a man inside a liquor store near Hoyt and Baltic Streets in Boerum Hill went viral. The officers were conducting a buy-and-bust operation when they pursued a man into the store. Footage shows punches, bottles knocked from shelves and blood on the ground. The Brooklyn DA has since dropped the charges filed against the man. Commissioner Tisch called the video “upsetting” and said the Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating. Mayor Mamdani also weighed in, calling the officers’ conduct “extremely disturbing and unacceptable.”

A new Crain’s report adds a wrinkle to the Brooklyn Marine Terminal debate: Brad Lander, who is now running for Congress against Rep. Dan Goldman and has publicly questioned the $3.5 billion redevelopment plan, reportedly lobbied key task force members to support it last fall. Randy Mastro, former deputy mayor and ex officio chair of the BMT Development Corp., said he was “surprised to see him flip-flopping now.” Lander denies he lobbied or pressured anyone. The primary is June 23.

Two new city initiatives are putting green infrastructure front and center this spring. The Mamdani administration announced a $4.5 million, three-year pilot on Earth Day to train New Yorkers with histories of incarceration, homelessness or substance abuse for careers in stormwater management. The Gowanus Canal Conservancy is a supporting partner. Separately, the city unveiled its first-ever Urban Forest Plan, a long-term strategy to expand tree canopy coverage to 30 percent citywide by 2040, prioritizing neighborhoods with high heat vulnerability. Red Hook is already part of the story: more than 400 trees were lost to saltwater damage after Hurricane Sandy, and 176 have since been replaced, with hundreds more planned.

A Boerum Hill 3-K childcare site that had been shuttered since 2022 opened this week. The city had paid $5.1 million in rent for the site over the past four years.

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Goings On

• The deadline to submit public comments to the NY State DEC on a developer’s remediation plan for the Citizens Gas Works site — which community advocates say inadequately addresses contamination at the highly polluted Gowanus site slated for 900-plus residential units, a school and senior housing — is tomorrow, April 25. To submit, email aaron.fischer@dec.ny.gov with the subject line “Comments For C224012.” Voice of Gowanus even drafted email copy you can use.

• Harris Home on Henry Street is hosting Electric Lady Florals for an Earth Week pop-up with fresh bouquets and single stems tomorrow, April 25. A portion of sales will go to BloomAgainBklyn, a nonprofit that redistributes unsold flowers to vulnerable New Yorkers.

• Hoyt Street’s open street goes car-free from noon to 3 p.m. tomorrow, April 25 for an Earth Day celebration with free plant giveaways from the Horticultural Society of New York and kids’ activities from The Nature Company.

• Books Are Magic is hosting two story times tomorrow, Saturday April 25, a.k.a. the final day of the Brooklyn Indie Store Crawl. The first will be led by Harmonica Sunbeam and Drag Artists for Expression NYC, followed by a social justice-themed story time led by Mona Damluji.

• Literary editor Grace Perri Barnes is leading a five-week salon-style seminar on Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian at Index Greenpoint kicking off Tuesday, April 28. Tickets are available on a sliding scale starting at $180.

• The Red Hook Community Farm, Resilient Red Hook and Brooklyn Outdoor Service Guides are hosting a Riverkeeper Sweep cleanup at Valentino Pier Park next Saturday, May 2. Volunteers will collect trash and log what they find as part of a data collection initiative that informs Riverkeeper’s advocacy for policies reducing single-use plastic waste. Register here.

One Last Thing

A wood-shingled Brooklyn Heights home, believed to date back to 1790 and filled with Donald Judd furniture, is on the market for $4.9 million. Owner Elisabeth Cunnick is a former art dealer who used to run A/D Gallery, which specialized in utilitarian objects by artists like James Turrell and Richard Tuttle. She was also the sole New York dealer of Donald Judd furniture, which explains all the pieces in the home.