May 23, 2008
Smaller Park Slope Tea Lounge to Close Soon
Brooklyn Paper has it that the smaller, funkier Tea Lounge in Park Slope, on Seventh Avenue and Tenth Street, is to close at the end of July. And you’ll never in a million years guess what the reason is! Turns out an obscene rent hike is forcing the neighborhood hang-out to move along and make room for, most likely, a Corcoran real estate office. Where have we heard this tune before?
And so the tumbleweeds of Park Slope’s Seventh Avenue ghost town drift further south. Opened in 2001, Tea Lounge initially signaled the neighborhood’s growing gentrification; now, like Saturn devouring his young, that insatiable gentrifying beast has come home to feed. Owner Greg Wolf tells the BP his landlord wants to double the rent: “At the price our landlord wants, we would have to sell a coffee to everyone in the borough every single day.”
It’s too bad, because with its funky, mismatched furniture, shameless Grateful Dead soundtrack and wide array of teas, the lounge was the only place in the area offering that communal, West Coast coffee house vibe. You just don’t get the same ambiance in a Duane Reade, but at least the bigger Tea Lounge on Union is still open… for now.
Photo of Tea Lounge exterior during a stroller gang rally courtesy Kansas Liberal.
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This is a blow to hipsters and baby strolling mothers everywhere.
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Though I don't tote the required accoutrement for lounging at the tea lounge (baby or mac laptop) I've had some nice times at this tea lounge and will be very sad to see either the:
A. starbucks
B. bank
C. real estate office
D. overpriced "how the hell do they stay in business" boutique with only 1 of each item hanging daintily on a hanger
that comes in its place.
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aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw gaddamnit! I love this place
:(
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I had a couple nice moments in this tea lounge too. I was telling a group of my friends about my difficult and ridiculous relationship situation once, and made a new friend out of some guy who overheard and found it entertaining.
Although, on the other hand, I heard a story about some toddler losing ass on some of the couches there. I don't think I went back after that.
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Damn, that place was great and much more inviting than the bigger Tea Lounge on Union. Keep sucking, New York!
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Not necessarily a hipster hang out, but the babies were annoying. However, the backgammon, cheap wine, good coffee, and playing of full albums made it all worth it. This place will be missed.
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Bummer, I met one of my best friends there.
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It couldn't have happened to a more deserving set of people.
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#2 hit the nail on the head with that one. Hello, new overpriced parasitic real estate office!