Is Counterfeit Triangle Disappearing?

via Tom Giebel

The city has been busting up the counterfeit shops of Canal Street for a little while now, and the NY Press is wondering how the disappearance of the peddlers is now taking its toll on legit businesses. The locals there are declaring that "Canal Street will join Times Square, Astor Place, the Lower East Side, the Garment District and all the other former centers of down-and-dirty capitalist grit that have been safely gentrified." One watch seller in the area told the paper, “It was a nice hustle while it lasted," but soon franchises and fancy hotels will take over the spots where independents used to operate out of (Starbucks just offered one man $12,000 a month for his corner storefront). [via Curbed]

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By Jen Carlson in News on January 21, 2010 5:25 PM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

We'll always have Willets Point...wait,

alheim

You couldn't get counterfeit goods at Willet's Point. Only crappy car repairs.

unsunghiro

i hope they don't raze chinatown. it's the only neighborhood in manhattan i go to for dining on the cheap.

but whether or not it happens, flushing, sunset park, and bensonhurst will still be around.

JacqueMehoff

for cheap eats, I go outside of Chinatown proper, east of the Bowery. I hope they don't get priced out.

I find the Mcdonalds on canal street always busy.

it's amazing how cheap some stuff are, I'm sure it's even cheaper in sunset park.

Gwinny

If you do ever make it out to Sunset Park, you should try Oceana for dim sum. Out of this world, and well worth the trip.

longacre

When was the Garment District gentrified?

Tower18

This actually seems like the exact opposite of Times Square. CURRENTLY nobody but tourists goes there. Maybe post-gentrification, all the "real New Yorkers" will go there.

Person 1: "Bloomberg is killing Canal St."

Person 2: "Yeah for real! I don't even go down there anymore"

Person 1: "When were you there last?"

Person 2: "The weekend I moved to NYC"

Person 1: "Yeah me too!"

In Unison: "Damn Bloomberg"

maxli

Sorry to break the news to you, but Chinese people live and work and shop in Chinatown. Please forgive us for not being "real New Yorkers". So, do we CURRENTLY belong in the nobody group or the tourist group?

Tower18

Any by Chinatown, you mean Little Italy, right?

Okay, in all seriousness, that's a fair point. But this article specifically referenced the counterfeit industry on Canal St., which I doubt many Chinese patronize, and those that are employed...well...that's a whole 'nother discussion about the legitimacy of employment selling contraband.

thefacts

So true.

Armchair_warrior

another lily white area of nyc in about a few years.

longacre

Good, it smells worse than Staten Island in its current state.

Viane Delgado

This is a good article.

zodak

rotflmao!

Såkandulæredet

I bought a Galvin Klein wallet there some years ago. It fell apart as soon as I put my cards and money into it. Ahh the memories

Guest

It's not about the counterfeiters. Bloomberg wants to rezone/gentrify Chinatown out of existence.

Gwinny

What about the bike path near South Street Seaport, the tunnel under Bryant Park between the BDFV and the 7, and the platform at 53rd and Lex? There are still plenty of counterfeiters there. Always.