09/24/2018
Yeah...I'm not gonna lie. This is upsetting. On so many levels. If you can, try to bear with me until the end. We've watched these guys (see below) do wonders in the neighborhood. In fact, we've admired what they've done. Frankies, Prime Meat, Pedlar...I mean BOOM! Being neighbors of Pedlar (and by that I mean DIRECTLY across the street neighbors, on the SAME SIDE of the street neighbors), we frequented and enjoyed their coffee joint, Pedlar (and by WE I mean ourselves along with all of our employees, even offering customers who wanted a cup of coffee after their meal a chance to go grab a cup at Pedlar and come back and enjoy). See, that's what the neighborhood has been about. And we LOVED how amazingly popular their places were because it only made things better for the neighborhood. Of course, the neighborhood has changed. But each and every time we have looked for a location for a restaurant we have made sure that we stay clear of any of our neighbors' establishments. Because you just don't do that. You don't open a barbershop next to your neighbor's barber shop. You don't open a hair salon right next to your neighbor's hair salon. Because even if the neighborhood has changed the respect for the community hasn't. This neighborhood rocks. Some restaurant owners know Jimmy Kimmel ("The Franks") and have amazing signs gifted to their restaurants. And we celebrate that and think "this neighborhood is so amazing." Some of us sweat and ache ("Me"), hand-painting our logos on the walls, while friends stop by with lunch or coffee (sometimes Pedlar) to keep our momentum going. Neither one is better than the other. Until you open right next door to each other. After 13 years on Court Street, our new neighbors will be "The Franks" except not with Pedlar anymore. This time they're doing...you guessed it...pizza. They're not just doing pizza. They're bringing in Umberto from Long Island, their pizza God and getting the New York Times and Eater.com to tell you how exciting it's all going to be. And it IS all exciting. You just don't do it right next door to your neighbor's pizza establishment. "The Franks" endeavors won't be so exciting for us this time. Because my husband stays up nights making sure he's doing right by the neighborhood. A twenty-five cent increase in price requires days of thought and consideration and gives him a little agita. He's not done trying to make sure that people can get in and out having a good meal for under (ok maybe for around) 20 dollars. But "The Franks" are ready to move on. They are ready to cater to the multi-million dollar brownstone community. “When we first opened Frankies, we just wanted people to get in and out for under $20,” Mr. Castronovo said. Now, as the brownstones around their Brooklyn businesses sell for several millions of dollars, the restaurateurs want to redirect their efforts." Again, that's just amazing! You just don't do it without thinking about your neighbor. They will make what is already a tough business even tougher for us. We're going be okay, though. We've had such loyal customers for the last 13 years. We'll keep working hard to do what we do. But we know that our friends and neighbors also love Frankies. We were just hoping they would never have to choose whether to enter the doors to the left or the doors to the right when showing their love for both of us. There is room for comment at the end of the Times article as well as the Eater.com article. Feel free to chime in if you agree this wasn't the best and kindest idea they've had.
https://ny.eater.com/2018/9/18/17873642/prime-meats-frankies-457-frankie-umberto
The team behind Frankies 457 Spuntino plan to add a slice shop with a Long Island pizza star; a natural wine bar; and a dining room that takes reservations.
