One of my favorite things to do in NYC is play storefront speculation. When I lived in Hell’s Kitchen, it was pretty simple to guess what was coming into a renovated store: either a Thai restaurant or another Irish pub.
That might be a stretch, but it’s still a fun game to play. My neighborhood isn’t the most daring and outgoing of experimentations when it comes to new shops and restaurants. When I first moved to NYC, a friend lived at this subway stop, so I know that the currently-under-construction front used to house Dunkin Donuts before they hopped across the street to open their combination Dunkin/Baskin-Robbins doohickey.
Since reconstruction began on the old site, I’ve watched it with growing fascination, and my BF and I have speculated over and over regarding what it could be. Would it be that symbol of NYC neighborhood gentrification, Starbucks? Another little discount clothing store a la VIM? A bodega (we don’t need anymore; there’s 6 on that block alone!)?
Starbucks or not, our money continued to be bet on it being a coffee shop of some kind. Now that the windows are in and you can see inside, it does appear to be a coffee shop.
We’re ever so hopeful it’s not another Irish pub.