Just a heads up for those wondering what’s up on Varet next to Golden Stitches: Williamsburg-based Post Bike Shop will be moving to 257 Varet Street and the storefront will also host separate sneaker and barber shops — a sort of mini-department store of neighborhood services and aside from Eastern District‘s single clothing rack, Morgantown‘s first apparel establishment.
It will join what at a glance seems an unlikely commercial block with Cafe Orwell, Green Fitness Studio, and the New York Loft Hostel.
We’ll revisit them in January and give you the full story.
Brandon December 22nd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Cool. But can we please stop calling it “Morgantown”? That’s in West Virginia.
Jeremy Sapienza December 22nd, 2009 at 5:12 pm
No, because though I hate it, and used it originally off-the-cuff without thinking it through, too many people refer to it that way now to pretend anyone can change it now. Though that would be a good test of media strength, it could just add to more confusion.
Matt December 23rd, 2009 at 10:51 am
Who run Morgantown?
Masterblaster run Morgantown!
John Dereszewski December 23rd, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I am actually warming up to the Morgantown designation for this rather unique community. For one thing, the alternatives just don’t work. Calling this a part of East Williamsburg drowns this area into a much larger community that mostly does not share its unique characteristics. Calling it a part of Bushwick also – at least for the present – does not work since no area north of Flushing Ave. has been considered part of Bushwick for nearly a century. (This may, in fact, be changing.) The physical lay out of Morgantown is also very different – with only a few exceptions – from that encountered in Bushwick proper.
But calling the area Morgantown maintains the distinctive quality of the community at a time when it continues to develop its unique characteristics. Unless one can come up with a better name – and let’s hear some possible alternatives – I opt for Morgantown!
Mjay December 23rd, 2009 at 10:15 pm
AGREED! it’s it’s own thingy-ma-jig
armstrong December 24th, 2009 at 1:13 am
I am the originator of “Morgantown.” Research my past posts and weep.
chillinoncentral December 24th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Morgantown is so unique to any other place in New York City, and such a friendly community… it has huge lofts and eccentrically-designed streets, great cafés and restaurants to visit, lots of artists and art galleries… and a sinister darkness that comes with being one of the most interesting places in New York. The additions, like this apparel store, are simply fantastic.
John Dereszewski December 24th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
This discussion got me to think of a time when the Bushwick-Williamsburg boundary could have been reset to shift what we now know as Morgantown into Bushwick.
The time was 1976 when, after the approval of the City Charter amendments that increased the powers of Community Boards and dictated that City services be delivered cotermonously with Community Districts, the City came up with a plan to re-draw the borders between the Willliamsburg and Bushwick districts which, as now, was set along Flushing Ave. The City’s plan, which was drawn to accommodate the Sanitation Dept’s. narrow needs, was dreadful. Essentially it would have thrown all of Williamsburg situated south of Grand St. and east of Union Ave. – i.e., Williamsburg Houses, Lindsey Park Houses, Bushwick-Hylan Houses, the Graham Ave. shopping district, as well as Morgantown – into Bushwick.
Well, the affected Williamsburg residents went crazy and the Bushwick leadership did not want totally different neighborhoods dumped into their community. As a member of the Greenpoint-Williamsburg Community Board (CB1) and an aide to local Councilmenber Luis Olmedo, I played an important role in organizing opposition to this proposal and urging retention of the status quo. (It became an important selling point when I sought the CB4 District Manager position in 1977.)
While – unlike most other communities that experienced similar problems – we totally won this fight, there was a time when we needed to consider a possible compromise arrangement. The one that I put together would have established a western boundary at White St. and a northern one at Johnson Ave. In other words, this would have essentially placed what we now know as Morgantown – but no other Williamsburg neighborhood – into the Bushwick Community District. Fortunately – or perhaps not – the City quickly caved in to our demands and agreed to continue the boundary at Flushing Ave.
Thought you might find this “road not taken” interesting.
Dresden December 30th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Even as I’ve sworn off posting here – it SHOULD have been called “MOJO” – Morgan / Jefferson. Much more appealing.