Amy’s Closing?

by Bob Fagelson | Questions & Answers | 3509 Views

I heard that Amy’s is closing. Is there any truth to this?

Comments | 4

  • Submitted by KAlden on May 21, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Sadly, it's true. Sometime in

    Sadly, it’s true. Sometime in early June, I have heard. Huge loss.

    • Submitted by tomaidh on May 21, 2015 at 2:24 pm

      Sunset - Sunrise:

      The owners (Becky Jones & her partner) are putting the finishing touches on the resurrected Elliot Street Cafe (Cor. Elliot & Elm – diagonally across from the firehouse).
      Dubbed “The Restless Rooster”, it will be opening in June, offering Breakfast, Coffee & Tea.
      I will report any new information.

      • Submitted by KAlden on May 21, 2015 at 6:28 pm

        It's great that a new place

        It’s great that a new place is opening up in that spot. But, Amy’s closing will still leave a huge gap in the downtown eating scene- especially for lunches.
        I wonder how a cafe will do only serving breakfasts?

    • Submitted by Robyn Flatley on May 21, 2015 at 6:19 pm

      This feels really sad. I am

      This feels really sad. I am so in love with Amy’s food. Bummer.

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Amy’s Closing

by KAlden | Food | 6621 Views

I just found out that Amy’s Bakery and Cafe will be closing their doors in early June. This will be a huge blow to Main Street and one less reason to visit downtown. Amy’s has been kind of a linchpin for Main Street. How many of us have made plans to ” meet at Amy’s”?  I wonder how much longer the rest of the long time businesses will be able to survive in an environment that is not kind to small businesses. I wonder if we will even be able to recognize Main Street in 5 or 6 years. This is a shame and this wonderful little cafe will be greatly missed.

Comments | 19

  • Submitted by Vidda on May 21, 2015 at 6:59 am

    "Meet me at Amy's"

    I can’t imagine Main Street without Amy’s either. The Works is okay but I’d prefer an alternative.

    But I do imagine that you’re right about Main Street becoming unrecognizable to long time residents, although we all expect businesses and residences will survive; it’s just a question of what kinds. Its very location secures its future.

    • Submitted by KAlden on May 21, 2015 at 8:05 am

      It's the "what kinds" I'm

      It’s the “what kinds” I’m worried about. Every town that relies on tourism has a cafe in their downtown area. People can only eat so many burgers.
      Someone mentioned to me that Amy’s closing had a kind of ” there goes the neighborhood” feel to it. I can’t say I disagree.

  • Submitted by annikee on May 21, 2015 at 7:15 am

    Sad news

    I’m sorry to hear this. Amy’s will be sorely missed.

  • Submitted by cgrotke on May 21, 2015 at 7:28 am

    wonder why

    It would be interesting to know why. Did the Works chain put the nail in the coffin? Loss of Brooks House for so long? Co-op selling cakes? Retirement? Something else?

    This leaves us with a big hole, in terms of a local downtown bakery.

    • Submitted by KAlden on May 21, 2015 at 8:01 am

      There is a post on Amy's FB

      There is a post on Amy’s FB page saying she is closing for financial and other reasons. I honestly can’t imagine downtown Brattleboro without Amy’s. There is really nowhere else that offers the extensive offerings for lunch that Amy’s does; add the very good bakery items and a water view plus outside seating in warm weather and there is nothing even close. The Works is okay but just doesn’t have the same feel not to mention the wonderful dill chicken salad! I’m sad.

  • Submitted by scrispe on May 21, 2015 at 9:32 am

    God help this town if Sam's

    God help this town if Sam’s ever closes. That’s the most recognizable downtown business to me as a resident and lifelong Vermonter.
    Sam’s and also Latchis.

    I was really bummed when Milagros closed because it was great to have somewhere in town to pick up a burrito. I would’ve thought a Mexican take out place would do well in this town. Who doesn’t love Burritos??!

    Spencer

    • Submitted by cgrotke on May 21, 2015 at 10:06 am

      True

      I love CHEAP burritos. We used to get them in Boston for about $4 or $5 – big and filled with rice and beans, &c.

      Retail is very hard these days. It seem like rent and overhead make it almost impossible to bring in healthy profits. Sam’s will likely close someday, which will leave an enormous hole downtown.

      (The Town, cough cough, ahem, could take a small step and reduce the fee and fines for filling in a business form each year on a website. There is no reason for it to cost $50+ each year. It doesn’t make or break a business, certainly but it adds to the death by a thousand cuts.)

      I liked John Allen’ s suggestion at the most recent SB mtg. to investigate if the parking system is actually necessary. It certainly seems that it has not had the effect of helping or improving business for anyone downtown, and frustrates many, leading to them shop elsewhere. The “perception” is that our parking is something to avoid.

      • Submitted by Rosa Bonheur on May 21, 2015 at 11:28 am

        Recently had a conversation

        Recently had a conversation with a small business owner and was shocked to hear what the yearly taxes were for a business that has such a small net profit. I also feel that the downtown storefront rents do not reflect the amount of foot traffic hence possible income that most stores there would make. Which is why there’s been nothing but turnover downtown since I’ve been here. You’ve got NYC rents in a town with about a quarter of the foot traffic.

  • Submitted by cgrotke on May 21, 2015 at 12:20 pm

    Not selling?

    Someone asked me a good question – why isn’t this business, with equipment, in a good location, and local support being sold to someone?

    • Submitted by Rosa Bonheur on May 21, 2015 at 12:24 pm

      Perhaps, as a former NY

      Perhaps, as a former NY governoral candidate once said, “Rents are too damn high”!

    • Submitted by KAlden on May 21, 2015 at 12:44 pm

      I think, as Rosa also

      I think, as Rosa also mentioned, that the rents and taxes for retail space in this town is totally out of proportion to the area. Brattleboro has some of the most exorbitant commercial rents in all of southern Vermont and even higher than some Western Mass areas. I was once told that landlords can ask such high rents because Brattleboro is a ” coveted tourist destination.” Maybe that was once true but I’m not so sure that’s an accurate statement any longer. Tourists like to be able to visit a vibrant downtown with interesting shops and good restaurants including ethnic restaurants and a comfortable cafe to have a leisurely lunch in. As more and more once successful businesses close their doors there are fewer things to draw people here. A big parade once a year just doesn’t cut it in terms of being a destination spot. I wonder why the BABB or Downtown Alliance or whatever it is called now- doesn’t do more to support and help keep the businesses we have. I don’t think any of this bodes well for our downtown area or the town in general.

      • Submitted by annikee on May 21, 2015 at 8:19 pm

        Agreed

        The high rents make for costly goods which regular Brattlefolks can’t afford to buy. This is all increasingly unsustainable.

        • Submitted by mr.mike on May 22, 2015 at 5:00 pm

          Consider the Source

          Wow Annikee you just explained the concept of economics you hate…. Capitalism.
          Rents are high because taxes are high. But hey, we love Socialism in Vermont. You see the economic collapse is finally coming to fruition here. Some tried to tell you it would. I wonder how many VY folks have contributed to downtown like they have in other areas.
          You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. This is just the beginning.

          • Submitted by annikee on May 22, 2015 at 10:40 pm

            yada yada

            How astute of you Mikey. Yes, and why modern capitalism fails. The taxes are high in Bratt mainly because of the schools. The rents are high because landlords can charge what they want. A capitalistic failure that will collapse. Thank you for agreeing with me, comrade.

          • Submitted by ADavis on May 26, 2015 at 7:14 am

            why rents are high

            Yes, certainly taxes are one of many expenses that property owners factor into the rent. However, they are not the only factor and it is simplistic (idealogical) to simply use downtown Brattleboro rents to kick socialism – which, by the way, we do not have around here.

            I spoke to a downtown landlord and was surprised to hear of two reasons for high rents in downtown Brattleboro that I had had been unaware of:

            1) Higher rents keep certain kinds of less profitable businesses out of downtown
            2) Higher rents influence the assessed value of a property

            If a landlord were to charge lower rent – say to a dollar store, or the Salvation Army – then the assessed value of the property would decrease over time, thus reducing the value of the capital investment of the owners.

            It is pure capitalism to keep the rents high, hoping for higher value (return) in the long run for the owner/investors. Gentrification is part of capital accumulation.

            I believe we need a way to diversify our downtown making it attractive to a wider range of customers. This may be impossible under capitalism as practiced in Vermont today.

            Andy

          • Submitted by Rosa Bonheur on May 26, 2015 at 8:25 am

            Property Owners

            While property owners may feel that their rents keep certain kinds of profitable businesses out of downtown hence keeping their property values high, this approach is not going to work if they cannot keep the storefronts filled with businesses.

            At the time I moved here the downtown rents weren’t that far off from the storefront rents in the Village in NYC where you have a tremendous amount of street traffic. I can only assume that some of the owners of downtown buildings have no need to keep income coming in (inherited property perhaps)?

            We’re not talking lowering rents so a dollar store can come in, or at least I’m not, I”m just talking about lowering rents enough that a small and interesting business can open up and have enough time without too high an overhead to get established and stay downtown and in business longer than a year or two.

            I’ve been saddened by the amount of turnover there has been downtown since I’ve been here and I speculate that some of it is rents too high to compensate for the amount of street traffic hence customers. Personally any opinion Mike has about this issue isn’t based on anything of substance so those comments I don’t credit. Who does own the majority of those buildings? I’m curious.

          • Submitted by KAlden on May 26, 2015 at 8:50 am

            I don't think anyone is

            I don’t think anyone is looking to have another dollar store or any other store that sells plastic junk. But some of our most interesting businesses have closed or are closing due to how unaffordable the rents are. Diverse businesses are not only good for tourism but make a town more vibrant and welcoming for residents. I hated to see the wonderful Brattleboro Cheese Shop close; Milagros, Verde and now Amy’s added to the special feel to our downtown.
            The landlords that are so entrenched in their high rents should ask themselves just how many empty storefronts a town can recover from and perhaps do their part to help small, independent businesses stay in business.

          • Submitted by ADavis on May 26, 2015 at 10:01 am

            clarification

            I was not recommending adding a dollar store to our downtown – simply using that as an example of a different kind of store that has a local clientele but is not viewed as very trendy. We have 3-4 dollar stores and less expensive restaurants in Brattleboro – just none in the downtown area.

            Variety is the spice of life and the secret of success in ecology… and just about everywhere else!

            Andy

          • Submitted by KAlden on May 26, 2015 at 11:12 am

            Andy, I knew you weren't

            Andy, I knew you weren’t advocating for another dollar store on Main Street because…really..how many glow in the dark necklaces does one town need? I guess I feel that I have to call bs on that particular reason for keeping the rents sky high. Other than Sam’s there isn’t a retail space downtown that is big enough to entice a Dollar store or even a large thrift store like the Salvation Army. The downtown commercial sites are built to house smaller businesses and it’s usually independent businesses that are attracted to a town’s Main Street.
            Maintaining that the landlords purposely keep the rents high to keep out the “riff raff” (my words not yours) does not ring true to me. I think it’s probably more that the retail property owners want to keep as many dollars in their pockets as possible. Many of them are not even open to trying to find a solution to keeping a small business as a tenant. They’d rather have small franchise stores as tenants because that’s who they can get the most money from.
            I imagine in just a very few years there will only be chain/ franchise businesses on Main Street and Brattleboro will be one more look alike, not very interesting town.

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