Starbucks coming to the Bowery?

By Matthew Lysiak
Special to AM New York
The fresh aroma of coffee—I wanna be sedated.
At least that’s the refrain coming out of the Bowery after word hit the blogs that a Starbucks may be taking over the former Adams Restaurant Supply store on the southwest corner of Bowery and Houston was leaked on the web.
A representative for the coffee titan, who declined to be named, wouldn’t deny the move, but was quick to add that “a lease hasn’t been signed.” The Department of Buildings Web site says the property is owned by NH Lyons Inc.
Still, residents weren’t waiting for the ink to dry to lament the Bowery’s transition from gritty neighborhood to what they fear will be just another over-commercialized city neighborhood.
"The talk of Starbucks coming is just another obvious sign of the change that is happening to the Bowery,” said Lisa Price, who is the editor of Racked.com, a blog about shopping, neighborhood stores and retail. “It is depressing to watch the neighborhood moving into this homogenized way of life.”
The change has also been difficult for many long time residents to digest.
That’s because the Bowery was long regarded as a low-rent working-class neighborhood. Residents endured high-crime rates and poverty, but were united by the communities rugged reputation that held its ground even as the rest of Manhattan appeared to shift.
It was also this anti-establishment attitude that famously spawned CBGB, a punk-rock music club that became a counter-culture hot spot in the 1970s and featured bands like the Ramones belting out hits like “I Wanna be Sedated.” But last year a landlord dispute led to the club’s closing and speculation is that the spot will now reopen as a bank.
That isn’t the only change. In recent years the cost of housing has finally up with the rest of the city and local businesses were quick to reflect the new clientele. This a signaled shift away from the hotbed of kitchen and restaurant supply stores that once anchored the neighborhood.
But long time residents will tell you that despite the recent attention, the real Bowery died long ago and that gourmet coffee isn’t to blame.
“If you haven’t noticed the change around here, you’re eyes have been closed,” said Trini Millet, who has worked for 17 years at Billy’s Antiques, which is located directly across from the site on the other side of Houston. “This neighborhood took the real turn about seven or eight years ago.”
Millet thinks change was inevitable, but still mourns the loss of community.
“When there is less and less of what is familiar in life it begins to make people feel numb,” added Millet. “There just aren’t many neighborhoods left—not even at the Bowery.”