Amid community unrest, American Place clothing store cleans up its act

BY MATTHEW LYSIAK
SPECIAL TO NEWS

Tuesday, November 20th 2007, 4:00 AM

Now, that's an American Place.

The community spoke, and American Place, a bargain clothing store that opened last month in Bay Ridge and is preparing to set up shop in Bensonhurst, listened.

A week after residents outraged by cartons of cheap clothing on the sidewalk outside the store said "not in my neighborhood," the retailer has changed course and cleaned up its act.

"The outside bins were just a promotion to let everyone know we arrived, but everything is cleaned up now," said American Place owner Raymond Smour. "We like to open with a big bang."

If creating a stir was the goal, mission accomplished. Residents flooded Community Board 10 with complaints after American Place Bay Ridge's Oct. 16 opening, saying that large cardboard cartons with clothing, bedding and footwear overflowed onto the store's sidewalk.

Smour said he was shocked by the uproar, especially since when he had opened his other five stores in the city, there weren't complaints, only consumers flocking to his 99-cent shirts and heavily discounted merchandise.

"I've never gotten a reaction like this before, but now that I know, I have made some changes."

But the timing is far from coincidental. The merchant's concession comes ahead of another anxiety-riddled American Place opening, this one on the site of what had been an 86th St. catering institution, the Oriental Manor.

To fend off problems at the Bensonhurst store, Councilman Vince Gentile (D-Bay Ridge) intervened to let Smour know that South Brooklyn residents don't appreciate a mess.

"They have already taken all their clothing inside, painted the walls and promised to continue to keep everything orderly," Gentile said after meeting with Smour. "They just needed to be brought in line with our community's expectations."

The victory was long and grueling, especially for residents hoping the Bay Ridge spot would become a grocery.

The store, at Senator St. and Fourth Ave., originally was rumored to become a Waldbaum's after a Duane Reade pharmacy closed in August, but when the store's doors reopened, shoppers were instead greeted by the large cardboard bins that quickly became the talk of the town.

But now that American Place is taking its business inside, at least one resident, who called the new store an "abomination" is warming up to the new retailer, albeit with some reservations.

"That's beautiful news, I'm so glad they finally got all that stuff off the sidewalk," said Diane Hunt, 62, who lives down the street. "But I'm still not sure what made them think that was an acceptable way to sell merchandise in Bay Ridge."

Bay Ridge store gets dressing-down from neighborhood

BY MATTHEW LYSIAK
Tuesday, November 6th 2007, 4:00 AM

It's no Century 21!

Bay Ridge residents are tossing their hangers at American Place, a bargain clothing store that opened last month that they say has become an eyesore - while local officials are questioning its legality.

"Residents don't like messes, and this place is an absolute disaster," said Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann.

"The sidewalks are blocked, clothes are thrown all over the place and last week when it rained, we got complaints that there was wet underwear all over the sidewalk.

"This just isn't Bay Ridge," Beckmann said.

The store, at Senator St. and Fourth Ave., originally was rumored to become a Waldbaum's after a Duane Reade pharmacy there closed in August.

Talks of a long-overdue quality supermarket sparked excitement from residents.

But when the store's doors reopened on Oct. 16, instead of fresh meats and produce, shoppers were greeted by large cardboard cartons overflowing with last season's clothing, bedding and footwear bursting onto the sidewalk.

"It looks like a tacky eyesore that makes the whole neighborhood look shabby," said Tony Innocete.

"It's like a giant 99-cent store that has clothing piled everywhere."

The new storefront quickly became a hot topic for local blogs, where residents vented their fears of a broader community trend of mom-and-pop shops disappearing into an abyss of discount stores.

"It's a disgrace to the neighborhood, and I've never seen such an abomination in my whole life," said Diane Hunt, 62, who lives down the street from the new store.

"It is disgusting that officials tell us they are trying to clean our neighborhood up and then they let this place open up."

The Sanitation Department has fined the bargain outlet several times for violating the 3-foot limit stores are allowed for sidewalk displays.

The business also is violating the building code by operating on the second floor without a permit, said Beckmann, who is planning to ask American Place to rein itself in.

That effort may be futile.

"Come back in two weeks when I am finished adding my new men's department in the basement," said a man who identified himself as the store's manager but wouldn't give his name. "Unless you are here for my green card I have nothing further to say."