PROSPECT-LEFFERTS GARDENS — On the main commercial drag of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Flatbush Avenue, it’s no big thing to see new businesses come and go.
But a few blocks east on Rogers and Nostrand avenues, new storefronts have been a little rarer — until the past few months when a slew of new spots, including an organic juice bar, custom dessert shop and locally sourced market, opened up with at least four more set to open soon.
For music lovers, there’s The Owl Music Parlor, a live venue and bar coming in the fall to the storefront next to Gratitude Cafe on Rogers Avenue and Midwood Street. For south-of-the-border foodies, there’s Empanada City and Oaxaca Taqueria. And for those with a sweet tooth, there’s Desserts by Michael Allen, a confectionery with house-made gelato and chocolate set to open any day.
To keep track of all the new spots — and make it easier to try them all — DNAinfo New York rounded-up the soon-to-open businesses in the area in the below map. Check out what’s coming to your block here:
OPENING SOON
Desserts by Michael Allen, 1149 Nostrand Ave.
Confection expert Michael Allen is bringing his brand of sweets from Clinton Hill to Prospect-Lefferts Gardens in a new shop to open any day now on Nostrand Avenue between Rutland Road and Midwood Street. He told DNAinfo the new spot would have cakes, tarts, ice cream, gelato, house-made chocolates as well as sandwiches, quiche and coffee.
Empanada City, 363 Lincoln Rd.
This first business by Briant Almonte, his wife and her parents will feature classic and “signature” empanadas with fillings such as a Cuban (ham, cheese and pickles,) and an avocado club (chicken, tomato, cheese, bacon and avocado). Almonte hopes to use flavors from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico — where he and his wife are from, respectively — when they open the new space this fall.
Oaxaca Taqueria, 406 Rogers Ave.
This organic Mexican food spot will be the 10th for Oaxaca Taqueria, which has nine other stores in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The shop, which specializes in locally sourced, to-go Mexican food, will open soon at the corner of Rogers Avenue and Sterling Street and may serve wine and beer eventually, according to a recent liquor license application to the local community board.
The Owl Music Parlor, 497 Rogers Ave.
Bandmates Oren Bloedow and Jennifer Charles hope to bring avant-garde and eclectic musical acts to this new bar and performance space, set to open this fall. The pair are the founding members of the art rock group Elysian Fields and lifelong musicians, saying they hope to bring curated live music to the 50-seat space, which Bloedow he has been renovating for six years.
OPENED
House of Juice, 642 Rogers Ave.
This brand new all-organic juice bar is bringing smoothies, salads and “smoothie bowls” (picture the smoothie ingredients served with the puree) to the neighborhood at a renovated space on Rogers Avenue and Parkside Avenue. The shop had its grand opening Sunday and offers its “garden-to-cup” menu in store or for delivery.
I.M. Pastry Studio, 1131 Nostrand Ave.
Custom desserts are the specialty at this bakery that opened in mid-April on the corner of Nostrand Avenue and Midwood Street. The store creates cupcakes, cookies and cakes for special events or serves waffles, doughnuts and pastries to in-house customers. The shop is the first brick-and-mortar location for I.M. Pastry, formerly run online only by its co-owners Tiffany Washington, Jo-Laine Duke Collins and Tamika Young.
Pels Pie Co., 446 Rogers Ave.
A good slice of pie is the focus at Pels Pie Co., a new cafe opened in April between Lefferts Avenue and Lincoln Road by friends Alison Pels and baker Maddy Gentile. They have scones, muffins and coffee on the menu in addition to several rotating selections of freshly made pies.
Starliner Market, 1206 Nostrand Ave.
The owner of this new cafe and market, Isaac Peachin, hopes to sell fresh, locally sourced produce from his family’s farm in the Catskills and other regional producers to bring honey, meat, cheese and groceries to the new store. He envisions the shop as a “little daily farmer’s market” with killer coffee, tea and bagels, as well.
