Members RockHardNYC Posted January 25, 2020 Members Posted January 25, 2020 Papyrus Is Shutting All Its Stores I'm not 60 yet, so I don't think of myself as "old." With this child-like brain I'm stuck with, I doubt I will think of myself as old when I'm 70. However, with today's news that Papyrus is closing all of their greeting card and stationery stores because "consumers are switching to digital alternatives," I'm feeling really old and grumpy. Here is how I feel about digital greeting cards: I DON'T OPEN THEM. That goes true for invites, thank-you's, and holiday cards. I view the people who send this shit as CHEAP, LAZY, and without CLASS. Fine if you want to appear that way, just don't expect any kind of response from me. If my attitude about this makes me an old fart in the eyes of millennials, then I hope the scent of my ancient flatulence is seriously foul and slays these culture-less assholes. The gift of communication is dying in our culture, and I don't wish to play with those who are accelerating its death. My appreciation for fine paper and handwritten wit and poetry is too great to ponder a life without it. I still mail handwritten thank you notes, and I have no intention of changing. The next time a Republican tries to convince you that our economy is doing great, thanks to Trump, send the asshole to NYC to see all the "FOR RENT" signs on street-level business spaces. AdamSmith, boiworship, AaronInDallas and 1 other 2 1 1 Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted January 26, 2020 Author Members Posted January 26, 2020 Just to underline some perspective on this, there were 22 street-level Papyrus stores in Manhattan alone. That's 22 vacant spaces added to the abundance of current vacant spaces. Mid January is very telling in the real estate market here. The Upper East Side is nowhere near recovering from the 2nd Ave subway construction. 14th Street in both Villages is a disaster now that asshole DeBlasio cut cars from the fastest crosstown street. Businesses are folding left and right because customers can no longer drive down that two-way block. Davey's ice cream is charging $5 for one scoop of ice cream just to barely afford their rent. Ice cream recipes are no secret. No ice cream is worth $5 a scoop. Insanity. AdamSmith 1 Quote
AdamSmith Posted January 26, 2020 Posted January 26, 2020 Also, owners asking so much rent that blocks and blocks of street-level retail then stand vacant seems the definition of insanity. Quote
Members Europeanman Posted January 26, 2020 Members Posted January 26, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, RockHardNYC said: Here is how I feel about digital greeting cards: I DON'T OPEN THEM. That goes true for invites, thank-you's, and holiday cards. I view the people who send this shit as CHEAP, LAZY, and without CLASS. Fine if you want to appear that way, just don't expect any kind of response from me. @RockHardNYC first time I agree with you on something. I still don't like you though Edited January 26, 2020 by Europeanman Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted January 26, 2020 Author Members Posted January 26, 2020 12 hours ago, AdamSmith said: owners asking so much rent that blocks and blocks of street-level retail then stand vacant seems the definition of insanity. Prior to Mayor de Blasio's super-stupid decision to change vehicle traffic rules on 14th Street in Manhattan, 14th Street had been experiencing a kind of renewal. Especially the block of 14th Street between 3rd and 2nd Avenue, where foodies can find Beyond Sushi and Eddie Huang's Baohaus. Then, in July of 2016, Capital One Bank left the ground floor of the over-priced, new-build condominium on the southeast corner of 3rd Avenue and 14th to take available space on Union Square. The southeast corner of 3rd Avenue and 14th happens to be extremely busy. Foot traffic on the south side far exceeds the north side of the street, probably because New York University and Trader Joe's are both on the south side one block away. The spectacular corner space that once housed Capital Bank has been empty since July 2016. A very bad sign, the rent has to be insane. AdamSmith 1 Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted January 26, 2020 Author Members Posted January 26, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, Europeanman said: I still don't like you though Good thing I don't mind being disliked. However, I'm quite fond of your silly comments. I always enjoy a good laugh. Edited January 26, 2020 by RockHardNYC Quote
AdamSmith Posted January 26, 2020 Posted January 26, 2020 41 minutes ago, RockHardNYC said: Good thing I don't mind being disliked. I generally consider it a high compliment. Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted January 26, 2020 Author Members Posted January 26, 2020 2 hours ago, AdamSmith said: I generally consider it a high compliment. Especially when you consider the haters who are trolls. Quote
Members JKane Posted January 26, 2020 Members Posted January 26, 2020 SFO's street retail scene seems to be falling down too. The now humorously named Forever 21 and Barney's have left huge anchor-store gaps it's hard to imagine anybody filling. I walk by some clothing places and can't believe they can afford to stay open, but I bet some landlords are starting to realize that any tenant is better than a row of vacant places. Quote
Members Lucky Posted January 26, 2020 Members Posted January 26, 2020 Papyrus is closing? Then where else will I pay too much for greeting cards? Starbucks? Latbear4blk 1 Quote
Members lookin Posted February 2, 2020 Members Posted February 2, 2020 On 1/26/2020 at 12:22 PM, JKane said: SFO's street retail scene seems to be falling down too. . . . I bet some landlords are starting to realize that any tenant is better than a row of vacant places. They'll get a push if Prop D passes. Under Proposition D, storefronts that remain empty for six months or longer will face a tax of $250 per linear foot the first year, increasing to $500 in year two, and $1,000 every year after. The tiered scale is designed to encourage landlords to fill the spaces with new tenants faster. AdamSmith 1 Quote
Members JKane Posted February 7, 2020 Members Posted February 7, 2020 Just saw Macy's announced closing 1/3rd of their stores. Fuck those Trump supporting fucks, but... sure going to be a lot of retail jobs lost plus vacant real estate. Quote
Members JKane Posted February 9, 2020 Members Posted February 9, 2020 Is unemployment really as low as they say, and will it stay so when half (or more) of the retail jobs are gone? Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted February 9, 2020 Author Members Posted February 9, 2020 3 minutes ago, JKane said: Is unemployment really as low as they say, and will it stay so when half (or more) of the retail jobs are gone? I'm finding the jobs numbers difficult to believe as well. What numbers can anyone believe these days, if the numbers have the potential to hurt Trump? With Barney's gone and Macy's being cut in half, with all the "for rent" signs in former business windows on the streets of NYC, it just seems impossible to have any faith in these stats. Quote
Members JKane Posted February 9, 2020 Members Posted February 9, 2020 Agreed, yet we're also not swimming in guys needing to pay rent each month, at least not in any venue I know of. I would think we'd be the first to know if all the cute young counter clerks got desperate... KYTOP and Lucky 2 Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted February 9, 2020 Author Members Posted February 9, 2020 2 hours ago, JKane said: yet we're also not swimming in guys needing to pay rent each month New York City on Rentmen has over 800 ads. That seems like an Olympic-size pool to me. The pool would be even larger if Craigslist and Backpage ads were still around. There's no accounting for where those guys went. Those willing to escort may not be "desperate," but who among us with a high sex drive doesn't want extra money if it's available? Quote
Members Latbear4blk Posted February 10, 2020 Members Posted February 10, 2020 On 1/26/2020 at 6:22 PM, Lucky said: Papyrus is closing? Then where else will I pay too much for greeting cards? Starbucks? Amazon KYTOP and Lucky 2 Quote
Members boiworship Posted February 12, 2020 Members Posted February 12, 2020 On 2/9/2020 at 3:11 PM, RockHardNYC said: I'm finding the jobs numbers difficult to believe as well. What numbers can anyone believe these days, if the numbers have the potential to hurt Trump? With Barney's gone and Macy's being cut in half, with all the "for rent" signs in former business windows on the streets of NYC, it just seems impossible to have any faith in these stats. To be fair, Macy’s is like the former G.U.M. lately, except the esteemed Soviet retailer didn’t have to run 40% off sales ad nauseum to attract customers. As for Barney’s, it was a pretentious store staffed by self-important clerks. And I’m not a cheapskate. I even have my shirts made. AdamSmith and Lucky 1 1 Quote
AdamSmith Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 19 hours ago, boiworship said: To be fair, Macy’s is like the former G.U.M. lately, except the esteemed Soviet retailer didn’t have to run 40% off sales ad nauseum to attract customers. As for Barney’s, it was a pretentious store staffed by self-important clerks. And I’m not a cheapskate. I even have my shirts made. Barney’s liked to puff your own self-importance gene to successfully get outsized prices. For usually well made product, admittedly. But, again, sometimes we paid HOW MUCH for WHAT?! And as you say, OTC at that. Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted February 13, 2020 Author Members Posted February 13, 2020 Macy's Herald Square was always a horror shopping experience, but it's historic and worthy of support. My Brazilian housekeeper of 30+ years loves their Hotel Collection bedding. She prefers that brand over my Sferra and Frette. If discounts and sale prices matter to you, it's difficult to beat shopping at Macy's. Their inventory is so huge, they can afford to discount and still turn a profit, especially now that they're dropping stores. Before China took over clothing manufacturing, Barney's was a great store for fashion clothing and high quality suits. Some of their salesmen in suits were among the best in bespoke. Once the crash of 2008 hit, Barney's took a nose dive, and they hired a bunch of minimum-wage plucked queens to sell over-priced trend that wasn't made well in China. Customers knew there was no going back to the good old days of Made in Italy. Saks' men's department changed a lot as well after 2008. Lots of plucked queens prancing and either staring at themselves in the mirrors or in their i-Phones. Bergdorf's Mens was a funeral service, but the old queens there just turned sour and bitter, enduring a boring job with few customers, while pretending that things had not changed. It's hard for me to believe that Americans are happy buying clothes online. That's how little people care about quality and fit anymore. Everything is dumbed down, and most people don't give a shit. AdamSmith and boiworship 1 1 Quote
Members trencherman Posted February 14, 2020 Members Posted February 14, 2020 I overheard once a mature lady scolding the retail staff at Sak’s (or as the first Mrs. Trump pronounced it, Sex) “ I shop here for the service.” AdamSmith 1 Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted February 14, 2020 Author Members Posted February 14, 2020 1 hour ago, trencherman said: Sak’s ...“ I shop here for the service.” Prior to BATUS selling Saks Fifth Avenue in 1990, when profits were at an all time high, I don't think one could find a high-fashion retail store in America that offered better service. Many people spoke about a good game playing at Nordstrom, but Saks had Rockefeller Center and Andrew Saks as its legacy. Difficult to beat. Quote
Members boiworship Posted February 16, 2020 Members Posted February 16, 2020 Fortunately, there are still a few superb men’s stores in some cities, where one can buy bespoke shirts and suits as well as ready to wear made in USA, Europe and Japan. Some brands I like include Ring Jacket, Monte D’Oro, Alden, Nettleton, Stenstrøm and Hiltl. Drake’s of England for custom shirtings and W. Kleinberg for crocodile and alligator belts and straps to be used with monogrammed silver buckles. bearluvsmusc 1 Quote
