Trader Joe's Co. Inc.

• Seven reasons for Queens' impending triumph: Long Island City; more bang-for-buck; it's not Jersey; the "tipping point"; Trader Joe's; community blogs; and, most importantly, Ugly Betty. [OuterB]
• Why should NYC ban traffic on Williamsburg's main stretch? Because hipsters deserve their own esplanade, and because "preserving the small town quality of Williamsburg and allowing for a more vital street life" sounds like a dandy idea. [Carefree Bedford, via Curbed]
• It's about 18 months too late to notice that "the cobblestone streets, the deep history, the architecture, and the harbor views" have made Wall Street a hip place to live. But if you like Armani-branded condos, this weekend is full of thrilling financial district open houses. [NY Mag/D.I.]
• Map of the Day: Where do NYU kids go after freshman year? Invariably, from Washington Square to Alphabet City, from "East" Williamsburg to Yorkville, from the West Village to Westchester. [L Mag]
- Max Abelson
• 0 comments

• The Afternoon Wrap is getting 2007 off to a grand start by posting our first link to The Party for Socialism and Liberation. An article on New York real estate and the scary Pinnacle Group points out: "[U]nlike Trump, most of the real estate capitalists keep a low profile. Most workers will never meet them nor even know their names. While families in cities like New York City struggle to pay at least $1,000 a month, big capitalists are collecting billions." [PSL]
• But back to gleeful capitalism! Down in Florida, legendary Celtic Larry Bird has put his waterfront abode on the market for $4.8 million. That'll buy you "a bar with a 500-gallon, salt-water aquarium and multiple balconies" and "a waterfront pool with a spa, private dock and a tiki hut." [WSJ]
• Round II of the Curbed awards are in. "DUGO," "NoMaS" and "Hell Square" take honors for new 'hood nomenclature; Trader Joe's and Red Hook's Fairway get some prizes, too; and "The Party Barge" is officially The Most Anticipated 2007 Opening. [Curbed]
- Max Abelson
• 0 comments

• New domes heading for famed Ladies' Mile building.
[NY Times]
• Tenants couldn't stop Stuy Town, Cooper Village sale.
[NY Times]
• Manhattan developers adjust to slower condo market.
[NY Times]
• Take a look at Loew's Paradise in the Bronx.
[NY Times]
• Signs - literally - of a cooling California market.
[NY Times]
• Coney Island grapples with the hazards of renewal.
[NY Times]
• Matching newer buildings with older quality.
[NY Times]
• Larchmont bucks Westchester housing cooldown.
[NY Times]
• Slow sales at the Stanhope spur marketing changes.
[NY Times]
• Did Manhattan House conversion kill tenant? [at bottom]
[NY Times]
• Donald Trump Jr. is very hot right now.
[NY Times]
• Making mortgage lenders more responsible for borrowers.
[NY Times]
• Who kills the mice in a co-op?
[NY Times]
• Don't hire an incompetent moving company.
[NY Times]
• City's second Trader Joe's coming... to Queens.
[NY Times]
• It's another round of Columbia vs. Harlem residents.
[NY Times]
• Wave of video store closings sweeps city.
[NY Times]
• Inclusionary housing debate on in Chelsea.
[Villager]
• Northeastern homebuilding starts rise in October.
[NY Post]
• Former KB Home CEO may reap $175 million windfall.
[NY Post]
• Reckson postpones shareholder meeting for other bid.
[NY Post]
• Newark mayor rents the top floor.
[NY Post]
• Workers pour concrete foundations of Freedom Tower.
[Daily News]
• Blackstone may buy Equity Office for $20 billion.
[NY Sun]
• Homeowners, local governments fret eminent domain.
[NY Sun]
• The "growing pains" of New York home defects.
[New York]
• City churches wrestle with real estate temptations.
[New York]

Did we miss any New York City real estate news this morning? Please send along tips and links.

• 0 comments

The battle is on to best serve the wine-drinking needs of NYU and New School students (and everyone else living around Union Square and Astor Place).

First, Astor Wines moved to their new location on Lafayette Street. After a slight delay, Trader Joe's opened up the wine shop on 14th Street (appeasing even the most critical shoppers). And now Union Square Wines is moving to a bigger space at 140 4th Avenue.  read more »

Until the end of the month, there is a 30% sale on all still wines before the shop closes. But could that be cheaper than a Two Buck Chuck (which is actually $2.99)?

- Michael Calderone

• Ten criminal Starchitects. For example, "From ground level the sense of Pei's work is more like accidental totalitarianism." (Place Performance via Archinect)
• The landlord group Community Housing Improvement Program lead a session for building owners on how to evict uncooperative tenants, especially those hooked on rent control. (New York)
• Of course it makes sense. We can order sushi, dance in the Meatpacking District and do our laundry at all hours of the night. Now we can buy real estate too. What would the world do without Michael Shvo--relax? (The New York Times)
• What happened to last year's glory developments? People actually bought a place in Times Square? (New York Post)
• Dr. Michael P. Gulizio, a prosthodontist who is "very social," bought an 1,100-square-foot condo with a 300-square-foot terrace on Fifth Avenue--his bachelor pad. And through The New York Times, Michael is looking to both "meet a future wife" and entertain a Bunny. "He is currently trying to figure out if he can fit a hot tub for the terrace through his front door."
• Columbia University students take out their aggression on neighborhood sidewalks and bars. Downtown students just go to rehab. (Gothamist)
• Not only will Whole Foods Brooklyn be larger, it won't require more land. Whole Foods is like a magical clown car, and those people are still standing on food lines outside of Trader Joe's like we're in Soviet Russia. (Crain's)
• People like having their neighborhood designated a historic district to preserve its authenticity and prevent any big bad business from coming in. But the title also brings with it more regulations. People don't like that so much. (The New York Times)
• Last week, we posted about people moving to Yonkers. Yonkers! Now, The New York Times ventures into East New York, where construction is on the rise.
• First Eliot Spitzer went after big business. Next, it's the Freedom Tower. Yup, it's logical. (NY1)
• Young professionals may choose to live in New Jersey to save money on rent. But a new luxury high rise has opened its doors in Newark, and soon the exurbs will house hipsters. (The New York Times)
• It might just be perfect timing. The Katonah Museum of Art--decidedly north of Manhattan--is exhibting "I Heart the Burbs," which includes theories, facts and photographs. Lee Stoetzel builds McMansions from McDonald's food and packaging. (The New York Times)
• The city's "underbelly" is essential for the release of inhibitions, like those of Jude Law. (The Observer UK)
• Slate critic concludes: "Today, celebrity architects build commercial projects, shoe stores, subway stations. What are the very rich to do? The ugly apartment buildings of Palm Beach suggest one curious solution: embrace bad taste."

- Riva Froymovich

• New Yorkers are officially dirty. Whether that's how you like it or not, the EPA found that 68 out of every million of us are at risk for getting cancer just from breathing the air. (Gothamist)
• Queens is the new Jersey City, with three "hot patches" of development. This heat wave can be traced back to 1984. (Architect's Newspaper)
• Giuliani talks nation-building, leadership and mobsters at a real-estate conference in Las Vegas: "We were letting him [Yasser Arafat] out-negotiate us. We kept making concessions and he never kept his word. It was like buying a house from someone who didn't own the house - over and over and over again." (Inman News)
• As the line still stretches across 14th street outside the doors of Trader Joe's, The New York Times asks about the dearth of supermarkets.
• Okay, Harlem ain't that cheap anymore, but it's better than the rest of the borough. (The Real Deal)
• Now that the the Williamsburg population has risen an income bracket, the MTA is investing in the L line. (Gothamist)
• When the property is large and has a view, homeowners ignore the important stuff--broken pipes, termites and foundation cracks--that they end up paying for later. (The New York Times)
• Food critic Steve Cuozzo bites the hand that feeds him. (New York Post)
• Zum Schneider may be evicted, and is asking for your help. (Petition)
• Project Runway loser opens a shop in the Lower East Side. "...simple, elegant halter dresses in silk and linen are cut in a kind, universally flattering fit, emphasizing what's up top while gliding mercifully over our adorable guts. This is what you should expect from a $340 gown, yet don't always receive." (The Village Voice)

- Riva Froymovich

Tensions are flaring on 14th Street, as the waiting time at Trader Joe's is now estimated at 20 minutes. Shortly before 2 p.m., an argument broke out over an alleged line-cutter.

One customer, who accused another of cutting, got very angry.

"Why don't you go to hell and get in line you fucking bitch?"

A crew member, wearing gigantic, plastic green glasses, came over to settle everyone down. All the free samples in the world of vegetable root chips are not going to smooth things over.

"It's definitely not like this is California," said a nearby customer.

Over at Whole Foods, things are relatively calm. The checkout line--which included celebrity shopper Michael Showalter--was comparatively shorter.  read more »

- Michael Calderone and Nicole Brydson Previous: Trader Joe's: By The Numbers Previous: Trader Joe's: Where are the Peanuts? Previous: Trader Joe's: Who Are These People? Previous: Trader Joe's: No Chuck Previous: Trader Joe's: Rival Gangs Previous: Trader Joe's: The Crew Previous: Trader Joe's: Morning Rush

Of the food procurement palaces in Union Square/NYU Village, where's a budget-conscious freshman to shop for produce that hearkens back to hometown heartland prices?

Well, nowhere. But! From a quick survey of prices, it seems that a savvy shopper would have to hit the three biggest local stores to get a cross-the-board deal.  read more »

Now, for a bit of truly useful service journalism.

A local scout called with another report on the latest at T.J.’s: “There is a line tornadoeing around the store. Everyone is holding a jar of the Thai lime and chili peanuts they had in the Times. And that's all they are buying. That's all I was going to buy too.” She adds it is a very good time to pick up lunch at Whole Foods. -Matthew Schuerman Previous: Trader Joe's: No Chuck Previous: Trader Joe's: Rival Gangs Previous: Trader Joe's: The Crew Previous: Trader Joe's: Morning Rush

Ok, so we've covered local television news crews, overly-friendly staff, and, sadly, lack of cheap wine. (Although the store is stocked on Guinness for the big holiday).

But who are these crazed shoppers, anyway?

"[With] Whole Foods, Garden of Eden, Food Emporium, and now Trader Joe's, I'm excited," said Peter, a self-described "foodie," who lives at nearby Irving Place. And what got him so excited? Sliced Papaya in White Grape Juice.

"It's so cheap," shrieked Katie, who clutched one bag from Whole Foods and two from Trader Joe's. Her personal favorite: Frozen Vegetable Enchiladas.

An elderly couple visiting from Massachusetts, who "go to the one in Cambridge all the time" bought plain pizza dough to make for their grandson. They're so proud that he now lives near a Trader Joe's.

But not eveyone left in good spirits. One man was so flustered by the crowds that he refused to speak with The Real Estate.

"I've been in there for a half hour and didn't buy anything, he said. "I'm not going to stand here and talk to you."

Is the backlash already beginning?  read more »

- Mickey Ehrlich Previous: Trader Joe's: No Chuck Previous: Trader Joe's: Rival Gangs Previous: Trader Joe's: The Crew Previous: Trader Joe's: Morning Rush

Transom editor Choire Sicha sends a disturbing photo from outside the Wine Shop, which is not opening today.

NYU students will have to go another day without Charles Shaw wine.  read more »

Someone please alert the campus crisis hotline.

- Michael Calderone Previous: Trader Joe's: Rival Gangs Previous: Trader Joe's: The Crew Previous: Trader Joe's: Morning Rush

"We 'd like each customer to have a great and satisfying experience," said company president Doug Rauch. After rattling off the upscale grocery competitors, Mr. Rauch said that Trader Joe's offers better value, and above all, "friendliness."

Sure, the staff is going to be overly enthusiastic for a grand opening, but the company prides itself on offering this quirky form of customer service all the time. It makes the Whole Foods crowd down the street seem downright stuffy.  read more »

And at Grand Sample Station (ahem), "crew members" shouted out today's free samples: Irish soda bread and scones. With organic buttter, of course.

- Michael Calderone Previous: Trader Joe's: Morning Rush

Shortly before 9 a.m., the floodgates opened, and dozens of customers and a few television news crews bursted inside Trader Joe's on 14th Street.

The perky, geeky staff (wearing green leis, of course) lined up to great them. After a few minutes of cheering (and some dancing), the staff sprinted over to their registers.

It's finally open. And crazed Manhattanites rushed through what is essentially just a grocery store. But try telling that to the Trader Joe's fanatics that have been waiting for this day for years, who have had to trek out to Westfield, New Jersey just to get a Two Buck Chuck.

"We've got our own Trader Joe's," screamed one shopper into her cell phone. "It's so cool!"

Cool, or not. As long as the Real Estate can pry a few Observer reporters away from Whole Foods, Eisenberg's and the Shine Deli, expect dispatches from the front, err, checkout lines.

And more photos after the jump.  read more »

- Michael Calderone

• With the slew of retailers and condos popping up in Hudson Square, it's time to coin a new name for the neighborhood. We recognize some of the candidates from before "Hudson Square" was coined. (Curbed)
• An MTA survey of service shows that the W line isn't working well. Duh. (Gothamist)
• Now, people are listing their homes on Ebay! Oh, it's in New Jersey. (Brownstoner)
• Trader Joe's is upon us. (Curbed)
• The Atomium in Belgium, a huge replica of an iron molecule, gets a complete overhaul. (The New York Times)
• Ian Schrager is getting "harder to notice," but 40 Bond can't be ignored. (The New York Times)
• Hundreds of thousands of people visited Zillow yesterday, but the Web site suffered from many outages. (Inman News)
• Chicago Lawyers Committee For Civil Rights Under Law has sued Craigslist for "publishing discriminatory advertisements," claiming that it posted more than 100 ads in Chicago against the federal Fair Housing Act. (Inman News)
• Big news: "Demand for townhouses is incredibly high." New York is so on top of their game.
• So, this woman was riding a horse on private property and hurt herself. What do you think comes next? The law suit. (Inman News)
• The Art Students League of New York sold 135,000 square feet of air rights to Extell, which will develop a high-rise residential tower. (The Real Deal)
• Now that The New York Times has reported that fatty foods aren't that bad for you, Junior's is opening its cheescake chain in Times Square near their offices . (New York Post)
• A new construction is embracing its surroundings, quite literally. A house is being built around a tree because it crosses over onto a neighbors property and they don't want it cut down. (Gothamist)
• In a profile of a Staten Island neighborhood, The Village Voice calls it the "quietest borough." We'd like to direct your attention to an article published two days earlier.

- Riva Froymovich  read more »