On Monday, a wildly tone deaf press release landed in the inboxes of a variety of local journalists. Intended to promote the offerings and "surf club-style" energy of a new "boozy sandwich shop" in a former Crown Heights bodega, it lacked any self-awareness or respect for Crown Heights' history and longtime community. In addition to epitomizing the type of pricey, upscale eatery ($12 #Vanlife cocktail, anyone? How 'bout a 40oz of rosé in a brown paper bag?) which many locals can't afford to eat at, which drives up real estate values and contributes to the displacement of areas' deeply rooted lower-income residents, the restaurant, Summerhill, boasted of its original "bullet hole-ridden wall" and "rumored backroom illegal gun shop," thus glorifying violence in the name of being urban-chic.
Without the press release, it is highly possible Summerhill would've never made it into the annals of gentrifier business slip-ups. Now, though, it joins Crow Hill… Read More >
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