Last week as I walked around the hood I started noticing something a tad bit disturbing– the closing of many new businesses. In spite of Harlem’s much hyped real estate boom and talk of new money breezing through America’s self-proclaimed Black Mecca, many new Black owned businesses like Nubian Heritage, The Harlem Tea Room and Ginger can’t seem to keep their doors open. But why? I emailed a friend to see if there was something more scandalous at the root of these closings like the Mafia or The NY Board of Health, but she simply responded, “I guess that the businesses closed because they weren’t making enough money to pay the bills.”

No kidding. I’m sure it’s because of money. I guess my question should have been how are these businesses NOT making money in this here gentrified Harlem? People certainly buy Nubian Heritage’s products. I know I do. Maybe too many folk were buying them from the many street vendors on 125th and not enough in the store. Never mind that The Body Shop on that same corner just expanded and now they are twice the size. I guess they are getting a lion’s share of the beauty product revenue in Harlem along with Carol’s Daughter. Too bad! They had an absolutely beautiful spot– huge windows, two floors (the 2nd floor was supposed to be a spa that never materialized). Now I hear this location is going to become an Applebees. So wack!!!

The news of Harlem Tea Room’s closing on September 28 is astonishing. Every time I went there the food and service was always good. I especially loved the Mulligatawny soup and because the Tea Room is not that close to where I live (my apt. is on the Westside), I would make special, albeit rare, trips just to get a bowl.

On the other hand, the news I would hear about Ginger was not so good. I knew someone who went and they were out of chicken wings or another friend who ordered the ribs, which I heard were delicious, but it took them an hour to get them and they were eating in the restaurant. The stories about their delivery service were worse. I’ve mentioned Ginger before and only ordered takeout once, which was cold when I got it and so that was it for me. I always thought it was going to be more like China Grill, but it just ended up being really fancy Chicken & Broccoli. I say why pay $12 for that dish when I can get the same thing on the corner—hot– for $6. But even still Ginger like the Tea Room shouldn’t have closed. These restaurants had prime locations– the Tea Room is smack dab in the middle of two new residential bldgs and Ginger was located on the ground level of a major condo. If a restaurant opened on the main floor of my building, it would be damn near impossible for it to go out of business. Like me, most of my neighbors are tired of having to order out from restaurants located way west on Broadway.

I guess some folks are getting an eye-opener into the dynamics of building business and generating revenue in Harlem. Maybe it’s not all about location, location, location? It seems like folks are flocking to Talay and Covo and they are, for all geographical purposes, located behind God’s back. Maybe new Harlem isn’t all that new. Just a lil’ new money with a lot of old pleasures and pursuits still in tow. Like I bet that damn Applebees is going to make more money than the Tea Room and Ginger combined. Ugghh! No offense but can I get a decent, simple, affordable sushi joint somewhere on Lenox or Seventh in mid-Harlem before we get a Red Lobster or an Olive Garden?