April 28, 2007: Vol. 30, No. 17
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The 1.25-million-dollar insult?
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del.icio.usHerve Poussot: Racist baker or gruff-but-lovable Frenchman? Let’s go to the court papers!
The popular DUMBO confectioner has been accused of racism against a black customer because he allegedly told her to get out of his bakery, Almondine, on the night of Feb. 15.
Almondine is a small, unassuming patisserie on the Right Bank of Water Street in DUMBO, next to a bus stop. It is redolent with the smells of quiches, fresh bread and strawberry tarts. Poussot, the proud owner, is often seen in the glass-walled kitchen, creating the next generation of mouthwatering gems.
Elaine James-France — a 54-year-old black woman, according to her lawsuit, which she filed this week in Brooklyn Supreme Court — says she went into the tiny bakery to buy a croissant on that cold February night, and was just standing there when Poussot advanced on her menacingly.
“Did you get what you needed?” Poussot allegedly asked her. When she nodded, the white Poussot allegedly continued, “Then get out. This is not a bus stop!”
So James-France left. Now she wants $1.25 million for pain and suffering over Poussot’s alleged “discrimination.”
“Plaintiff was deeply humiliated, embarrassed, traumatized and ashamed at being ordered to leave Almondine,” the suit reads. “But in fear for her safety, she complied.”
Four days later, however, James-France returned to the bakery with her employer and demanded an apology.
Poussot refused, claiming that even if he had thrown James-France out, it was not racism, but a result of her buying coffee from another store and then bringing it into his bakery.
“Get the [expletive] out of my store and don’t ever come back,” he said, according to the suit.
Here’s where everything gets murkier than a double-espresso.
According to James-France, Poussot started roughing up her boss. But when officers from the 84th Precinct arrived, they arrested her boss, not Poussot, and charged him with three misdemeanors stemming from the altercation, according to the criminal complaint.
James-France’s boss, a lawyer who works in the same Court Street firm as her lawyer, was also hit with a marijuana charge, a violation. He could not be reached for comment at press time.
But Poussot’s mouthpiece, lawyer Ralph Hochberg, thinks he knows what’s going on: “Their lawsuit [demanding $1.25 million for Poussot’s alleged discrimination] is purely a retaliatory move” that resulted from the assault arrest, he said.
“I’ve known Mr. Poussot for many years, and he is anything but a racist,” he added.
James-France’s lawyer, Kenneth Jones, disagreed. “His general demeanor towards her seemed racist,” he told me.
Seemed? Objection, your honor! Speculation!
Of course, Jones offered additional evidence that Poussot is a racist who wants “an all white clientele.”
How does he know this? Because three years ago, when Poussot opened Almondine, he told The Brooklyn Paper that he hoped his shop would be a “nice bakery with a European feel, right here in Brooklyn.”
And we all know that means he’s a racist, right?
The Kitchen Sink
Kudos to the Busy Chef, which opened last week on the “cursed” corner of Cranberry and Henry streets. Their baked goods seem to be a hit in the nabe. As we can attest, their delicious cookies are particularly good, which hopefully means they’ll stick around longer than their predecessor, the Food Maestro. …
A Pace University student was arrested on Wednesday morning and charged with tossing cinder blocks off the roof of the St. George Hotel onto Henry Street below, nearly smashing a truck’s windshield. Perhaps it’s not so bad that the Pace students will be moving out after all (see story, right). …
Are you always stuck about what to get your mom for Mother’s Day? Here’s an idea — take her on a shopping tour of DUMBO. Some of DUMBO’s retailers and restaurants will be welcoming Brooklyn’s moms with special Mother’s Day Weekend promotions, May 11–13. With everyone from Jacques Torres to St. Ann’s Warehouse participating, you can find something for even the most difficult of moms. Visit www.dumbonyc.org for information. …
While we’re in the neighborhood, we’d like to make a special request of the Duke of DUMBO, David Walentas: As much as we love the aesthetic of the big, shiny, silver “70” embedded into the pavement outside 70 Washington St., is there any chance you could make it slip-proof?
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper
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