Flatbush Avenue stalwarts Mooney’s Pub and Royal Video will soon close — and many see the loss as further evidence that Park Slope is becoming even more generic.
“It’s not the [landlord], it’s Park Slope,” said the owner of Royal Video, who declined to give his name. “A lot of small stores are closing.” He does not blame his landlord, Lina Fang.
The owners of these long-lived institutions say they were given little explanation.
“I’ve been here 20 years,” said Kevin Mooney, who owns both the bar in Park Slope and its same-named counterpart in Bay Ridge. “She gave me no reason.”
Fang said Mooney is “delusional.”
“I have not raised his rent,” she said. “We are not evicting anyone. They are both leaving because they can’t afford the current rent.”
Despite Fang’s explanation for the closing of two beloved business, Mooney stuck to his original conclusion.
“It’s greed and money,” said Mooney. “That all it amounts to.”
Mooney’s barflies didn’t care why the bar was closing. They were just said that it was.
“Mooney’s is really something special,” said Tom Gilbert, who still patronizes his old haunt even though he’s moved to Greenpoint. “I’m heartbroken.”
Gilbert has held the “Winter Meeting” of his softball league at the bar every January for at least 10 years, he said.
Flatbush Avenue has experienced rapid change in the past few years.
The old twinplex Plaza theater became a trendy American Apparel outlet, and the old Charcuterie deli, popular with cops from the 78th Precinct stationhouse across the street, was replaced by a Dunkin Donuts, which is also, apparently, popular with cops.
