It’s nice seeing new businesses open up in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, so we were excited to see that one spot on a flooded street opened up just a week or so after the waters receded.
The Shipping Store, at 2609 East 14th Street, is now open, filling the parcel vacuum left by the closure of UPS Store on Sheepshead Bay Road in September.
The store is in a newly-created storefront carved out of the building that also houses CVS and Alfa Vision Center, and apparently also allows parking in the CVS lot. The business was nearly all set up when Sandy swept through, flooding East 14th Street with three feet of water, but only a few inches of water got in, we’re told. It recovered quickly, and celebrated its opening shortly afterwards.
Yesterday, June 16, 2009, at approximately 7:42 a.m., the Gothamist Labs and the Breaking News Network reported that the Staples Office Superstore at 2892 Ocean Avenue had been robbed.
Sources tell us that shortly after the store opened at 7 a.m., a man entered the main entrance posing as someone who was interested in applying for a job. The manager on duty directed the applicant to submit his application online at the Staples website, since paper applications are no longer used.
After the early-rising, eager beaver found out how to get a job at the store, he decided it was time to rob it. Telling the stunned manager that he would be shot in the heart, if he didn’t take him to the safe — the man immediately went from job applicant to armed robber.
Other employees at the store were not aware that a robbery was underway, leaving the way clear for the thief to walk away with an undisclosed amount of cash and some of the manager’s personal property.
Video surveillance of the thief was handed over to the police a short time later and business was on as usual.
Later that morning, there was at least one other armed robbery not so far away, and police are investigating if the two crimes were perpetrated by the same person.
(Staples Office Superstore Copy & Print Center – Photo by Ray Johnson)
It’s official. We’re out of business cards. We gave out our last one just recently. So, this is a good time for me to make good on a promise I made to myself that I would thank the sponsor – Staples Office Superstore at 2892 Ocean Ave (at the corner of Ocean Ave and Avenue Y).
On September 11, I went to the Staples Store to get some business cards to have on hand in case anyone should ask at the evening’s planned memorial. One of the managers, Mohammed, graciously offered our site its first 200 cards for free.
Using the Staples Business Card Maker, I was able to put together a design quickly. A couple of hours later, the cards were ready. My rushed design wasn’t as well-thought out with its black background and red lettering, but it did the job.
So, it’s a little belated, but here it is:
Thank You, Staples Office Superstore, for recognizing the Sheepshead Bites and its community-minded efforts for Sheepshead Bay.
