That Pesky L Train Is Putting a Damper on Brooklyn Retail

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Here's an annoying figure for you to ponder during your daily commute: Crain's New York Business reports that since July, the MTA has "completely or partially shut down" L train service on a dozen weekends. Those trying to travel to Brooklyn or Manhattan and them back again aren't the only ones who are pissed, though: So are store owners. On Small Business Saturday, the L train was shut down for maintenance, and Peachfrog owner William Norton said it hurt his business big time: "Nobody was here. I lost 80% of my business, compared with last year."

This week, Norton will meet with the MTA community board "to open a dialogue with the MTA and better coordinate outages." Apparently, the MTA is already kind of on it—Crain's says that they're planning to add 11 round trips on Saturdays and 7 on Sundays, plus they're working on finishing the switch-over to their new signaling system, "which [Sen. Daniel] Squadron expects will eliminate some of the need for shutdowns." Pardon us not holding our breath just yet.
· Train wreck for retail [Crain's New York Business]
· Don't Forget to Shop Local on Small Business Saturday [Racked NY]
· Peachfrog Takes Over Former Eggroll Factory in Williamsburg [Racked NY]