Alexis Robie on the opening of Fairway in Red Hook last Wednesday,
This is an enormous day for Red Hook. Fairway opens. For nearly six years, I have heard the arguments for and against this store. I went to community meetings and had late night chats at Sonny’s about development and traffic. I spoke to longtime residents who said it’s about time. I spoke to teenagers who now have their first jobs.
I watched as the old sleeping bricks at the end of Van Brunt were eased awake with a tenderness that all our architectural treasures deserve. True, the structure was not adapted for maritime use. True, the process was plagued with questionable practices on both sides. But let us Red hook residents give thanks that it is not a gigantic blue and yellow pimple on our glorious waterfront, but a resource for the community in terms of smart preservation, good jobs, and urgently needed fresh food.
Alas, I am at work, so I will miss the actual opening. But my lovely wife will be among the first to sample their wares.
Do I need to mention that I looking forward to dinner?
It looks like they did a good job and used an existing beautiful structure.