Bronx Native designer clothing
now featured at JFK popup shop
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A 38 UGUST 16-22, 2019 BTR
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New owner:
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A sense of concern and outrage
is brewing in Throggs
Neck about a possible conversion
of an offi ce building into
an unwanted use.
Commercial tenants at
2800 Bruckner Boulevard received
letters to vacate the
property, and community
leaders have formed a coalition
to fi ght a possible alcohol
Westchester Square reels over vagrants
ulder during a confrontation
Continued on Page 67
Continued on Page 67
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While Bronxites prepared
to take a ‘bite out of crime’
at the annual August 1 Night
Out Against Crime, one crook
turned that around and took
a bite out of a local merchant
who tried to interrupt his
thievery.
A.M.A.F. Fashion business
owner Abdul Sol felt more
than an impact to his quality
of life on the morning of Sunday,
July 9, when a shoplifter
tried to leave his store with
a bag of clothing and Sol sufered
a severe bite on his left
rearm and a dislocated right
with the man.
At his 25 Westchester
Square store, Sol recalled how
the shoplifter had on previous
customer.
occasions
been a paying “He spent money here,
it’s not like I never saw him
before,” Sol said. “He came
around two or three months
ago and bought a pair of
shoes.”
But the Sunday of the assault,
the suspect asked for a
shopping bag, grabbed stuff,
and tried to leave, according
to Sol.
“I told him, ‘No, you can’t
take my stuff.’”
A fi ght ensued and Sol said
he “went to the ground with
him. I hurt my shoulder. He
took a big bite in my arm. I was
at the hospital until 6 o’clock. I
still have pain in my shoulder.
I still can’t lift my left arm.”
Sol said he had seen the
shoplifter associate with patients
from the Bronx Psychiatric
Center, so he fi gured he
was a client.
As Bronx Psychiatric Center,
on Waters Place, continues
to release its patients on
the street during the day, they
interact with homeless people
and drug rehab program.
Complaints have been
fi led with the city about beds
being moved into the building
or illegally converting it
into a residential building,
with some folks planning to
take legal action against the
landlord because they have
leases, according to multiple
sources.
Homeowners and renters
are also circulating petitions
to protest what appears to be
“a substance-abuse rehabilitation
program recruiting
staff” to work in the building
and lack of community notice
or engagement on what
may be sited at 2800 Bruckner
Boulevard.
“The community is defi -
nitely mobilized,” said Steven
Kaufman, an attorney who
is leading the Throggs Neck
Strong coalition looking into
the matter, adding “I believe
with mobilization, we might
be able to stop what they want
to do.”
Tenants in the building
say they got letters over the
last two weeks telling them
to vacate the building by
September, said Bobby Jaen,
Throggs Neck Merchants Association
president and coalition
member.
So far, at least 20 complaints
have been logged with
the NYC Department of Buildings,
including those concerning
“commercial space that is
being turned into residential
space” and those saying tenants
see “beds, dressers, mirrors
and chairs,” being moved
in.
As of press time, a meeting
of the Throggs Neck Strong
coalition has been planned
for the Crosstown Diner on
Thursday, August 3, with Jaen
expecting around 125 people,
following a lot of community
organizing and petitioning
that led to a forceful showing
at an earlier impromptu meeting
on Friday, July 28.
Anthony Mameli, Charles
Ruttenberg Realty’s Bronx
commercial real estate manager,
said the company was
planning a grand opening for
its new offi ce at the building
Bronx Times Reporter
Name:
Bayside, NY 11361
BY ALEX MITCHELL
The locally popular Bronx
Native clothing store is pulling
tourists in an entirely new
way.
The brand landed a pop up
deal at JFK Airport to sell its
iconic Bronx merchandise
throughout the summer and
longer at the travel hub in
Some of the merchandise on display at JFK Aiprort. Bronx Native
southern Queens.
Paradies Lagardere, the offi
cial merchandising company
for the international airport
was immediately drawn to
Bronx Native for its authentic,
city-feel that’s displayed in the
brand’s shirts, hats and other
merchandise.
“They told us they were looking
for a local and grassroots
brand to fi ll their shelves,” said
Bronx Native owner Amaurys
Grullon. “One of the representatives
came into the shop to
check out our gear, they loved
our brand and sealed up the
deal,” he continued.
In the airport’s many terminals
you can fi nd Bronx
Native’s classic, navy blue ‘El
Bronx’ T-shirt alongside the
brand’s purple ‘Bronx Women’
fi tted shirt as part of the new
collection.
“This coming just months
after we opened the Bronx Native
Market in Hunts Point has
been massive for growing the
brand,” Grullon said, mentioning
how many travellers have
sent in photos of the Bronx
Native gear while catching
fl ights.
“We have some more very
exiting projects in the works,
but it feels great to see the
Bronx being represented outside
of the Bronx, that’s our
goal and our intention, to bring
the borough to the world,”
Grullon exclaimed.
The newly painted gate at the Bronx Native Market in Hunts Point.
Bronx Native
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