Mecca of Mill Basin

On a Saturday afternoon, people are passing through stores on Avenue N, the Mecca of Mill Basin. Avenue N may be seven or eight blocks away from the multi-million dollar homes, but it is what breathes life into the quiet Brooklyn community.

This strip of blocks that spans from East 65th Street to East 54th holds hair dressers, real estate agencies, a new jewelry store, a few restaurants and a few long standing establishments.

The unofficial center, which all residents seem to stop in one way or another, is Landi’s Pork Store right off the corner of the main intersection of Avenue N and Ralph Avenue. With its original blue sign and dancing pig on the front, Landi’s is an establishment known throughout Brooklyn for its quality meats, great heroes and steep prices. Even in the current economic situation that does not stop consumers from buying their meats and other Italian delicacies there.

Michael Henderson, 20, a resident and employee at Care Pharmacy, next door to Landi’s, frequents at the pork store. “For two reasons- they have good food and we know the owner’s family and we are friends with them,” Henderson said.

Although there is easy driving access to other Brooklyn communities, for true convenience a Mill Basin resident is zoned for Avenue N. The family owned Care Pharmacy sits next door to Landi’s and across the street is a local diner and seafood store.  “It’s a close knit community,” said Henderson. “Everybody knows each other and everyone says hi when I’m walking to work.”

On a Saturday afternoon it is the only place in the neighborhood someone can knock out all of his or her errands in one spot and even stop for a quick bite to eat.

Due to the small proximity and tightness of the neighborhood, it is almost unheard of to shop anywhere else, except possibly in the Georgetowne Shopping Center, literally a few blocks up where the neighborhood zoning changes with the step off a curb.

The freshness and long standing reputation of Landi’s still attracts neighborhood residents and even outsiders. Across the street is Seatide, where residents can pick up fresh fish.

Care Pharmacy, although with some high prices, is one of the last of the non-chain pharmacies. The cash register clerks in the front and the pharmacies workers in the back know their customers by name and even as neighbors. The owners, who live in Mill Basin, know their customers and greet them when they walk out of their office, something a customer is hard pressed to find at CVS or Duane Reade up the block.

Even when Henderson is not at work he finds himself on the main avenue. “I go to get food at Landi’s and sometime I even go in the pharmacy to pick up stuff or stop by Seatide and I get my hair cut across the street.”

Around the corner is Original II Pizzeria and on Avenue N is Vicki’s Diner, other personal places where residents are bound to run into neighbors or acquaintances while shopping in the area.

Mill Basin’s small businesses packed into a ten block radius on Avenue N offer a feeling of old Brooklyn- a lack of chains and an immense feeling of friendship and familiarity. When walking down Avenue N on a sunny Saturday afternoon, old and young residents line the streets and transfer from store to store, running into each other and creating a local social event.