Burger, or Beer Garden?

On the weekends, this bar is packed wall to wall with a diverse collection of Crown Heights residents. It is more than just a bar however—it is Franklin Park, the official beer garden of Crown Heights.

Differing from most bars and even most beer gardens, Franklin Park offers more than just beer.  Dutch Boy Burgers–homage to the old Dutch Boy Paint store that used to occupy to the space–is the street front portion of Franklin Park. The burger joint is part of Franklin Park since its opening in early 2010.

Franklin Park has several ways to attract customers. One way is to walk around the back of the building where you will hear lots of laughter and conversations taking place in the beer garden–it’s hard to walk away from.

Another is to inevitably succumb to the powerful aroma of burgers and fries wafting down Franklin Avenue from Dutch Boy Burgers. There are three bars in Franklin Park, counting the one in Dutch Boy Burgers. All three of them are connected through a series of hallways and rooms. The establishment even boasts a mini-arcade game room with Skee-ball and Air-hockey.

Dutch Boy Burgers is a new establishment for Matt Roff;  it used to be an abandoned shell of an old Dutch Boy Paints shop until Roff decided to turn it into a delicious burger joint. It opened in the beginning of 2010 and has not disappointed. It stays open to all hours of the night serving the customers of Franklin Park and anybody else who appreciates a good burger. The customers can eat their food in the restaurant itself, but many of them take their orders to the seating in the garden or to the large tables inside the bars.

Perhaps an inspiration for Roff to open a restaurant which would cater to his existing clientele, was the fact that many of the Franklin Park goers would come late at night and order from nearby restaurants that deliver–namely Chavella’s Mexican restaurant. Seeing his customers enjoying food from local restaurants must have triggered a business idea for Roff.

Decal on the outside of Franklin Park

Since its opening in April of 2008, Franklin Park has held onto a main core of employees who make a night out at Franklin Park much more enjoyable. Sean Toussaint has worked at Franklin Park since the day it opened and he has strong feelings as to what separates Franklin Park from other bars. “My favorite part of working at Franklin Park is the friendly neighborhood feel the bar has.”

A main goal of many bars in New York City is to create this type of atmosphere that Franklin Park has succeeded in doing, but it doesn’t always seem to work out. “Many bars open and never are able to make the place feel welcoming and comfortable. Franklin Park does a good job at both,” says Toussaint.

Having worked both pre-Dutch Boy Burgers and presently, Mr. Toussaint believes that Dutch Boy Burger has done nothing but help the business at Franklin Park. “Dutch Boy could not possibly hurt business. I don’t see the books, but I do see people eating all night in the bar, so I can only assume it has helped.”

Franklin Park has modestly attracted a younger crowd of people while still catering to the natives. Mr. Toussaint has noticed this as well. “I also love the diversity. I feel like it is a true representation of what Crown Heights is now.” Roff has done an excellent job at integrating an old Crown Heights appeal into a new, hip spot for the young crowd of Crown Heights.