Brooklyn Locale Fails a Seventh Eatery

Some say the restaurant space at Clark and Hicks streets in Brooklyn Heights is cursed.Since 1982, seven restaurants have given it a go at the spacious 5,000-square-foot location in the heart of Brooklyn’s court district, and each has met the same fate.The latest closure at 41 Clark St. came on December 29, as owners Roger and Victoria Desmond shut the doors to Palmira’s Ristorante after three tumultuous years.Calling the location cursed may not be far off: Mr. Desmond said the building was struck by lightning in 2003, forcing the restaurant to spend its first two years hidden beneath scaffolding.Even after the scaffolding came down last year and business doubled, Palmira’s Ristorante wasn’t making enough money to stay afloat.In the hub of a wealthy neighborhood, only steps from the subway and walking distance from state and federal courts, 41 Clark St. appears to be a prime location for any restaurant.Even with so much promise, Mr. Desmond said, the location couldn’t sustain a large restaurant and bar.“We gave it a shot, but there just aren’t enough people in the neighborhood to make a 150-seat restaurant work when you need to make $25,000 a week just to break even,” he said.A 30-year resident of Brooklyn Heights who dined at Palmira’s Ristorante about once a week, Poppy Quattlebaum, said she will miss the Desmonds.“I think it’s a shame. They really turned it into one of the best restaurants in the neighborhood,” she said.Most of the restaurants scattered along the quaint streets of Brooklyn Heights are small, seating about 50 people, and giving the appearance of bustling eateries even when half of the tables are filled.“We could hide 50 people in our dining room,” Mr. Desmond said.In order to keep Palmira’s churning, Mr. Desmond tried to attract clientele from other neighborhoods, but said the lack of sufficient parking spaces in Brooklyn Heights kept new customers from coming back.The neighborhood eatery was one of the few venues in Brooklyn Heights that could accommodate large parties. A local club, the Brownstone Republicans, would get together for drinks at the bar after monthly meetings at 101 Clark St.“It had great proximity, comfortable rooms, and the right space for us,” the president of the Brownstone Republicans, Eric Miller said. “It’s really too bad.”Two new restaurants, Le Petit Marche and Jack the Horse, have recently opened their doors in Brooklyn Heights. They appear to be following the successful approach of neighborhood favorites like Henry’s End Restaurant and Noodle Pudding: Keep it small.With just less than 50 seats, Le Petit Marche at 46 Henry St. appears lively with only 20 customers, something that is important to the owner, Daniella Silone.“This neighborhood is small and it’s hard to compete,” she said.

Brooklyn Locale Fails a Seventh Eatery

Brooklyn Locale Fails a Seventh Eatery

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