Brooklyn's Beloved Artisanal Mayo Shop Is Moving, Owner Says 'This Is Not Gentrification'

By Clover Hope  |  June 16, 2016 | 10:05pm
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The artisanal mayonnaise store featured last year in a SNL sketch about gentrification can, oddly, no longer afford its Brooklyn location because rent is too high. Unfortunately, the well-off residents in the area who enjoy artisanal mayo will have to find another mayo joint to hang ’round.

The owners of Empire Mayonnaise Co.—a gourmet shop on Vanderbilt Avenue that doubled as production headquarters—will shutter its doors in July. Good news for mayo lovers: They’ll likely relocate from Prospect Heights to another neighborhood where artisanal mayo is highly favored, says co-owner Elizabeth Valleau.

DNAInfo New York reports:

Valleau said the spot “served its purpose” for the four years Empire did business there. But now, the mayonnaise company is looking to expand to a larger facility, possibly in nearby Crown Heights or Long Island City, she said.

On the one hand, her shop and customer base who can afford such luxuries as non-regular mayo could possibly, partially be the reason for increased rents. On the other hand…gourmet mayo, tho!

“The Prospect Heights neighborhood has gotten really expensive,” says Valleau. “Most of my team grew up in lower income families, myself included. This is not gentrification — no one is getting rich here. This is hard work. This is the dream.” The mayo dream.

Image via Shutterstock

 
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