HERE'S PARK SLOPE: Bicycle Habit Signage & Cupcake Wars

IMAGE VIA PARK SLOPE LENS

On Monday, word got around that the long-in-the-making restaurant on the corner of Sixth and St. Marks has a name, and it sure is a weird one. Bicycle Habitat, on Fifth Ave in the South Slope, also got a massive sign.

Tuesday brought news that Park Heights Stationary, which spent 25 years on Park and Flatbush before closing last year, is going to be replaced by Five Guys Burgers. The response has been decidedly mixed. It's another burger chain, yes, but it's halfway decent and is sure to be a success. Butter Lane Cupcakes also re-opened on Seventh, and on the same day The King of Cupcakes also re-emerged, selling out of the Parkslope Eatery next door. Coincidence? Also, one of the few internet coffeeshops left in the city, Sandy's on 16th Street, closed up shop.

Wednesday news broke that Irish pub Harry Boland's, on Ninth Street near Fifth, had closed for good. It was a simple, low key pub and a great spot to play darts, but nothing special, and it had been underwater with tax issues for a long time. I also took a look inside the new falafel joint coming to Dean Street near Fifth, and it's looking pretty impressive. Avon Cosmetics is also opening up a branch further down Fifth.

On Thursday the signless Fifth Avenue women's shoe store Wndrland closed for business, once again proving that when you open a store, you should put a sign on it. And use vowels.

Mango/ Remixed Asian Brasserie, the middle-of-the-road Thai restaurant-turned Asian fusion joint on Fifth, also closed this week, on Friday. Mini Hair Village Spa, one of the oddest-named business to open in a while, is also already annoying the neighbors with its garish 24/7 LED display, on Seventh and Ninth.