Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1119718
I ndustry City is a multi-functional mammoth—part office space, part event space, part shopping destina- tion. But above all, the food offerings at Industry City are what make this space between 33rd Street and 40th Street on Third Avenue in Sunset Park something special. The history of Industry City is one that goes back to the 1890s, when the neighborhood was meant to be an intermodal manufac- turing, warehousing, and distribution center. It was successful, but by the 1960s many of the manufacturers had moved away, and the area began to decay. In 2013, a new ownership group redeveloped the neighborhood, and today Industry City's more than two million square feet of space, is thriving. A lot of the space has been dedicated to food—over 30 food vendors across eight buildings—and rightly so. Brooklynites love to be ahead of the foodie trends. In Building 2 alone you can start with cof- fee and a baked treat at One Girl Cookies, then move to Avocaderia for an avocado toast that is almost too beautiful to eat. Grab a classic Burger from Burger Joint, a slice of pizza from Table 87, fill up your bag with dry cured meats from Ends Meat, have an Al Pastor taco (or two) from Taco Mix, slurp succulent Xiao Long Bao from Yaso Tangbao, or order the Kotti Special from Kotti Berliner Doner Kebab, an authentic taste of Berlin. When you think you've eaten all there is to eat, take one more look. You probably missed something. Save room, because a quick walk over to Building 4 will take you to Japan Village, an eating and shopping experience unlike any other. Home to Sunrise Mart, a well-known and fully stocked Japanese gro- cery store, it also houses 11 other Japanese restaurants, from bakeries and cafes, to eateries serving ramen and rice bowls, to fresh sushi and Japanese street food. "Vendors reach out to us, but we seek out opportunities to create some- thing unique," says Jim Somoza, direc- tor of development at Industry City. "With Japan Village, we approached Tony Yoshida, the owner of Sunrise Mart, about opening a new location With 30 food and beverage vendors across eight buildings, a visit to this mammoth emporium is well worth a few extra minutes on the subway. Industry City: A Food and Cultural Experience in Sunset Park, Brooklyn BY SARA KAY PHOTO: SARA KAY PHOTO: INDUSTRY CITY SUMMER 2019 147 store tour