North Slope Too Steep For Music Venues

Puppets Jazz Bar is a-moseying down Fifth Avenue, while adjacent Somethin’ Else record shop searches for new digs. Sharp rent hikes imposed by a new landlord will split up the side-by-side Park Slope retailers this week.

A broker with Rapid Realty indicated the building’s new owner is asking for $4,000 per month for each 450-square-foot space--a substantial increase and a rather high sum for area retail, in general.

A slightly larger 500-square-foot space on Fourth Avenue near Bergen Street is presently priced at $2,500 per month, the broker noted.

Both the jazz club and record shop are scheduled to close by June 1.

Puppets’ Jaime Affoumado told The Observer that the jazz bar soon will reopen a few blocks south at 481 Fifth Avenue, near 11th Street. “It's a bigger space with a backyard,” Mr. Affoumado said.

An employee at Somethin’ Else said the record shop is still looking for its next location.

City records indicate the building at 294 Fifth Avenue was sold on May 9 for $1.65 million.