I constantly hear reference to two separate buildings in the area being called The Chocolate Factory. Are they both former chocolate factories?
The first contender sits on the corner of Washington and Park. I think it’s pricey rentals.
OK, yes, it is. Here’s the building’s website. Looks like large 1br apartments (1k square feet) rent for around $2100, and the building used to be a tootsie roll factory. I’ve also heard rumors of there being a bar nearby called The Chocolate Bar (Google lists its address as 45 Waverly Ave.), and that it may or may not be a gay bar. Where the hell is this place, and why haven’t I ever seen it? It does seem to have a MySpace page. (More on this tomorrow.)
Then, we have what I think is the original “Chocolate Factory” residence, on Spencer and Myrtle. This place is condos. Here’s more info from Corcoran.
Now that I’ve lived in the area for awhile, I’d probably live in this place. But if I was checking it out for the first time? Man, this area is desolate and crappy.
So, which is it? Which one is THE Chocolate Factory?
An intensive Google search reveals that our area was once the second biggest chocolate-making area in the country. No wonder I feel right at home here.
YouTube
Contact
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
18 Comments
I don’t know which one is the real chocolate factory, but I think it’s the one on Washington & Park. At least that’s what my family says. They have tales of the wonderful smell wafting from it back in the day. Whenever they talk about it, it makes me think of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The Chocolate Factory is at 689 Myrtle, which I think is at Spencer, but I’m not positive. I’m moving to Myrtle and Kent and would like to think that area is exciting and up and coming. I prefer not to think of it as desolate and crappy. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…and it’s what I can afford right now. I think buying in that area is a great investment as the area will continue to improve as it spreads along Myrtle.
I was at the Chocolate Bar several months ago for a showcase for Maya Azucena (note plug for a GREAT local r&b singer you should all check out — http://www.mayaazucena.com) and it was a very cool space up a flight of stairs on Waverly, north of the BQE. I was told they had some gay nights, some open mic nights and some general hanging out nights, but I don’t know if it is still functioning. (And being upstairs and with no sign, it would be very easy to miss.)
My friend lived in the chocolate factory (on Washington and Park) for a couple of years (around 1998-2001). I smelled chocolate there whenever I visited him.
All of those chocolate factories explains the old confectioner’s union building on Vanderbilt (or is it Waverly?)I always wondered why it was there.
Yes, the Chocolate Bar on Waverly is still functioning and if you’re a light sleeper the folks exiting the cub will be more than happy to wake you at 4:00 AM.
BTW their myspace page is totally sketchy.
The Washington Chocolate factory was originally the Rockwood (or Rookwood?) Chocolate factory – that block is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was a half finished shell for much of the 80s through the 90s – I think construction finished in about 2002 or 2003 (it was definitely in the early stages of construction in 2001).
No idea which factory the Spencer building was. There is also an old confectioners union hall on Vanderbilt, between DeKalb and Lafayette.
And the preponderence of chocolate factories in the area may have something to do with the large number of sugar factories in nearby Williamsburg – one of which is (finally) being considered for landmark status.
I have to agree with DH. I live across the street from 689 Myrtle, and I’m enjoying all of the great shops and restaurants CH has to offer at an incredibly affordable price. Having Home Depot a stone’s throw away doesn’t hurt either.
Rockwood & Company pretty much had the whole area listed under the historic chocolate factory district registry. The original chocolate factory was on Waverly between Park and Flushing, but then Rockwood also acquired the Washington Avenue building. For more information go to http://www.myrtleavenue.org and download the Wallabout study.
Desolate and crappy? Thanks Clinton Hill Blog.
The yellow building on the north side of Myrtle is the chocolate factory and the one south side across the street used to be a mattress factory. Both are lofts.
My apologies on the original description of the area above! I meant to convey more that at first glance (by someone who doesn’t live in the area) that it might appear kind of isolated. But, I reiterate that I love the buildings and would live there now knowing the area.
i remember when the building on Myrtle/Spencer first opened, i couldn’t believe they had made it so fancy for that area. i’m sure it’s improved since then but that area is pretty desolate, service-wise. has it changed? i swear i saw a tumbleweed blow by when i went down there!
I lived across from the Myrtle/Spencer building about four or five years ago, and I can say the area has changed since then, but not as much as I would have thought. That buildings condos are really cool and have steadily appeciated in price – I remember thinking at the time: ‘Who is going to pay all that money to live here?!’ But they do… I do see that stores continue to pop up on Myrtle around there, and it’s not nearly as desolate as it once was. If there are still decent deals there, I would definitely recommend it as a cheap alternative to Clinton Hill and just 7 or 8 blocks east.
I currently live on Spencer Street between Willoughby and Dekalb – very close to the Chocolate Factory on Myrtle. I’ve been living here now for almost 3 years and have noticed a lot of changes. There is a cute coffee shop called Cafe Naico near Spencer and Myrtle that brews coffee from Fairway. The seating is nice and comfty and they have wi-fi. Down the street from that is a yoga studio – Yin Yang Yoga – great deals on yoga classes and they are building an outdoor deck for outdoor classes during the summer. We have a ton of buildings going up on Spencer – which means more people moving into this area. Also, Home Depot is in my backyard. I also heard a Dunkin Donuts is opening up near the G Train subway entrance nearby.
I live in The Chocolate Factory on Park and Washington. It used to be The Rockwood according to my father who used to own a candy company called The Breitbart Brothers in Brooklyn. We’ve only lived here for a few weeks and it’s amazing. The lofts are huge and we live in an original 120 year old building space with gorgeous wood beams for a ceiling and throughout the space. There is a commmon roof deck that is beautiful with views of downtown and next door is a fantastic vintage store called Re-pop where new and upcoming designers are showcased every first friday night of the month. Downstairs in the building is a great Cuban restaurant called Mojito which we’ve dined in and had the wonderfully authentic mojito bar drink. We love it here, regardless of the awful 4am crowd exiting a club called Reign down the block on Washington on Saturday nights…nothing is perfect, but this is close enough. Now if we could only get some brave new cafe entrepreneurs to open up on the block, we’d never leave home again.
Can anyone say whether or not it would be a safe bet for a single woman to live at the Myrtle/Spencer building? I have dogs and walk them in the evening too.. Just wondering…
Hey
I was surfing the web and i saw this site, pretty cool.
Currently im running and adult site:Wellness
k, just want to say hi
Can i link you from my site? im looking for quality content like yours. If no let me know if i can add u in exchange for a montly fee or something.
I live in the Chocolate Factory on Myrtle. My girlfriend “from the hood” who grew up here said she remembers smelling a wonderful chocolate aroma whenever she’d walk by the building. When we moved in four yrs ago the area was not very aestheticly pleasing but the prices were great for the space and we’ll NEVER get another place in Brooklyn for what we paid to live here. Our neighbors are fabulous and very friendly. The neighborhood is coming up, finally, but there has always been good foot traffic so it isn’t as desolate as it seems and I always feel safe when I’m out alone or with my kids.
Post A Comment