It's interesting to note that a lot of what is being asked for was actually here relatively recently but seems to have gone out of business either for lack of support or inflated rents.
We used to have a JD Bakery on 74th St.
At one time there were two Keyfoods, in addition to what is now TradeFair and Met on 37th ave. as well as a C-Town where CVS is now on Northern and 74th.
Ferns was a fantastic stationery store on 74th St. We do have a Staples now on 103 and Roosevelt. There is Wise Stationery on 37th Ave. btwn. 81st and 82nd, which seems to be a good place for art supplies.
Abehill was useful for hardware, and Archer's on 74th and Roosevelt was a lot larger and staffed with friendly helpful people at one point in time. Then there was Long Island Janitor Supply on Roosevelt I think between 75th and 76th or 76th and 77th, that's where you went for some serious hardware when you needed it.
Discount Books, though no B&N, was a great place to actually buy a book and bring it home to read.
There was a larger cafe on 37th ave between 78th and 79th, complete with live local musicians, etc.
We had at least 2 fish markets on 37th ave.
Oh, and a real butcher on 74th st.
We were be speckled with Irish pubs for quite some time.
And there were 2 movie theatres on 82nd St.
Most of these stores disappeared within the last 10 to 12 years. Not terribly long in the life of a neighborhood.
I don't mean to sound like a life long JHer (even though I am) bemoaning the loss of the better times in days gone by, but it's interesting to note that the very things this neighborhood couldn't support in the last 10 years are the things we'd all like to have back now.
So my question I suppose is; What's different now ? It doesn't seem like the population has grown or changed so drastically in the past 10 years that these failed businesses can rise form the ashes like a Phoenix to a new life of success and profitability, or can they ?