Business

The Bagel Index: Breakfast in Brooklyn Costs 7 Percent More This Year

A survey of 45 bagel shops across the borough puts the average bacon-egg-and-cheese on a bagel at $6.85, up 7 percent from last summer. Owners blame eggs, rent, and cream cheese, in that order.

Against the Odds, a Cortelyou Road Bookstore Doubles Its Footprint

Marigold Books is knocking through the wall to the vacant laundromat next door, adding a children’s annex funded partly by $38,000 raised from 611 neighbors. The expanded shop opens in late September.

Storefront Vacancies on Fifth Avenue Fall to a Five-Year Low

A new report puts the retail vacancy rate along Park Slope’s Fifth Avenue at 6.2 percent, down from 11 percent two years ago. Analysts credit smaller storefronts, flexible leases, and a wave of first-time owners.

Record 900 Vendors Enter Smorgasburg’s Fall Lottery for 40 Spots

Applications for Smorgasburg’s fall season hit an all-time high, with 900 food vendors competing for 40 openings. Hopefuls say the $3,750 seasonal fee is the easy part; getting picked is the hard part.