goodbye Salvation Army, hello gentrification
the "new boutique loft conversion" that took over our favorite local Salvation Army is underway at 115 Allen St. checking out their official website, we were dumbstruck by the irony of this absurd promotional paragraph... Hey Kids - Come be part of the gentrification of the LES as we edge out the old tenement storefronts in the ethnic capitol of the city!!

"The Lower East Side will always be synonymous in the minds of most New Yorkers, as the very first “ethnic” capitol of the city. As the flood of immigrants from Eastern Europe poured onto the city’s shore, at the turn of the century, they settled on the lower east side of town. The area stretched from Canal Street east and then over to Delancey. The most popular hubs for shopping were Delancey and Orchard Streets. Since most of the immigrants were Jewish, the flavors of the day were Pastrami, Knishes and Pickles and the vehicle of choice was the pushcart. Today, gentrification is everywhere. Wine Bars and snappy boutiques are edging out the old tenement storefronts. There’s no doubt about it, the Lower East Side has become one of the most sought after places to live and real estate has been revitalized in a way no one expected."

and check out Curbed's great coverage