History of Crown Heights: Stores Under 1414 President Street

by Crown Heights Historian Shmully Blesofsky VIA his Instagram account History of Crown Heights.

When 1414 President Street was built, it did not include ground-floor stores. At the time, Kingston Avenue had not yet developed into the bustling commercial corridor it would become. Retail activity was centered farther east along Utica Avenue, and this stretch of Kingston was still primarily residential.

As Crown Heights grew, storefronts were added to the building’s ground floor, reflecting Kingston Avenue’s transformation into one of the neighborhood’s main shopping streets.

In the 1980s, the building was purchased by United Lubavitcher Yeshiva to serve as a student dormitory. As part of that conversion, the ground-floor stores were removed, returning the building to a non-commercial use and giving it much of the appearance it has today.

Many longtime Crown Heights residents also remember the candy store that occupied the small addition by the alleyway.. a neighborhood fixture that remains a fond memory for those who grew up nearby.

A single building, but several distinct chapters in the history of Kingston Avenue and Crown Heights.