From left: Dean Rosenzweig, vice president of retail services at CB Richard Ellis, and Manhattan locations of Think Coffee, Starbucks and Ninth Street Espresso

Perhaps because of changing tastes, a widespread backlash against Starbucks or lower retail rents, high-end coffee shops are making their mark on New York City real estate and expanding rapidly.

As the New York Times reported, Ninth Street Espresso, Roasting Plant, Jack’s Stir Brew, Gregory’s Cafe, Think Coffee, MUD, Blue Bottle Coffee, Cafe Grumpy, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Intelligentsia Coffee and Joe the Art of Coffee are just some of the new breed of coffee makers, homegrown or imported from elsewhere in the country, that have descended upon the city with multiple locations in the last few years.

Coffee shops depend on volume so many are opening in office neighborhoods, retail brokers say, although the addition of baked items and packaged beans help them stay viable in residential neighborhoods where rents can be lower. [more]

Ellen Rudin, managing director for Long Island and the outer boroughs at CBRE and the office in Long Island City (building photo source: LIQCity)

Despite a grinding recession producing “for rent” signs all over the city, commercial services firm CB Richard Ellis is beefing up its presence in the outer boroughs.

The California-based company recently opened a new office in a retail space in Long Island City, replacing a nearby now-shuttered office location, and for the first time, is basing two retail brokers in the borough. The firm also is interviewing to hire new brokers, the managing director for Long Island and the outer boroughs, Ellen Rudin, said.

The LIC office, covering all the outer boroughs, houses eight agents including the two retail brokers (one of whom splits his time with the firm’s Woodbury, LI, office), one investment sales broker and five office and industrial brokers, Rudin said. The firm is the only national brokerage with an office in the outer boroughs, even as most also do deals there.

Although CBRE’s number of brokers working outside Manhattan is about the same as in recent years, this is the first time it has based any retail brokers in an outer-borough location. [more]