Cora Wu
Shake Shack upset many NYU students when it announced that it would not open a location downtown.
How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
Aromas of Shake Shack burgers will not be floating through the summer air on the corner of Prince and Mulberry streets, as plans to build the chain's fourth store were stopped due to conflicts with neighboring residents.
"After much thoughtful consideration, we have elected to forgo plans to build a Shake Shack in Nolita," CEO David Swinghamer said. "We were incredibly excited about investing in such an authentic neighborhood with its bustling retail scene and vibrant street life. Unfortunately, we could not solve the problem of building something that both made good business sense and was harmonious with the concerns of immediate neighbors."
New York City Community Board 2, which represents Nolita, was one of the main opponents against Shake Shack's expansion efforts. A sign promoting attendance at a Feb. 9 meeting read: "The Parking Lot on corner of Prince and Mulberry is on its way to becoming a double-level, outdoor restaurant bringing more tourists, noise, garbage, cigarette smoke … fight their liquor license application NOW!"
While some neighboring residents were disgruntled about the possibility of the Shake Shack, Paul Hardy, an employee at John Fluevog Shoes on Mulberry, was excited.
"The way we saw it, there were probably going to be big, giant lines of people staring at our stuff," Hardy said. "We didn't see any way it would be bad for our business, and we really, really, really wanted to eat the hamburgers for lunch. We're still a little bit heartbroken, to be honest."
Tisch junior Logan Lamson said he called his friend to tell him the news when he heard the Shake Shack plans had been halted.
"I like Shake Shack a lot," Lamson said. "[The] 23rd Street [one] is close enough, but I feel having a location downtown would be more beneficial and convenient."
The popular hamburger restaurant currently has three locations. The primary location for many NYU students, including Lamson, is Madison Square Park, but Shake Shack also has a location on the Upper West Side and at Citi Field.
Swinghamer said Shake Shack will continue to look for new locations.
"We are proud of our history of opening restaurants that strengthen their communities," Swinghamer said. "And we'll continue to seek out unique locations in neighborhoods where a Shake Shack will be cherished and have much to contribute."
A previous version of this article inaccurately reported that Shake Shack has a location in Shea Stadium — it is actually in Citi Field. WSN regrets the error.
