BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (PIX11) – A Black-owned business in a predominantly white Brooklyn neighborhood is closing its doors after 45 years due to rising rents and changing shopping habits.
However, loyal customers of Bentley’s shoe store hope this neighborhood fixture is only closing temporarily.
Known for service with a warm smile and helpful advice on shoe fit, Bentley’s has been a part of Brooklyn Heights and beyond for nearly fifty years.
But now this mainstay on Montague Street, beloved by so many, is closing its doors next month.
“We’re closing because of a combination of real estate taxes, lack of customers because of the Internet, and also the traffic is no longer what it was on Montague Street,” Tony Bates, Bentley’s store owner, told PIX11 News. “The Community Board has r