A New Jamaica Ave?
Off the Q112 to Jamaica Center on a Monday morning; a constant stream of people heading to work or school in their hands is a coffee, a black deli plastic bag, a child, or even a newspaper from the Punjabi News Paperman. Walking past the train stairs, the man constantly saying “I got sour. I got sour. I got sour.”, passing the Popeyes, finally passing the local movie theater and turning right walking straight down. Look up and you see shops that were never there before.
“Starbucks, Boston Market, H&M, Chipotle?”
Before all these big corporate stores and fast-food restaurants, Jamaica Avenue was rich in BIPOC shops serving those in the community and nearby. Jamaica, Queens is a diverse community of predominantly African-American, Middle Eastern, Caribbean, and Hispanic. Made up of middle-class homes, some housing projects, and small apartment buildings that blend in with local bipoc shops.
In late 2017, Starbucks opened in Jamaica Avenue. I was in eighth grade around this time and it was all the buzz in my South Jamaica middle school. Some adults found it as a space and opportunity for youths and others knew this may be a call for gentrifying. By a couple of months, new stores started popping up like H&M, Boston Market, and many more.
I didn’t realize the ‘gentrification’ was getting serious until I saw people losing their homes or moving out of apartments because the city was rebuilding or they were just being paid to move out. Walking to Stuphin to get to the LIRR, I see signs of “luxury apartments” being built, I realized this meant it for the gentrifiers. I see old big buildings become big glass buildings for office use. Jamaica Avenue is changing.
I know it is not good for us locals. These businesses are hurting the mom- and- pop shops. Many BIPOC are moving out, losing their homes, and having to lose their money. Brooklyn has been getting gentrifying for the past years now, and it seems Queens is next.
What are we going to do?
