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Brooklyn Restaurant Tags Sidewalks To Let Neighbors Know They're Open For Business

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Creative advertising or vandalism? A new Brooklyn eatery is using public property to spread the word that it's open.

Instead, it's spreading anger.

Walk around Gowanus, Sunset Park, or Park Slope, and you'll notice 'A & E Supply Co: Coffee, Butcher, Restaurant' spray painted on sidewalks.

"It's a supplement store I believe," Joseph Oliveras said, "Like a hardware store, I don't know to be honest."

It's actually an eatery that opened up earlier in the year on 4th Ave near 15th Street.

The guerilla marketing tactic is certainly drawing attention, but maybe not the kind they had hoped for.

"I mean, commercial advertising on the street, on the ground, for what reason?" Richard Beaman said.

"It's like on city property, so that's another problem because a lot of people pay so much for advertising," Imma Giocoli said.

The owners of A and E weren't available to go on camera, but told CBS2 a summer power outage set them back $100,000.

The campaign was a cost-effective way to let people know they were open.

They sprayed about 15 ads in the area, including in front of the Lowlands Bar on Third Ave.

"It seems rude. It's like they're pushing their business in front of my stuff," Michael O'Neil said.

The business owner told CBS2's Lisa Rozner the paint is temporary and chalk based. It's supposed to come off within about 40 days, but now police have reached out and told them to get rid of it immediately.

Co-owner Ennio De Nino apologized if anyone was offended.

He added, "we love our neighbors, and hope they'll allow us to make it up to them."

The business told CBS2 they're working to get the logos washed away as soon as possible.

Resident said some were gone this afternoon.

 

 

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