Future for fruit farm, barbershop still unknown
The future of an Austin Street block is still up in the air two months after a fire.
Sergey’s Classical Haircut at 63-53 Austin St. in Rego Park burned in late November, a blaze that firefighters controlled in 45 minutes and is still under investigation.
“It burned down out of nowhere,” Mike Pinkhasov, the owner’s son, told the Chronicle Monday.
A sign on the barbershop door from Travelers Investigative Services says there is an active fire investigation in progress and to not enter or remove any debris. A fire investigator with Travelers told the Chronicle he could not comment on the investigation.
Pinkhasov said he has not been able to get in touch with the landlord but that he hopes the barbershop can eventually open again.
“As long as they give us an opportunity to reopen, we’re going to reopen,” he said.
Attempts to contact the property owner for this story were unsuccessful.
Pinkhasov owns Theraputic Cuts, a nearby barbershop on Alderton Street.
Sergey’s barbershop and its neighboring businesses, Masada II car and limo service and World Fruit Farm, are boarded up.
Cheburechnaya, the restaurant on the 63rd Drive side of the grocery store, remains open.
A sign on the World Fruit Farm window says, “store is closed due to fire damage and power outage. Closed until further notice.”
A manager at Key Food located across the street from World Fruit Farm said he didn’t know if there is a timetable for the business to return.
Rego Park resident and Community Board 6 member Peter Beadle hopes to see the store reopen.
“It’s a wonderful business,” he said. “Hopefully it’s getting back up on its feet.”
No renovation or demolition plans have been filed, according to the Department of Buildings website.
The site is diagonally across from the location of the former Shalimar Diner. CB 6 recently voted in favor of a development plan that would bring housing to that site.
credit to: qchron.com
