Lobster lovers rejoice! Luke’s is headed to Park Slope

Eye On Real Estate

February 12, 2014 By Lore Croghan Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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Big news for crustacean cravers: Luke’s Lobster is moving to 237 Fifth Ave. in Park Slope.

Company vice president Ben Conniff confirmed to Eye on Real Estate that the buzz-worthy restaurateur signed a lease for about 600 square feet – plus a nice backyard.

Executives at Luke’s – which has restaurants in Manhattan, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia and a concession in Brooklyn Bridge Park – are hoping to open the Fifth Avenue eatery this spring. But because the building is undergoing renovation, the timing is uncertain, he said in an email.

Conniff, who has lived near Fifth Avenue for many years, said Luke’s belongs there rather than on Smith Street or other Brooklyn spots that could have been great locations.

“First, Fifth Avenue is home for me, where I do most of my eating and drinking outside my apartment,” he said in the email. “Second, the neighborhood has the same commitment to traceability, sustainability and pure quality that we have in our menu,” he added, pointing to the Park Slope Food Coop and CSA.

The lobsters Luke’s serves are caught in Maine, a sustainable fishery – not in over-fished Canadian waters.

“And third, we feel that Fifth Avenue more than anywhere else has a ton of long-term residents surrounding it, as opposed to a transient population,” he said.

“When we open a restaurant, we like to put down roots there and become invested in the community for the long term. We feel that Park Slope has the biggest community of residents and businesses with that commitment to their home and their neighbors, and that’s the vibe we want in our shack – regulars and friendly faces, and lot of frequent diner cards on the wall.”

Website Here’s Park Slope was first to report the rumor that Luke’s Lobster was looking to move to 235-237 Fifth Ave., which belongs to the Fifth Avenue Committee and had been covered by a sidewalk shed for seven years.