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Recent Los Angeles transplant Gabe Nies talks about raw, soul food restaurants, his fun building and the music on the streets of Harlem.
Name, Age, Occupation: Gabe Nies, 32, Life Strategist
Neighborhood: Harlem, New York
Abode: Huge two-bedroom brownstone apartment
How long have you lived in Harlem? Less than a year
What do you love most about your neighborhood? I love the vibe in this area!
Best kept secret in Harlem?
There’s this really cool restaurant called Raw Soul. Normally, when you think of Harlem you think of Sylvia’s for Soul Food. This place is so cool because it’s a raw restaurant and it’s in Harlem and it has so many cool foods. The paradox is interesting and its an awesome restaurant.
Favorite way to spend a Saturday night in your neighborhood?
Since I’m still new to New York I go everywhere so I either hang out in my huge apartment here or I go to other parts of the city. I love to walk around this area and look at all the old buildings and churches. I mean the Apollo is right around the corner! I haven’t been there yet, but I can’t wait to go.
Do you talk to your neighborhoods?
Yes, all the time. In my building everyone is under 34 and they are all cool, hip people. We have parties in the building, sometimes we go to brunch together, we hang out at each others apartments. There are only three of us in the building and we each have our own floor. You just go downstairs and knock on the door and say hey what are you doing and we all just hang. They are really great.
Why Harlem?
If feels like you are kind of in another time. It’s a mixture of people and music in the streets… there’s so much gentrification in Harlem, and there’s such a great diversity of people. So many people are moving up here because you can get so much more for your money, too.
When you moved to Harlem you were moving from L.A., how has it been for you?
I feel really good about what I did and in my opinion New York City is the best place to live because everything is here. You can walk outside and feel the energy — literally.
The move changed my life and it did so because I took a risk. I always believed that I would be here no matter what. If you believe something and are passionate about it, you will always get it. Moving to a big city or far away from family and friends puts the accelerator on your life, your progression and your evolution. That’s exciting!
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KEEPING IT REALLY REAL
First of all, Gabe Nies is not a “Harlem Insider” by any stretch or magical thinking. Talking to your neighbors doesn’t mean the few gentrifiers in the building — it’s relationships with the socioeconomically diverse people in and around the block that the building is located. Every Harlemite knows that, especially when being locally-socially connected has special advantages. That’s why many still affectionately call our community, ‘The Village of Harlem.’
Thirdly, on the question of “Why Harlem?” Gabe should have done his homework. He would have discovered that the so-called (White) ‘gentrification’ he believes is happening in Harlem has always occurred in cycles over the last 90 years. As Harlem became (and remains) a predominately Black and Brown urban community between the 1920s and 30s, more Whites had already begun moving to the outer New York City boroughs and suburbs for greener-wider-affordable spaces. As such, Harlem became world renown as an African American and Afro-Latino cultural center and residential community.
Lastly, many of the businesses that sprung-up primarily for the gentrification crowd have died or are dieing a natural death for making the ‘Business 101′ mistake of not knowing and catering to your immediate demographic of customers. Harlem has always had a variety of restaurants. Since growing up here over the last 40-plus years, I’ve patronized and enjoy every type of European, Asian, African, Latin, Southern U.S. and African American restaurant within a 10-15 block radius of central Harlem. The newer restaurants are nothing new — they come and go, and the ones that understand the primary flavors of Harlem thrive.
In fact, that “really cool restaurant Raw Soul” Gabe touts closed in December 2010. You just can’t put “soul” in your business name and succeed. We’ve been way beyond that in Harlem, since the 70s. We like what’s new and different too, but having and showing a ‘soul’ that connects to the actual majority demographic of Harlem, rather than the gentrifiers, is the best and most sustainable business model. It’s the essence of maintains Harlem’s attraction and true ‘cool’ factor. Harlem businesses like Chez Lucienne, Jacob, Red Rooster, Manna’s, Charlie’s Place, Mobay, and Shrine have made that connection. Build it right, and a diversity of all Harlemites will come.
Finally, on a more personal (real insider) note, Gabe and others should know that people of his mindset are referred to as “locust” (transients) or “‘hood locust” more derisively by many Harlemites. Not because they are gentrifiers, and certainly not because they’re White or generally socioeconomically advantaged. The “locust” are rightly characterized as such because many Harlemites view them as coming in with no personal of cultural affinity for longtime Harlem residents, it’s legacy and contemporary culture, and eventually sucking-out the ‘soul’ and ‘cool’ of the community — usually while trying to replicate a vibe that they are more culturally comfortable with.
It makes most of us Harlemites boil and wonder if they came here only for the relatively more rents and prices, or for a connection with the generations of usually welcoming and affable residents (a.k.a. neighbors) that have sustained Harlem over the decades. You can be sure to win a bet with the few Harlem bookies the odds are that even more “locust” and their related businesses will fail over the tough economic times of this decade, and beyond.
A bad word of mouth on and above the streets of Harlem is more potent than the internet and cable TV combined.
– Harlem Nycusa
First of all, Gabe Nies is not a “Harlem Insider” by any stretch or magical thinking. Talking to your neighbors doesn’t mean the few gentrifiers in the building — it’s relationships with the socioeconomically diverse people in and around the block that the building is located. Every Harlemite knows that, especially when being locally-socially connected has special advantages. That’s why many still affectionately call our community, ‘The Village of Harlem.’
Secondly, on the question of “Why Harlem?” Gabe should have done his homework. He would have discovered that the so-called (White) ‘gentrification’ he believes is happening in Harlem has always occurred in cycles over the last 90 years. As Harlem became (and remains) a predominately Black and Brown urban community between the 1920s and 30s, more Whites had already begun moving to the outer New York City boroughs and suburbs for greener-wider-affordable spaces. As such, Harlem became world renown as an African American and Afro-Latino cultural center and residential community.
Lastly, many of the businesses that sprung-up primarily for the gentrification crowd have died or are dieing a natural death for making the ‘Business 101′ mistake of not knowing and catering to your immediate demographic of customers. Harlem has always had a variety of restaurants. Since growing up here over the last 40-plus years, I’ve patronized and enjoy every type of European, Asian, African, Latin, Southern U.S. and African American restaurant within a 10-15 block radius of central Harlem. The newer restaurants are nothing new — they come and go, and the ones that understand the primary flavors of Harlem thrive.
In fact, that “really cool restaurant Raw Soul” Gabe touts closed in December 2010. You just can’t put “soul” in your business name and succeed. We’ve been way beyond that in Harlem, since the 70s. We like what’s new and different too, but having and showing a ‘soul’ that connects to the actual majority demographic of Harlem, rather than the gentrifiers, is the best and most sustainable business model. It’s the essence of maintains Harlem’s attraction and true ‘cool’ factor. Harlem businesses like Chez Lucienne, Jacob, Red Rooster, Manna’s, Charlie’s Place, Mobay, and Shrine have made that connection. Build it right, and a diversity of all Harlemites will come.
Finally, on a more personal (real insider) note, Gabe and others should know that people of his mindset are referred to as “locust” (transients) or “‘hood locust” more derisively by many Harlemites. Not because they are gentrifiers, and certainly not because they’re White or generally socioeconomically advantaged. The “locust” are rightly characterized as such because many Harlemites view them as coming in with no personal of cultural affinity for longtime Harlem residents, it’s legacy and contemporary culture, and eventually sucking-out the ‘soul’ and ‘cool’ of the community — usually while trying to replicate a vibe that they are more culturally comfortable with.
It makes most of us Harlemites boil and wonder if they came here only for the relatively more affordable rents and prices, or for a connection with the generations of usually welcoming and affable residents (a.k.a. neighbors) that have sustained Harlem over the decades. You can be sure to win a bet with the few Harlem bookies the odds are that even more “locust” and their related businesses will fail over the tough economic times of this decade, and beyond.
A bad word of mouth on and above the streets of Harlem is more potent than the internet and cable TV combined. — Harlem Nycusa