Oh S'tan, it's heartbreaking and surely hits home with your post. It's as if the forces of greed have not only said farewell to Charming Old New York, but "Good Riddance!"
The rotten thing is that this city has never been supportive towards any kind of small business. I would suggest, should any one find any sort of humor in this, he or she should attempt to open and operate any business in Manhattan. Be it night club or bar, shoe repair store, bodega, or even something of a more "specialized" nature, the torture is incredible. Endless City agencies, countless tickets and violations, greedy, lying landlords and much, much more. (I am sure Daddy will concur) Unless of course, you are a huge international corporation with main offices outside of New York-- then you get amazing concessions.
It's little wonder most small businesses in NYC flounder and fail within the first year.
It used to be that they were happy to have us all in sections of Manhattan that nobody else seemed to want. Now, however, they want it all!
I wonder, as everything I know and love gets torn up, and replaced by thoughtless mediocrity, just how long it will be before the wrecking ball appears outside my own front door.