Lafayette Avenue Connecticut Muffin Closes; Regulars Seek Alternatives

When Raisa Rahman and Rawiyah Jamil walked over to Connecticut Muffin last week to study before taking the Regents, the Brooklyn Technical High School seniors were startled to find the doors locked and covered with newspapers.

The 59 Lafayette Avenue bagel and sandwich shop had closed overnight and, they said, with no warning. A sign on the door thanked their “valued customers,” directing them to the next-closest Connecticut Muffin, 11 blocks away at 423 Myrtle Avenue.

“It was a big surprise,” said Rahman. Jamil agreed, noting that “there were always a lot of customers, especially from Brooklyn Tech. Before and after school, we could study or meet up.”

According to owner Antonio Calvo, the business closed “mainly [because of] competition” and the tenants “decided to try something totally new.”

So what’s next for the space?

“I have a few different options I’m considering right now,” Calvo said, noting that his daughter, a real estate broker, is handling the listing. “We’re being very careful because we want something long-term that suits the community and my building.”

Until then, Rahman and Jamil said they and other Brooklyn Tech students would try visiting La Bagel Delight (73 Lafayette Avenue), Academy Diner (69 Lafayette Avenue), or the Starbucks (395 Flatbush Avenue Extension).

Still, Rahman said, the Lafayette Avenue Connecticut Muffin will be missed. “The whole place was really nice,” she said. “The red velvet cake was really good.”

What would you like to see at the 59 Lafayette Street storefront?