Brooklyn-Based Musician ‘Mr. Kaves’ Opening Restaurant in His Hometown
By Liam La Guerre July 8, 2016 2:52 pm
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The founder of hip-hop and punk-fusion group The Lordz of Brooklyn is opening a restaurant featuring live music and art exhibitions in his native neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Commercial Observer has learned.
Michael “Mr. Kaves” McLeer teamed up with fellow Brooklynite and restaurateur Ray Medina to sign a 3,500-square-foot lease at 7003 Third Avenue between Ovington Avenue and 71st Street. The pair plans to create an eatery called the Brooklyn Firefly, which will specialize in pizza and beer from local brewers, as well as offer a range of wines and liquors.
The asking rent in the 10-year deal was $80 per square foot, according to a spokesman for Cushman & Wakefield. The brokerage represented both the tenant and the landlord, Workable City Development, in the deal.
“My partner and I wanted to draw from the heritage and the legacy of this location to create a place in our neighborhood where people can cultivate their love of music, art and pizza,” McLeer said in a statement. “It’s the culmination of years of us living, working and evolving in this neighborhood. Now we’re giving back to it.”
The new eatery will be comprised of 2,000 square feet indoors on the ground floor and 1,500 square feet outdoors. McLeer and Medina expect to open the restaurant by the end of the summer.
“The location presented the principals with an ideal opportunity to bring an authentic Brooklyn concept back to Bay Ridge, a neighborhood both Kaves and Ray know very well due to their deep roots in the area,” Cushman & Wakefield’s Alan Napack, who represented the landlord and tenant with colleague Mitzi Flexer, said in prepared remarks. “The space is located on a high-visibility corner and is perfectly suited for a restaurant.”
