Editorial - Tragedy in Queens

THE heart of the Irish community in Sunnyside was ripped out last week when a massive blaze burned down several Irish businesses on Queens Boulevard which were central to the Irish living in the area.

The sight of the entire block, where the buildings were located, on fire was very hard to take for a close-knit community which had come to regard that block of Sunnyside as a home away from home. The only saving grace was that at least no one was killed or injured in the conflagration.

The major hope is that the businesses can be rebuilt, bigger and better than ever, and that out of the ashes can come new accomplishment. It will certainly not be easy, but we have no doubt that the effort will succeed.

It is sad to note that the extraordinary planning and hard work that went into creating those businesses has temporarily gone for naught. Now the founders might start from scratch again, their dreams turned into nightmares.

The Butcher’s Block had become legendary in its lifetime. For thousands of emigrants it provided the Irish food and sustenance they had grown up with, as well as newspapers from home and other vital and important links that sustained this generation of emigrants.

In its few years Bloom’s pub and restaurant had solidified its place as one of the best Irish establishments in the country. Beautifully designed inside and outside, Bloom’s was representative of a new generation of Irish hostelries in America which matched anything available in Ireland.

Many Irish visited the Butcher’s Block for their Irish goods, then went along to Blooms for a drink or two. Others did the reverse. It had become a time-honored ritual for the Irish in Queens who greatly valued the contact with home and with fellow Irish people.

Two other Irish businesses, Grafton Travel and The Chipper, which provided Irish-style fish and chips, were also gutted or sustained serious water damage in the blaze. Again, two viable and popular Irish businesses are in difficulty because of this fire.

At the end of the day such meeting places are crucial for the survival of a community. Ethnic communities exist as little villages within the confines of a greater city. It is the contact and network that allows communities to survive. 

Behind all these businesses were the hard work, innovation and vision of young Irishmen and women who were looking for their part of the American dream. They all had succeeded admirably until this awful fire put them out of business at least temporarily.

We forget sometimes, just how tough it can be to get up and running in America. The hurdles are high — over 80% of new businesses fail. Yet the Irish have long had a knack and a dedication that has ensured that they succeeded where others fail.

The history of the Irish in America is a story of onwards and upwards. Generations left Ireland with very little, but somehow managed to create bright futures for themselves and their families in America.

This generation is no different. It is no easy task to start a business. Few have the ability or the courage to take that leap into the unknown, and even fewer have the skill to make it. The Irish businesses destroyed in Sunnyside were a testament to the courage of their owners in taking that step.

Of course there are now many workers out of a job too, which is a harsh blow for them, and we can only hope they can find alternative employment until the businesses resume. Our greatest hope of all, though, is to see that unique Irish corner of Sunnyside, Queens restored to its former glory. With time we have no doubt that it will be.