Construction Underway on Duke of Montrose Bar

Trade Winds furniture closed up shop over the summer on the corner of Fifth and Bergen, and shortly thereafter it was announced that a high-end Scottish Whisky bar called Duke of Montrose would be moving into the space. Run by the same owners as Upper East Side favorite Caledonia, it'll be built to resemble a distillery, and will also serve a full food menu (no word yet on haggis).

Last month the windows were papered over and flyers were pased in them looking for help with heavy lifting, and over the course of the past week the space has been gutted. Will be interested in seeing how this bar turns out.

O'Connor's to Reopen In Six Weeks, According to Owner

It was back in February of 2011 when the owner of legendary dive bar O'Connor's, which has been on Fifth Avenue between Bergen and Dean Streets since 1931, announced that the bar would be undergoing extensive renovations, more than tripling its size and bringing it into the 21st century with the addition of a back room, a second floor, a stage, food, and draft lines.The bar didn't close until this past June, and since then work has been sporadic as the site became more and more of an eyesore.

But construction has recently accelerated, and when I peeked through the doorway a couple days ago owner Mike Maher was on his way out. We chatted for a couple minutes, and he told me that while construction is obviously behind schedule, he plans to re-open in about six weeks.

I only had a brief look into the darkened construction site, but it wasn't pretty in there. We won't know the full extent of the reconstruction, and whether longtime bartenders like Chris and Matt (and the longtime regulars) will return, until the bar re-opens.

Bhoomki, An Eco-Friendly Boutique, Coming to 158 Fifth Avenue

A sustainable, artisan clothing and accessories boutique is in the works on Fifth between Degraw and Douglass, in the space last occupied by a real estate office, and before that Scoopz Ice Cream.

Bhoomki translates to "of the earth" in Sanskrit, and that's the overriding philosophy for the shop. It's run by designer Swati Argade Pollak, who's been creating ethically-fashioned, eco-conscious clothing for ten years. The merchandise will focus on brands which source locally, employ traditional artisanship, and use sustainable fabrics.

The majority of the clothing will be designed by Swati herself, who has been on-premises nearly every day assisting with construction. About 75% of the merchandise for sale will be geared toward women, with some items for kids and men, as well as jewelry from recycled materials.

Their opening collection for autumn will be made in New York, and all fabrics and trims have been sourced from local businesses. If all goes to plan, Bhoomki will be open by the end of the month. Along with Hiho Batik and Impeccable Attire, there's been a notable boom of high-quality handmade clothing stores along this stretch of the avenue in recent months.

David's Tea Says Hello

Last month I first brought you the news that David's Tea would be taking over the long-vacant space that was last occupied by Grecian Corner, on the corner of Seventh Avenue and Fourth Street. Well since then plywood has gone up (revealing an ancient sign for the late diner), and a few days ago some temp signage for David's went up on that.They're currently hiring; those interested can email careers@davidstea.com.

There's still a ways to go construction-wise, judging by this shot behind the plywood, but it's been moving at a rather brisk pace.

What to Expect: Beygl, 291 Fifth Avenue

A new bagel place is in the works in the space last occupied by Peruvian restaurant El Pollo, on Fifth Avenue between First and Second Streets, and earlier this afternoon I had the chance to drop by and speak with owners Robert and Joey Massa, two Brooklyn-born brothers who are eager to start serving up some hot, fresh bagels.

"All our bagels will be baked on-premises, in the authentic, honest way of doing it," said Robert, who lives in Staten Island but grew up about 20 blocks away. "When I say that, I mean hand-rolled, kettle-boiled instead of steamed, and slow-baked in small batches. Most places churn them out by the hundreds; we'll be baking only 4-6 dozen at a time."

The commitment to the hand-crafted, artisan technique will also carry over to the other food offered. "All our meats will be roasted in-house, instead of just using Boar's Head," he added. "We'll be making fresh roast turkey, ham, and roast beef here every day, sliced fresh to order." All pastries and muffins will be made in-house as well, and all other bread will be from Baked in Brooklyn, located further down Fifth. Jams and jellies will come from Anarchy in a Jar, usually found only in specialty stores.

According to Steve, the jovial baker, fresh batches of bagels will be coming out of the oven every hour, so there'll always be something hot. "They'll be crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside," he said. "Just the way I like it. Not doughy, soft."

"It's more labor intensive to do it the old-style way, to take our time with it and do it right," said Robert. "But when you try it you'll be able to tell the difference, and to tell that we take pride in it."

If all goes to plan, Beygl will be open by the end of the month.

Owners Robert (l.) and Joey Massa