New Haven Independent

Acme Lock & Safe Goes North

by Allan Appel | May 14, 2009 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

nhiasthma%20006.JPG After 12 years in its location on Park Street and 45 years in the city, Acme Lock & Safe, Inc. is closing shop and moving to North Haven.

Acme is moving because the landlord, William Esposito, is doubling the rent.

Company President Jerry Charm was winding things down the other day. By the middle of this week he expects to be relocated at 117 Washington Ave. in the haven slightly above ours.

“The rent doubled,” he said matter-of-factly, and without complaint.

Back in 2007, Esposito, an owner of many properties in the area, also dramatically raised the rent on a beloved local hangout, Gallery Rafael. It had been at Park and Chapel for 11 years. When Esposito raised the rent 100 percent, that business relocated to Guilford.

Still Charm appeared philosophical as he walked among the boxes in his store and an assistant waited on the customers who kept coming in.

“It was just time to move on.”

Charm’s father, Sam, established the business four and a half decades ago. He’s still with us, Charm said, and at age 86 he is “the oldest living locksmith in the state of Connecticut.”

But nostalgia wasn’t getting in the younger Charm’s way. “Look,” he said, “I explored a few places and the rents were just too high. I found a possibility on Church Street between George and Crown, and it was all right except for the parking.”

Parking in general also irritated Charm. “I was in last Saturday,” he said, “and parked outside [on Park] for three minutes to run in and get a part for a customer. I went out and there was a ticket.

nhiasthma%20005.JPG “I don’t understand it. And frankly I’m a little sick of the way they tag you. They want you to live and work in the city and to visit, and then every time they slap a ticket on you.”

Business wasn’t bad either, he said. Despite the recession he described Acme’s as holding steady. He didn’t negotiate with William Esposito, either.

“It’s just time,” said Charms, and went back to packing.

When Esposito’s office was reached by telephone, a reporter was told that the landlord had no comment and could not be reached until he returns form vacation in two to three weeks.

All, however, is not lost keywise. A quick survey of downtown revealed that Hulls nearby on Chapel Street between Park and Howe makes keys as does Whalley Hardware. A sign on the M&M Pawnshop at Howe and George also advertises on its window that keys are made inside.

However, if you like to visit a full-service locksmith and admire all those blanks neatly lined up in a row upon row, you will now have to drive several miles from downtown up to Amity Lock and Safe or Cohen’s Key Shop near Fitch Street. Or, of course, to Jerry Charm and Acme up in North Haven.

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Comments

Posted by: norton street | May 14, 2009 12:59 PM

if you take the bus, theres no need to worry about parking.
glad to hear the landlord can afford to go on 2-3 week vacation yet has problems with not receiving enough rent. what a joke.

Posted by: ParkStTaxPayer | May 14, 2009 2:32 PM

I live next to Acme Lock and Key's old location on Park St. It was sad to see them go; I hope it doesn't turn into a loud and boisterous club like Viva's; the neighborhood also doesn't need another cafe, with Jojo's and Dunkin at the corner of Park and Chapel.

Perhaps a bookstore, gallery, musical instrument tuning shop (with Yale Univ Music School next door!), etc? I'd hate to see it become another tattoo shop though. Park Street is going downhill and we need positive businesses to hold it together! it seems there are more and more panhandlers and drunken idiots lately!

Stores that stay open longer seem to breathe life into an otherwise deserted area at night... but no matter to me. I've finally had enough of the tickets, the towing, the snow bans, and I'm moving to Branford at the end of the month. Oh yeah, and the taxes!

Posted by: jawbone | May 14, 2009 4:29 PM

I was always glad to be able to get keys made over lunch at Acme. That said...Acme is/was totally 'CT style'. As in, "you're lucky we are in business over here for you."

Posted by: robn | May 14, 2009 5:48 PM

Is there some economic formula which I'm not privy to that allows landlords like this and Yale to profit by asking for twice as much rent but getting nothing form a vacant space?

I don't get it.

Posted by: anon | May 15, 2009 1:25 AM

Robn, it's called getting a new tenant who will pay a higher rent. What leads you to believe that this space will remain vacant when almost all of the storefronts in this area are full?

Higher rents are good - they mean that the building owner can afford to pay higher property taxes.

Posted by: jawbone | May 15, 2009 9:40 AM

Anon,
There are storefronts in that immeadiate area that have been vacant for the entire 20 years that I have been here. I'm sure they have been vacant for a host of reasons, but I'll tell you what, that stretch of Park is definitely NOT retail friendly.
The storefront next door is a revolving restaurant that has had 5 names in as many years...

Posted by: robn | May 16, 2009 9:25 AM

ANON,

I was alluding to the Rhoomba incident, and Yale's emptying of Audobon Street retail. I'm not as familiar with the specifics of Park Street so I'll have to take your word for it.

Posted by: anonymous | May 16, 2009 11:14 AM

I frequently came into Acme Lock for keys, etc. They were VERY friendly and courteous each and every time. With the economy the way it is today, how can this GREEDY landlord, raise their rent so extremely high. Times are tough, but obviously not for them. I will follow them to North Haven. I hope others will follow my example!!

Acme Lock & Safe Goes North

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