THE YUPPIE PLAYGROUND

A yuppie is defined as, “a young person with a well-paid job and a fashionable lifestyle”, this can also include those who have already grown up with wealth. The lower east side has been the home to many immigrants, so what will happen when gentrification causes the people who made the community, to no longer be able to afford to live there?

Bars, restaurants, large corporate stores, and new modern residential buildings have all increased in the Lower East Side and in Alphabet City. All along Ave. A you see trendy restaurants and eateries set up for everyone to enjoy. However, with the prices of midtown Manhattan, it’s no surprise the patrons are young wealthier white people. From Bowery to Ludlow Street, there are such a variety of bars, it’s no wonder people come back every weekend to get their fixes. Large corporations that have never been here before are also starting to pop up throughout the neighborhood. With Target and Trader Joes on Canal Street as well as the new Marshalls built back in 2018 right next to the infamous Katz’s Deli, it’s no wonder that many new residential developments can be seen in response to the commercial growth in the area.