Brighton Beach, Brooklyn is equally renowned for its boardwalk and its borscht. But now, one of those claims to fame is in jeopardy.

Shoppers on Brighton Beach Avenue. Photo courtesy of Flickr member Axel Drainville.

Small, family-run operations – like the dozens of beachfront restaurants specializing in Russian and Ukrainian cuisine – have dominated the Brighton Beach economy for over 50 years. In fact, according to a report released in July by the state comptroller’s office, an astounding 88 percent of the Greater Coney Island area’s businesses have fewer than 10 employees. But in the last few years, residents have seen a marked increase in the number of national chains moving into the neighborhood. Walk down Brighton Beach Avenue, the fifteen-block heart of Brighton’s retail scene, and you’ll see half a dozen wireless stores, and nearly twice as many large banks. (And if those numbers sound excessive to you, check out the “All Shops” listing on the Brighton Beach BID website for proof.)

The takeover by AT&T and Bank of America has come at the expense of the independent shops that give Brighton Beach its unique flavor. “Every month, you see one big company come in, and three or four little guys close down,” said one staffer in the comptroller’s office – himself a longtime Brighton Beach resident. Some Brighton Beachers suspect that the forcing out of local businesses is a form of spillover gentrification from neighboring Coney Island, which has been battling its own redevelopment issues for some time.

If the big bad businesses continue to take over in Brighton Beach, pushing out the family-owned Russian bookstores, markets, and cafes, will the neighborhood lose its appeal as a tourist destination? Take the survey, and let us know what you think.