Empire Stores

You are standing before what remains of Brooklyn's Walled City. This stretch of seven brick warehouses was built between eighteen sixty-eight and eighteen eighty-five, back when this shoreline was a fortress of industry. The thick walls were designed with a specific purpose, as their solid brick and interior schist stonework created a naturally cool, dark environment. This was essential for protecting massive shipments of perishables, particularly coffee, sugar, and molasses, that arrived from around the world to feed the appetites of a growing nation.