Sayonara, Saks and Citarella (Water Mill)! There’s some major shake ups in the Hamptons retail world!!

Well here’s a move that kind of had me blindsided. Saks Fifth Avenue will shutter their Southampton store as of this Sunday! So, what does this mean to you and me… not much but if you think you’re going to go head over and get some Jimmy Choo’s for a song guess again. Is anything on sale then? Well not according to my sources. The gossip around town has everyone going into the spot from J. Crew to Ralph Lauren to Saunders real estate. So far nothing confirmed but for the ladies of the Hamptons, Riverhead will soon be the place to be! HA!

Now as for the other retail news which is less of a shocker, Citarella will close their Water Mill store as of this Sunday. So far, the employees don’t know if they’ll be kept and moved to other locations. They’re all waiting to hear! Meanwhile, an informed source tells me there will still be produce in the Ghost Town Shopping Mall …. a new concept organic grocery is set to move into the location soon after it’s vacated. No, it’s not a Fresh Foods or anything like that. It’s an original and a new concept. I’ll have more details soon!

Meanwhile, a little broker gossip; what Shelter Island agent is so reviled…. this person’s nick name is Count Chocula! Apparently because of an uncanny resemblence to a sugar coated breakfast icon! Pluck the eyebrows!

It’s a war of sneakers in Bridgehampton!!!

There are a million things we need in the Hamptons. A shoe repair place… A good electronics store (Best Buy)… a Target (over K-Mart) … a decent Mexican restaurant… oh the list can go on and on. What we don’t need is another sporting goods store. There’s already a few in East Hampton and Southampton. But in Bridgehampton the folks form Kimco don’t want you to walk far to do your comparison shopping for your next pair of NIKE’s, just go next door. Yep, they’ve allowed the chain Olympia Sports to open next to Sneakerology! If anyone knows how this happened.. let me know.

I spoke to employees at each location and apparently they’re out for blood. Both swearing they’ll put the other out of business! Who knew Reebok’s and Under Armor could stir such emotion! Meanwhile in other Bridgehampton news… I have to check out to see if Staples is opened yet. My guess is not likely!

If you thought summer traffic was bad!

 Yeah, the annoying and from what I hear from friends EXPENSIVE pumpkin patch is baaaaaaaaackkkk!

I hear parents with toddlers all over the Hamptons shrieking in terror! Look for back ups westbound all the way to Bridgehampton!

Things I learned this Summer ! Plus …Kickin’ butt on the web!

So what did I learn the past summer in the Hamptons? TONS… let me share with you a few of the things.

1) Free internet exists on the Long Island Expressway! All you have to do is drive the two hours behind the Jitney and your Zip Car is now an office on wheels! Send e mails… do research and look at actor Mark Feurstein (They guy from Royal Pains- I don’t know him either) for the entire two hours! Thank you Hampton Jitney and please only use this service when your a passenger!!! DID I REALLY NEED TO SAY THAT!? YEP! Speaking of which…

2) You must assume every driver during the summer is texting while driving. I’ve seen more Range Rovers plow through cross walks this summer than ever before. I’m surprised more people weren’t killed this summer all because someone had to tell their girlfriend they were “LOL”-ing!

3) Jodi Della Famina ruined every single back of the road “short cut” in the Hamptons! Traffic now get’s backed up on Scuttle Hole Road on a TUESDAY!! #$****$#!!

4) Thursday is the new Friday and Monday is the new Sunday. How come when I worked in the city, I had to work every Friday and Monday? (Insert working at Roy Rogers joke here) What do these people do for a living? I mean is everyone a trust funder??!

5) There’s a new word in the Hamptons vocabulary. It’s called Madoffreude! It’s kind of like Schadenfreude .. you know where people derive pleasure from the misfortunes of others. Madoffreude is taking great pleasure in the fact that someone you know of got ripped off by Bernie Madoff.

Wasn’t it just a great summer!?

Finally a little bragging about where I work. I’m a little biased yes, but Prudential Dougals Elliman just launched it’s new $1,000,000+ web site this week and wow!! What am I talking about ?!?!? It’s a cross between facebook and cracK…the equivelent of real estate narcotics.. totally addicting! The full screen images, the tracking of listings and the fact that it also has the listings from PDE and other companies as well really makes this a game changer! So if you’re thinking about searching for a property on say the UPPER WEST SIDE or Soho.. why go to 4 or 5 different websites you can look on just one! Cool huh!? Go to www.elliman.com and register on the site to get updates about new listings that fit your criteria. You may want to pick an agent’s name when you register… AHEM… or not… either way go to site and check it out!