Williamsburg Food & Retail Rumormill, McDonald's Included

Yesterday, we had a photo of a Dunkin' Donuts sign affixed to the scaffolding fronting the Quadriad Development site on Bedford Avenue. Some readers left comments saying that the sign was attached to some wood that had been put up, so lacking definitive word on a planned DD on Bedford, it's still in the rumor stage. (Though one caused by a sign.) There is other interesting Williamsburg information to report. One report is clearly based in reality and one that is a crazy, yet mildly plausible, and definitely-worth-mentioning rumor. First, the crazy, then the more run-of-the-mill:

1) Rumor has it that McDonald's has its sights set on Bedford Avenue. (Repeat: This is a rumor. It is only a rumor and we are presenting it as a crazy rumor.) A reader notes that "Word on the street is: Mc Donalds bought Salvation Army on Bedford and N7 few months ago. Their lease is ending soon, here come the Mc Muffins in the morning. This is a rumor, but it sounds awfully accurate." Property records show that the building (above) is still in the hands of the Salvation Army, however, which acquired it in 1974 from GTR Realty Corp.

2) A significant number of shops are opening on N. 3 & N. 4 Streets by mid-year. A tipster writes, "I've learned that between 5 to 10 stores will open on the next block in the next 5 months, between Wythe and Berry. This is getting out of control. Fastest gentrification of a neighborhood ever? Feels like the developers want to beat Brasilia on the speed level..." The detail provided includes "a furniture store, a candy store, a fashion store on the north side of the [N. 3] street and i have no clue about the 3-4 shopping spaces on the ground floor of the new condo building on the south side." The new building in question, which is pictured below with its street-level retail space, is 100 N3 Lofts.