St. James Shopping Center Stripped Bare [Empty in Smithtown]

Of the 13 stores in St. James strip-mall The Shoppes at Green Hills, five are empty. But to look at it you'd think a larger chunk of it had gone dark.

That's mostly due to this summer, which left a huge hole in the shopping center located at 556 Route 25A. It was the largest tenant there.

But the emptying started before Energy left.

Sylvan Learning center closed down, as did the Bagel Cafe, a family run joint that had operated there for years.

The St. James location for Realtors office RE/MAX also moved to 177 West Main Street in Smithtown. According to RE/MAX, the move happened because the company expanded and needed a larger space.

Though perhaps oldest vacancy Cool Beanz coffee house has the most resonance with locals. A cozy alternative shop that once hosted local artist events and open mics in addition to serving coffee and wine, Cool Beanz was a local staple. It also made national headlines when a van that was driven by a dog crashed into the storefront.

The dog's owner had locked his dog, Bently, in the car, while it was running, when Bently knocked the transmission into drive.

Today, much of the space is managed by Garritano Realty Group, which according to LoopNet is leasing space at $25 a square foot a year.

Businesses such as Empire Ginger, a Chinese restaurant, Kirin Hibachi and Stony Brook Hollow Pre-School are still operating at the strip mall.

There's a lot that needs filling there: What does St. James need?