Nestled in Williamsburg, 71 Montrose Ave isn’t just another industrial building—it carries a rich and infamous past, deeply intertwined with Brooklyn’s Jewish history and the “bad boy” legacy of Montrose Smoked Fish. This building has seen it all—lawsuits, price-fixing scandals, front-page fires, and even a rat army that made headlines.

A Legacy of Controversy & Headlines

1935 – The Department of Agriculture filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming that the olive oil being sold was actually mostly cottonseed oil—an early brush with food fraud.

1944 – Montrose Smoked Fish, along with several other firms, was indicted for price-fixing, manipulating the smoked fish market during wartime.

1950 – A massive fire engulfed the building, landing on the front page of newspapers. The cause? Authorities blamed it on burglars, adding to the mystery and chaos surrounding the location.

1981 – The Daily News ran the now-infamous article, "Rat Army Has Them on the Run," chronicling an urban battle against an overwhelming infestation—another wild chapter in the building’s checkered past.

From the 1930s through the 1980s, 71 Montrose Ave was at the center of drama, scandal, and resilience, earning a place in Brooklyn’s industrial folklore. Today, this historic space has transformed into a versatile film location, but its walls still hold the echoes of its tumultuous past—a perfect backdrop for projects seeking an authentic, gritty, and storied atmosphere.

Want to shoot in a space with real history? This is the real deal.