Thursday, October 9, 2025
Family affair: 30 Years of Exit9 on Avenue A
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
The following Q&A was edited for length and clarity.
Exit9 Gift Emporium is turning 30 — three decades of clever cards, local finds and offbeat gifts that have kept East Villagers coming back for more.
In the lead-up to celebrating the shop's 30th anniversary, I spoke with the family (Charles Branstool, Christy Davis, and their daughter, Stella Branstool) who own and operate the gift shop to discuss how it all began, how a small business handles adversity, and some of their favorite Exit9 memories.
Why the East Village, and how did you come to be a family business?
Charles: Well, I lived here at the time, and I fell in love with the neighborhood. I lived right around the corner on Sixth Street, right above Joe's Bar.
Christy: We met in 1995; Charles had already opened the store. I had another job — in television. We were introduced by a friend. We met and became friends. We hung out as friends for quite a while before falling in love. I joined Exit9 in 1999 after leaving TV.
I did a year of bartending at the Phoenix on 13th Street, and once I discovered I was pregnant with Stella, I quit bartending and started working at the store, as much as I could as a pregnant person.
How does it feel to be celebrating 30 years?
Charles: I feel very proud of being here for 30 years. You know, it's a long time to be doing one thing, but I've — we've — done it pretty well. I'm very proud of the staff that we have. I'm proud of the partnerships we've formed, not just with our workers, but also with our vendors.
Christy: I also feel very proud to be a part of this institution. I kind of came into it by default, and I feel lucky for that, because it's become a career for me that I didn't anticipate, and I really do enjoy it. I was always a card collector, and now I'm a card buyer, along with other things, and I really enjoy that. It's a creative job. And I think that when I talk to people about us celebrating 30 years, their response is always that's just such a rare thing, especially these days, to be able to celebrate that kind of milestone. We've been through 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, blackouts, recessions, Covid — and bounced back. So I feel really proud to be part of that.
Stella, how is it for you, having grown up here?
Stella: It feels crazy. It feels awesome. I feel super lucky, too, to be born into a family business that offers good hours during the day and doesn't involve getting dirty with food… Everybody's, oh, not everybody, but mostly all the customers are in a good mood. It's fun, it's colorful, it's a good place to be born into, and I can't believe that it's older than I am [Stella is 25]. That's mind-blowing to me.
Charles: We're actually older than Amazon!
Stella: To me, it's crazy that I have never known life without Exit9. Wow. I've never known what life was like without this place. And as a kid, I was the coolest kid around. Can you imagine being a child who has access to this store? All my friends knew the store. I've been working at the store for a very long time… on and off.
Charles: It's true, I used to pay her in gum!
Stella: Another thing is that it's very helpful as a musician, as an artist, as a touring person, because this job is very flexible, to that lifestyle. To fall back on. I love Exit9.
Charles: Stella brought up the fact that this place is fun, and that's really what we were founded on, which was this idea of fun and curiosity. And I'm very proud of the fact that we've been able to maintain that fun and curiosity for a full 30-year cycle.
Christy: And to hear the soundbites of the people walking by when the door is open, saying "Ohhh I want to go into Exit9, mom, let's go into Exit9!" or "this is where I get all my holiday gifts" or "this is where we bought your wedding gift!" to hear what people have experienced from here is really touching.
For people to come in and say, "Please don't go anywhere, we don't know what we would do without you." It's touching to have a fan base like that.
Is there a favorite memory? What stands out?
Stella: Well, during Covid, I was not living with you guys, so I was kind of, I wasn't working at Exit9, and I was in school at the time.
Charles: During Covid? Nobody was working here!
Stella: Yeah, but I remember you guys would go to Exit9 and make these fun videos with the bunny bags. Remember that? For Easter? I guess that's not really a memory so much as, like, when I think about Exit9, persevering through so much time, I think about that and how you guys really were just getting creative…
Christy: That's where the goofy videos started! [See below!]
Stella: Being goofy and being sweet.
Charles: During the shutdown, you're just left with all this stuff. You're just left with this stage, and nobody's coming in, and that's where we're just like, OK, I'm gonna go make a sad video about Covid and being closed.
Stella: It's just wholesome.
Christy: And I mean, over the years, there were celebrity interactions.
Let's talk about that.
Christy: Bill Murray was my favorite. We carried two Bill Murray books at the time, and he had his luggage and it was during the holidays, and the two books were down here [gesturing], and I said, "Would you like to put your luggage over here?" And I motioned to the books, and he just laughed. And then my employee was trying to set me up with him for some reason, but he introduced himself to me as Bill, as if I wouldn't know who he was.
Also, Timothée Chalamet, Bowen Yang, Rachel Weiss, Björk, Meg White. I mean, the list goes on. Tig Notaro…Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, Peter Dinklage.
Charles: I think our windows are a memory for me ... That's where the magic happens. And from our window designer, Julie Delano.
Christy: Not that long ago, I was outside sweeping, and this older couple came by. And they were just like, and I've also, if I had a nickel for every time somebody said this to me, but it was just lovely to hear these, like older East Village people saying it. They said, "You know, every time we walk by here, the windows are so amazing. I don't know who your window dresser is, but they're better than Bloomingdale's. We're so impressed by what you guys do here," and that's really nice to hear. We always pass that on to Julie.
Stella has a good memory, Stella?
Stella: Yeah, I have a good memory, which is the shows that you would put on, you guys would put on in the windows for Halloween.
Would that be the doctor is insane?
Stella: The doctor is insane! That is a key memory. The preparation going into those shows…
Charles: Oh my God, that's why we don't do it anymore. The preparation alone killed me.
Stella: But people loved it.
Is there a chance it might come back? It was wildly popular.
Christy: I think we should do it at some point again.
Stella: Come on…
Christy: 2026?
Charles: Let's shoot for 2026…
You heard it here first, folks.
Charles: MAYBE.
Christy: We'll convince Charles.
Is there a typical EV customer?
Christy: Not anymore.
Stella: There are a few archetypes ... the old East Village head who has been around for years and years comes in, yeah, maybe a little punk…
Charles: Or like the guy who came in today for the drag queen calendars?
Christy: Arty, musician-y…
Stella: Artsy. Yeah, with tattoos. Oh, and people with their dogs, those are my favorite kinds of people.
Charles: The dogs love to come in here. We feed them.
Stella: Yeah, love the dogs.
What are the other archetypes?
Christy: You know, we talked about celebrities and, you know, pre Bill Murray and Timothée Chalamet and all, it was Murray Hill. And now we have, like, Jeff Hiller, who just won an Emmy for "Somebody Somewhere." Justin Vivian Bond comes in — she loves her candles. So yeah, that kind of downtown star. Like Jesse Malin, too, those are our regulars, and that's so cool.
Stella: Also, the kids! Young kids with their parents are really excited by this.
Charles: We've been here for 30 years, and we've seen these kids grow from being in a stroller to sometimes being hired!
Christy: Or sometimes having their own children.
Charles: Yes, or sometimes having their own children. When you are here this long, you get to see the whole life cycle play out before you, and that's a really humbling thing.
You can stay up-to-date with the shop and spot any anniversary specials, giveaways, or events via Instagram.
First wave of artists announced for the 2026 New Colossus Festival
The initial lineup includes a good number of bands from abroad, among them: Runner (Dublin), DBA! (Liverpool), Surma (Lisbon), DeafDeafDeaf (Manchester), Junk Drawer (Belfast), Tukan (Belgium), Sunset Images (Mexico City), MAGDA (London), Winter McQuinn (Melbourne) and Thelma's Dream (Helsinki).
There are several local bands we like in the lineup, including Tea Eater, Star's Revenge and Suburban Speed.
As we've said, the festival provides a solid (and budget-friendly) way to see a mix of local bands and up-and-coming artists from the U.S. and beyond.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• Q&A with Steven Matrick, co-founder of the New Colossus Festival, taking place this week at East Village and Lower East Side music venues (Link from March 2025)
Picture this: A museum devoted to vintage photobooths opening in the Lower East Side
Called AUTOPHOTO, the female-founded venue is part archive, gallery, and working studio, with six restored booths that visitors can use to create authentic vintage-style photo strips (priced $8–$12).
The space also features historical displays and rotating exhibitions from artists who work within the format's signature four frames. Among the highlights: a rare color-chemistry booth, an original Polaroid photobooth and 100-year-old artifacts tied to inventor Anatol Josepho.
AUTOPHOTO will be open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.
Once a fading novelty, photobooths have made a comeback in recent years, with some young adults preferring the imperfect magic of a chemical print to another phone filter.
Photo courtesy of AUTOPHOTO
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
New interactive map helps tenants check for lead risks in their buildings
By entering an address, tenants can quickly determine if their building is likely to have lead paint based on its age — information that was previously difficult for most renters to access. Before this tool, tenants had to look up their building's construction year and cross-reference data about lead use to gauge their potential risk.
Despite stricter regulations since the passage of Local Law 1 of 2004, lead exposure remains a serious public health problem. In 2023, 5,078 children under age six in New York City were still found to be lead-poisoned, according to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Many others, including adults, are exposed through chipping paint or unsafe construction work that releases clouds of lead dust.
According to LDFNYC's 2024 report on construction dust in residential buildings, adults also face health effects from lead exposure, but have limited legal protections. Federal regulations are in place but are rarely enforced in New York City, and penalties for violations are often not collected.
Find the map and other resources at this link.
Tenants who discover that their building likely has lead paint can contact the Cooper Square Committee or a local tenants' rights group for guidance at LDFNYC@coopersquare.org.
Meet Rhaenys, the new kitty at MJay Convenience
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
There's a new feline greeting customers at MJay Convenience at 44 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street.
This past week, management adopted a kitten named Rhaenys, after a character from the HBO series "House of the Dragon."
"She's a firecracker," store manager Noel Silen (below) told us. "She's 4 months old, and is chipped, fixed, and has all her vaccines."
Rhaenyra the Dragon Kitty, also named after a character from "House of the Dragon," was stolen from the store on Sept. 6. Missing posters for the 4-month-old kitten are still up around the neighborhood, and Silen hasn't given up hope.
"She may not return, but I hope she does," he said. "I miss her. I miss the company. I'm still searching for her, but if she does come home, she'll have a sister here at the store."
Previously on EV Grieve:
Harvey Epstein seeks feedback on the future of the large dog run in Tompkins Square Park
Dog run users are invited to share feedback as plans take shape by filling out a brief survey by Friday to weigh in.
One key question: What surface would you prefer for the large dog run?
Find the survey here.
Signage alert: Jungle Bowls on 6th Street
This will be the second outpost for the health-focused cafe that serves various açaí bowls, juices and smoothies. The first location is in Bay Ridge.
The previous business here was the vintage boutique Starlin.
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Here's Jimmy Carter Way
The co-naming honors Carter's legacy of service and his active efforts to rebuild communities. In 1984, former President and First Lady Rosalynn Carter launched their first week-long Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity and a group of volunteers who arrived at 742 E. Sixth St. — the six-story Mascot Flats building that had been a burned-out shell — by bus from Georgia.
"That was when the world found out about Habitat for Humanity," Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford said in a statement. "The world had never seen a former President and First Lady swinging hammers alongside volunteers and future homeowners. Their example of servant leadership not only helped families achieve the dream of affordable homeownership, but it inspired thousands of volunteers around the world to do the same."
The co-naming ceremony included several longtime Mascot Flats residents, such as Don Kao, a Habitat homeowner and original shareholder who hosted the Carters in his apartment, which they worked on, during a 30-year retrospective reception.
"President Carter was a role model to me — someone who did the work that needed to be done because it was necessary," Kao said. "He understood that injustices and inequities exist, and that we must act. He believed housing is a human right, that food insecurity has no place in a country like ours, and that the basic needs we consider human rights should be guaranteed for all."
Here's a look at the street blade on the SW corner of Sixth Street and Avenue D...
Bottom three photos by Anthony Collins
Fundraiser launched for man seriously injured in 9th Street fall
A person familiar with the situation said that the man had been visiting his daughter, who lives in the building. The father remains in the hospital with serious injuries and is expected to be in recovery and rehab for an extended period.
We just learned that there is a fundraiser for him. From GoFundMe:
My dad, Jim, was involved in a horrible freak accident on the morning of September 26, 2025. He fell a high three-stories off of a fire escape while on a trip visiting my sister in NYC. He is currently in the ICU in critical condition with extensive injuries ... None of his family, except for my sister, lives in New York, so not only are we going to have to worry about medical expenses, but also traveling expenses for his family to come help him during his difficult recovery.We appreciate any help and good energy towards my dad's healing.
For more information, please visit the following link.
Monday, October 6, 2025
A supermoon warmup
Sixth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D to be co-named Jimmy Carter Way
In 1984, the former President and First Lady Rosalynn Carter conducted their first week-long Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity at the six-story, 19-unit Mascot Flats apartment building, then a burned-out shell located at 742 E. Sixth St.
Three years later, 19 families moved into their new homes. Carter returned to visit the building in 2013.
The street co-naming ceremony will take place today at 2 p.m. at the southwest corner of Sixth Street and Avenue D. Residents will share memories of working alongside the Carters and discuss the ongoing importance of affordable housing.
Carter, who died on Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100, and his wife led the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity for more than 30 years, inspiring 100,000-plus volunteers to build, renovate, or repair 4,447 homes in 14 countries.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Workers clear out Chris French Cleaners as demolition looms for corner of 4th Avenue and 9th Street
Photos by William Klayer
Workers were spotted yesterday hauling out the dry-cleaning equipment from the now-closed Chris French Cleaners on the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street.
In case you missed the news: A 10-story condoplex with 10 residential units is in the works for the site, per public records. The pending new-building permit was added to the DOB's system on Sept. 24.
The dry cleaner closed for good on Sept. 19, ending a 65-year run in the neighborhood.
In the spring of 2022, we noted that this corner property — a single-level structure — was being pitched as a development site shortly after the family patriarch, Chris Mitrofanis, passed away. Public records show the family also owned the building.
According to Crain's, Ilyas Abayev, founder of the real-estate firm Moonshot Development, is behind the new project. BKSK Architects LLP, whose local credits include The Jefferson on 13th Street between Second and Third avenues, is listed as the architect of record.
There's already a demolition permit on file with the DOB for 101 E. Ninth St.
You’ll hardly recognize the former Crocodile Lounge on 14th Street
Workers had been renovating the building from late last year and into 2025. If you recall the old Crocodile Lounge, you may need to double-check the address, as the space now features a glassy double entryway that feels more SoHo than East 14th Street.
The retail space, which is for lease ("retail, food, fitness, and other service concepts"), has been home to restaurants for many years, including Il Faro and, in the 1990s, Manila Garden. Crocodile Lounge never reopened after the COVID shutdown in March 2020.
As previously reported, in a transaction posted last October, an LLC affiliated with The Sabet Group purchased the four-story building for $3.3 million, down from its initial asking price of $5.5 million.
For generations, a family has owned the building known as The James McCreery House.
Read its history here.
Kobano has not been open lately on the Bowery
The space has been dark lately, giving it that abandoned feel...
Google now lists the restaurant as "temporarily closed," although there is no mention of this on Kobano's website or Instagram.
Kobano opened in February after the owners decided to switch up concepts from Íxta, which served southern Mexican and Oaxacan dishes for two years.
Previously, in this rather large space, Daniel Boulud closed DBGB in August 2017 after an eight-year run.
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Sunday's parting shots
Photos by Steven
As seen in Tompkins Square Park today... and a little later...
Oct. 5
However impressive a fall discard may appear, this specimen is, regrettably, synthetic and therefore not eligible for prizes, trophies or the global renown accorded to authentic holiday tosses before Dec. 25.
Thanks to Maegan Hayward for the tree tip!
Week in Grieview
Posts this past week included (with a photo yesterday from Tompkins Square Park)
Never miss an EVG post with the weekly EVG newsletter. Free right here.
• The East Village photographer behind a new David Bowie book (Tuesday, Sept. 30)
• Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade returns for its 35th year on Oct. 19 (Friday, Oct. 3)
• Surprise! 10-story condo planned at the former home of Chris French Cleaners (Monday, Sept. 29)
• Pierogi Day returns to East Village Meat Market on Oct. 11 (Friday, Oct. 3)
• The return of Hitchcocktober at the Village East by Angelika (Sunday, Sept. 28)
• Diorama season! Miniature magic returns to the corner of 9th Street and Avenue C (Saturday, Oct. 4)
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