Monday, January 11, 2010

East Village vintage store shutterings continue: Andy's Chee-Pees on St. Mark's Place is closing

Just one week after the Post's trends piece on East Village thrift stores hurting...Andy's Chee-Pees on St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue is closing this location...And after the sidewalk shed was finally removed from this corner last Wednesday.



...they have another store on Eight Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. Andy's was established in 1977. (And I remember that the store used to be on the other side of St. Mark's Place, closer to Trash and Vaudeville...)



Hard to believe a store like this can't make it on St. Mark's Place. Of course, the pricey Theatre Condos are upstairs...and the developer has been advertising commerical space for lease...

Update: Walked by tonight, and the store was cleared out...

So let's take a quick tally of some of the neighborhood's unique vintagey stores that have closed of late:

Love Saves the Day
Howdy Do
99X

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am surprised Andy's didn't close years ago. This place isn't cheap at all!

Melanie said...

From all the closings I am seeing--the EV is looking deserted. A big chain closes (DD)all these stores on Ave. B as well are empty--this is a sign of economic bad times pure and simple.

J said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jill said...

I think you meant to write between 5th & 6th Ave (not street).

I agree with the high prices of this place, ridiculous, though indeed they did have some good stuff if you wanted to cultivate the idea that you didn't spend a lot on clothes. Definitely not the place to shop if you like to respond to compliments with "and it was in the $1 bin!"

EV Grieve said...

Oops...thanks Jill.

glamma said...

say what you will... i'd rather have an andy's cheepees than a citibank!!

Anonymous said...

The prices were asinine and last time I went in there the guy looked me up and down and nodded approvingly. It was then that I saw the "no fatties" sign on the counter. That was the last time I ever went in there.

Anonymous said...

actually that store wasn't closed due to the economy. that store actually made more money than the other store and the rent was cheaper. how do i know? insider secrets. if anyone has been there, im sure you can assmue a reason.

Anonymous said...

I used to go to the Broadway store in college and remember the prices being, like, Gap-level (which, back then, was a lot). Did get an awesome 70s track jacket once, though -- only $10. Stopped shopping there when the owner made a really inappropriate suggestion once -- I mean, really, that guy is a first-order creep...

thegaycurmudgeon said...

Trying to find the location of original Andy's Chee Pees for my Facebook page, New York Trilogy: A Walking Tour. https://www.facebook.com/NewYorkTrilogyAWalkingTour/notifications/

Unknown said...

Worked at the St Marks location for a few years in the early 80's,when Andy used to get some incredible authentic 50's clothing. Had the pick of the litter,including a 1955 N.Y.Dodgers baseball jacket in mint condition