Friday, February 4, 2011

Blockbusters: Union Market coming to 240 East Houston; Discovery Wines looking for new home


240 E. Houston has been on the block now for several months... and there's a taker. EV Grieve reader RyanAvenueA notes that signs just went up here for the Brooklyn-based Union Market.

Meanwhile, Discovery Wines will not be renewing their lease. Their last day is May 31 in this space at 10 Avenue A. Tim at Discovery Wines recently told me this:

"We're not going anywhere — we're staying in this neighborhood for the long haul. And while we have no concrete plans to move into a new space, we are aware of the options in the immediate area. Discovery Wines is a thriving retail shop with an established loyal customer base in the best neighborhood in NYC —" you can count on us to continue to serve our customers on lower Avenue A for many years to come."

Meanwhile, work continues on the upper levels of 240 E. Houston, which caught fire last July.

16 comments:

Laura Goggin Photography said...

Maybe the wine shop could move up to Ave A and 5th St, the corner that's being vacated by the pharmacy?

EV Grieve said...

True, Goggla. Plenty of retail space on A and B! Like the corner of B and Second.

Anonymous said...

do you know if they are taking all of 240's retail space or just some? any idea which?

EV Grieve said...

@anon

I assumed they were taking the whole parcel.

Anonymous said...

They are taking the bodega, wine shop and cleaners (which may already be gone). Kelly's and the Nail Salon will remain. Consider it more than a hunch.

BaHa said...

Damn, I love Discovery, hope they stay close. Maybe the old Graceland space?
Will miss the bodega; the only place that slices provolone and such as thinly as I request.

Anonymous said...

Boooo. I like that bodega.

Rocky Raccoon said...

Hmm - mysterious fire forces people and bodega to leave. Rocky smells a rat and he hates rats. Same shit happened to the building on 12th and A forcing the Raven out and tenants - no we have El Camion. Rocky smells a snake and he hates snakes. Did you notice in the add it lists the Ludlow nearby, Avalon Bay nearby and notes the number of lux units, so they are clearly not interested in getting business from an Alphabet City Raccoon. This has yuppie written all over it. Why don't these yuppies stay in Brooklyn where they belong and stop pushing out neighborhood bodegas! This sucks.

Anonymous said...

The unit owners who lived there pre-fire are all moving back. Union market incoming is unrelated to fire.

Anonymous said...

Also seems pretty standard that listing nearby large residential buildings is a good way to market retail space.

BaHNa said...

@Rocky: Fire not mysterious. Assholes running wires up to the roof for parties caused it.

Anonymous said...

Another option for Discovery would be the former health-food store space (what's was the name again?) on A between 3-4.

The owner seems pretty confident, so hope they have a deal in the works.

God help us if we have to resort to the crappy/cranky-owner-lady liquor store on 4th and A.

Anonymous said...

@BaHNa,Anon, Rocky,

Oh, I see they are condos, and the assholes who live there want a place like this. Makes their property value go up!, and helps to bring in more Yuppies. Thanks for all the info.
Once the entire neighborhood is taken over and the Yunnies get bored of humiliating people, and leave for a new town, who will be left....Yuppies!

jayKayEss said...

Booo, I like Discovery.

Anonymous said...

@anon 10:41 - you're an ass. just because someone owns a condo in "your neighborhood" doesn't mean they are a yuppy. have you ever actually met anyone in the building?

Smells like jealousy.

Anonymous said...

same goes for rocky...

yuppies stay in brooklyn? people really seem to feel entitled to living in the east village (or fill in the blank for any neighborhood that isn't just aging with the same boring people.

and as if the residents of the building had any say on having the bodega, nail salon and discovery wines leave.