Angelica Kitchen has been serving vegetarian and health-conscious fare since 1976. Like many other restaurants, though, Angelica Kitchen is struggling in today's real-estate environment.
So the folks from Angelica have embarked on a public awareness campaign … from a site titled "Don't Let This Happen!" (the Angelica turning into a 7-Eleven, for instance):
After a couple of very difficult years including a hurricane and a debilitating winter 2013-2014, Leslie — Angelica's owner — had to make the tough decision of either closing the restaurant after almost 40 years in business or signing a new lease skyrocketing the cost of occupancy. She signed the lease in March.
Since then, Angelica Kitchen has introduced several new products (such as beer and wine!). However, it hasn't been enough. What can you do?
Dine often with friends and family at Angelica's. Get takeout. Give Gift Certificates. Recommend us. Share our posts on social media, like us on Facebook. The fact is, we need your financial help and we're not messing around here. Keeping Angelica's doors open is not something we can do without you!
And upcoming…
We will be holding "Kitchen Table Talks" in the coming weeks to discuss Angelica's situation and what is needed to prevent the non-stop proliferation of chain stores and banks in the East Village. Please come to our first "Talk" Sunday Sept. 21, 4:30 PM; appetizers and beverages will be served.
Angelica Kitchen is located at 300 E. 12th St. near Second Avenue.
36 comments:
Wow, even the car in front of it changed!
How about moving to a less expensive location in the neighborhood?
Greivey, did you get a new program to do that? I like it , and I hope a twenty yr old did not help you with it.
@ anon 9:05
Heh! That image is from the Save Angelica site.
I'm still trying to refill my fax machine with paper...
I'm not a vegetarian but I still enjoy eating here once in a while and get mini dragon bowls for take out for lunch. Unlike some veggie restaurants where solemn customers sit alone reading activist booklets, the atmosphere and staff are friendly and lively.
relief!! I was concerned you may be aboard the Death Star!
What's a fax machine?
Love Angelica's eat there as often as I can, but I think focusing only on banks and chains is missing what I consider the bigger culprit. The bigger culprit is the changing demographic of the neighborhood combined with the proliferation of bars and restaurants. Bank branches will eventually disappear, with the exception of having a few sprinkled around town to remind people that they exist and as a marketing opportunity. With direct deposit, the ability to deposit a check on your smart phone and the fact that fewer and fewer purchases are made with cash will eventually render branches obsolete. As we've seen many of the chains are themselves struggling to remain open as evidenced by the opening and closing of Popeye's. Pudgies, Subway, etc. At the same time we see locations that used to be affordable restaurants catering to a mixed-demographic and local bars catering to residents being replaced by trendy upscale dining and drinking establishments catering to tourists, foodies, the wealthy and the otherwise transient population that now flocks to the EV. Just a few examples of this include - Life Cafe being replaced by Maiden Lane, Rakka on Ave. B being replaced by a chef driven Sushi restaurant, the same chef from Dojo that replaced Polonia, a deli on the corner of 12th and 1st Ave replaced by the high-end Italian dining experience know as Osteria, Empellon taking over the Sushi Lounge on St. Mark's and A and finally the old Odessa Cafe turning into who knows what, but the records indicate a bar or restaurant. Every single restauranteur or lounge owner who appears before CB 3 with their dream of opening a restaurant or bar in the EV, when faced with opposition by residents makes the old and tired argument that if you don't let me open then you will have another chain or someone worse then me. If we accept that argument we are sealing our fate. Landlords use the dining and drinking establishments as one weapon in their bag of tricks to drive-out long-time residents, who can't live peacefully because of the noise from not only the woo-woo crowd, but from those dining at the ever expanding number of sidewalk cafes and illegal rear yards. Oh and let's not forget those rooftop ventilation systems and AC units that rattle day and night, forcing people to sleep in living rooms instead of bedrooms. We have all know someone who is dealing with this or have dealt with it ourselves. If we don't protect the affordable housing and our neighbors who occupy it, then the new demographic will wipe us out and remember they come and go, and the jet-set crowd that thinks nothing of dropping $100 bucks several nights a week on dinner and drinks. So if we limit our focus to the chains we are missing the boat and all the places will love will just be figments of our imagination and memories.
Paragraphs are your friend!
Struggling through your steam of consciousness, I agree with most of what you say. Howver the bank branches are not going anywhere because they are a tax shelter / scam. I haven't figured out exactly how or why, but that is the only logical explanation for the flooding of the city with empty and unused storefront bank branches.
I live in a building that has a bank branch as a tenant on the ground floor and the rent and length of lease is amazing - makes absolutely no business sense for a bank that I have never seen more than one person use and usually has 5 or 6 staff standing around.
Whether you live in the neighborhood or not(but especially if you do), if you want it to stay, you gotta support. Simple as. They took a chance on people caring enough that it's there and signed that new lease, seems only fair to return the favor.
Thanks for posting this, EV. I appreciate the folks at Angelica Kitchen being upfront about this and letting us know about the rent hike and needing our patronage if the restaurant is to survive.
It's a sad state of affairs when a handful of real estate types are literally killing NYC's small businesses. They really get the bulk of the blame here. I am all for capitalism, but we need checks and balances for it to work for everyone, and allowing these people who own real estate to become tycoons at the expense of everyone around them is insane.
The Angelica situation is also weird because there's a line out the door at dinner time. Seems like the place couldn't GET any more business!
I LOVE Angelica! I can't believe this. They are always busy, I thought...
Not to play devil's advocate but I always preferred Souen for my vegetarian meals--have gone through many, many periods over past 20 years here where I ate there twice a week minimum while only ever dined at Angelica, equidistant from me, once.
Second devil's advocate here. If they want and need to stay in business, they need to offer more than just beer and wine. Yes, it is a great affordable vegetarian place, but they're catering to the few. This isn't the EV of the bohemians anymore where even the carnivores would go to vegetarian places and that the commercial rents were low that they can still profit by offering a great meal at a low price.
To cover the cost of rent that they recently signed, either they need to raise their price and offer "artisanal" "locally sourced" vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy free, dishes with almond and soy based dressings and accouterments at $20+, and/or offer $20+ cocktails to pair with those dishes.
This is the East Village Today, where only the riches can afford to live and play. Just the facts ma'am.
Is there anything at all that can be done about these greedy real estate people from continuing to ruin our neighborhood?
that is a great animated gif!
I-)
THEY NEED TO DELIVER! I hope they are considering this.
They would up their business so much if they delivered, and they even have the separate takeout area to facilitate it perfectly.
I would eat way more of this if they delivered.\
I love Angelica.
The suggestion that they start delivering is a good one. I didn't realize that they didn't. You've got to do delivery these days.
I don't think I can order any more take-out from them without bankrupting myself. I will be sad to see them go, but at the same time, I should be cooking more. I still feel that eating out anywhere is a luxury.
Angelica's could have not signed the new lease and moved to another location even within the neighborhood but they didn't. Perhaps it still made economic sense to stay put and pay which I imagine a much higher rent. I think it is a great idea as one person stated, start delivery service. There is likely an untapped fortune being missed by eat in and take out only.
Also, are they still cash only? I hardly ever have cash on me, and I know that deterred me from going there a few times.
Moving to another location with comparable space and facilities in the neighborhood likely wasn't an option. Commercials rents are skyrocketing everywhere.
What a loss if they leave. (Even if they relocate -- that space is a treasure!) I agree with another commenter, though -- every time we go for dinner there is a huge line. Brunch is packed. Clearly people ARE going. When is the city going to implement a version of rent control for businesses who can demonstrate a substantial customer base?
Angelica's isn't a fast food joint like a Chinese take-out or a pizzeria or a taco place. Plus there is little margin of profit from restaurants that deliver.
Must everything be delivered to one's abode nowadays. Occasionally, yes, it's ok when one doesn't feel like food shopping and cooking or going out. But just get up from your fat asses and stop having everything -- food, groceries, books, clothes, electronics, etc. -- delivered to your abodes and get up put some clothes on, regardless if they're tights as pants, your alma mater sweatsuits, lululemons and stop watching movies in your computers and go out and explore the neighborhood and go in to establishments such as Angelica's. Why move and live in the EV at all? But then again, there's really nothing left out there but Duane Reades and banks and chains and gastropubs where one must be in their popped collar shirts and khakis, or mini-dresses and high heels to be admitted to the place. S0...
where's the "like" button on this thing?!?
TLDR
I hope they can figure out a way to stay. I'm not a customer but have friends who are, and I like having small, long-time businesses like this in the neighborhood.
However, this smacks (ha! pun) of the post-Sandy S'mac and Kasadela asking for a handout, and St. Mark's Books' frequent requests for help. Is it a business or just somebody's hobby?
And blaming the weather ("a debilitating winter 2013-2014") is pretty weak sauce.
It sounds like maybe they shouldn't have signed the new lease, now they are in trouble and suddenly they're "not messing around here" and running workshops about the dangers of the chain store menace. Eat at Angelica or we'll shoot this dog!!
The linked site also mentions they've "hired a social media specialist to take us There (sic)." A social media specialist, look out!
Again, I wish them well, but they sound both hapless and clueless.
Look, these "you gotta support!!!" statements are all well and good; but, realistically, we *all* have been hit by crazy price increases.
I cook at home most of the time. I "support" (ie: purchase things I need) the 6th Street Community Center's CSA, the 4th Street Co-op, Commodities, East Village Liquors/Wines, the greenmarket, Russo's, Kossar's, the C-Town on Avenue C, and Dual Products.
I'm a packrat and have never met a receipt I didn't like...last spring, wondering where my money was going (when I was sure I was sticking to my normal mode of living), I did some research and calculations and determined that between December 2012 and April 2014, my personal cost-of-living increased by just over 4%. That's pretty damn high. Some things had remained stable (like my CSA, yea for pre-buying vegetables), some things I hadn't had to spend money on (yea for stumbling across sample sales in 2012 that had several items that were my style, fit with minimal tailoring, and were no more than $30 each), and other things had gone up super crazy amounts, like 187% !! (Those are mostly small-cost items individually, like a pound of red beans, or bars of soap, but, they add up.) Fortunately, my apartment is rent stabilized, but I signed a new lease with a 7.75% increase in that period.
The restaurants I like are all, even the inexpensive ones like Mee Fun and B&H, special occasion places. Otherwise, if I wasn't cooking at home, packing my lunch, my kid's lunch, sometimes dinner, too, when I have to get him to a team practice, I'd wouldn't be putting anything at all in my savings account.
Calling for all of us to "support" businesses that are trying to make it in what is a completely crazy economic situation means that we all would be in the poor house and the places probably would *still* go under!
I don't know what the solution is, but I can see the problems coming a mile away. And this only backs up what I've been seeing in my own industry: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/nyregion/gap-between-manhattans-rich-and-poor-is-greatest-in-us-census-finds.html?_r=0
It is difficult for even upscale restaurants to make it in this environment due to the high rents in NYC. It probably wasn't a great idea to sign that new lease for the increased rent if they didn't have the money coming in to cover it. As for delivery, I know some people are critical of the idea, but I work late a lot during the week, and I am just too tired to go out to eat.
Angelica's was at the forefront of vegan restaurants when it opened many years ago but they've shown little inclination to experiment with their menu. For whatever their website says about creativity of their chefs I find their menu to be a throwback to the last century (3-bean chili?) all the way down to the juice choices. (Liquiteria isn't too far away if you want something other than carrot.) And they don't serve soda of any kind, not even a ginger ale.
I hope they survive, but they're banking on the support of loyal existing customers who haven't gotten bored. There are so many good ingredients available in this city. Keep some tried and true signature dishes and mix it up with something interesting.
"Angelica's isn't a fast food joint like a Chinese take-out or a pizzeria or a taco place. Plus there is little margin of profit from restaurants that deliver."
What's the difference from takeout and having the food delivered? Nothing. Their food is not the kind of cuisine that does not travel well because the chef built a tower out of asparagus and ginger foam, its rice, tofu, steamed veggies, seaweed, etc...
In business you have to pass on your expenses to your clients or you close shop. People will complain but there are few less expensive options left.
If you think supermarkets and restaurants are expensive now- just wait until the drought in CA really starts getting nasty. In 2015 its really going to hit the fan. Considering that CA is one of the most important agricultural regions in the US- I wonder how expensive food will get. They are slowly running out of water. Its going to get very ugly out there.
I worked at Angelica from 90-94ish, and my first job was delivery. I don't know why they don't do it any more. But, at least in my time, the restaurant did treat employees better, financially, than many other restaurants, so I wonder if the only way to make money on deliveries is to gouge delivery people.
It's really crappy to see this place potentially go. I got through college working there three shifts a week, while renting a room in a $600/month tenement apartment so I could get out of NYU debt free. Take any one fragment of that sentence and it would be impossible now.
At the same time, I'm experiencing a sort of varied experience moving back to the East Village after 18 years in Brooklyn (and Illinois, long story). Parts of our neighborhood have fared much better than parts of Brooklyn, in terms of being overrun by rich douchebags. Brooklyn wears the clothes of bohemia but it doesn't deliver the substance, by and large. Or if it does, it won't for much longer, as it's become a brand more than a place. The East Village was uncool long enough ago that it has been able to retain a shred of its character and dignity.
I'd say the way to fight the continued turbo-gentrification is to get involved with local politics, fight to expand low income housing beyond the developer-friendly 80/20 stuff.
I used to love Angelica's, and in principle still do, but I have always considered it expensive. A half dragon bowl 10 years ago was $7.50--beans, rice, seaweed, vegetables and dressing. Cooked at home, that is about a $2-$4 meal. Of course the dressing is nowhere near as good at home.
They ARE locally sourced and seasonal, and have been since they were founded (one of the principles of macrobiotics--which it originally was).
I think the vegetarian market is smaller now than ever before, and I think that it is entirely the economic gap that has put it into crisis. There is only room for the very rich, or the desperately poor. The idea that you can eat out a few times a month and still pay rent is long gone for me and most people I know.
Unless the community begins to unite, E Village as anything other than a NYU Trust Fund Dorm neighborhood, is gone.
Should be interesting to see what happens when the TRILLION $ Student Loan pops...
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