Reader report: Rent hike KOs Delicacity (RIP Robin Raj) on 3rd Avenue

A reader let us know that Delicacity (aka Robin Raj!) is closing for good very soon at 114 Third Ave. near East 14th Street. The reader, a regular here, reports that the landlord passed along a hefty rent hike.

In the meantime, you can enjoy 50 percent off most everything in the store...



Robin Raj and their cartoon food illustrations moved here from the corner in January 2009. Robin Raj turned into Delicacity in February 2012.

The address was formerly the Grace and Hope Mission.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More Robin Raj intel (and what about those cartoon hams?)

Oh no! Robin Raj is no longer Robin Raj!

Robin Raj finally makes the move, though there's no sign of the cartoon ham

Live above Robin Raj

Updated: Bagel Belly coming to 3rd Avenue

You may have noticed some activity at 114 Third Ave. near East 14th Street, home until May of Delicacity (aka Robin Raj!).

Now there are posted signs about the new tenant...



... 114 Bagel & Grill Inc.



The applicants are on CB3's SLA committee meeting docket on Dec. 7 for a beer and wine license. There isn't any other information about the place online just yet.

The place is described as a restaurant ... Maybe they will grill — and not toast! — their bagels?

Updated 7 p.m.

The questionnaire (PDF!) from the applicants is now online at the CB3 website.

The deli/cafe will be called Bagel Belly. And the proposed hours are 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. The proprietors also own Namu Deli & Grocery at 252 Third Ave. between 20th Street and 21st Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More Robin Raj intel (and what about those cartoon hams?)

Oh no! Robin Raj is no longer Robin Raj!

Robin Raj finally makes the move, though there's no sign of the cartoon ham

Live above Robin Raj

Reader report: Rent hike KOs Delicacity (RIP Robin Raj) on 3rd Avenue

Oh no! Robin Raj is no longer Robin Raj!

On Friday, EV Grieve reader evilnyc passed along the following photo from Third Avenue near 14th Street.

A name change at Robin Raj!

We went to investigate and found everything to be ... exactly the same...

Simon Doonan's The window displays...

...the cartoon food (and, what, exactly, is that to the left of the cake?)

... the broken LED light board zipper thing...

Everything is the same except the name...

The name will likely grow on us. Once we can say it three times fast while holding our tongue.

Robin Raj moved here from the corner in January 2009.

Actually, the space has been on the market. Apparently the new owners are keeping it as is.

Check out the rents (and key money). We heard that they paid just under $30,000 when they were on the corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue... and that the landlord was raising the rent to $60,000. Not sure what 5 Napkin Burger is paying, but that's a lot of burgers either way...

For all of our Robin Raj coverage, including an alternate ending, please go here.

Robin Raj prepping for the big move two doors down (and there's signage!)

The folks at Robin Raj Discount Health & Beauty Aids at the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue are emptying the store in preparation for their move this weekend (I was told) ...



...a few doors down to 114 Third Ave. where there's now signage! And it looks as if the RR guys will now going by Robin Raj Discount & Deli...



Given what I usually see sold there, a better name might be Robin Raj Discount Egg and Cheese on a Roll.

Previous Robin Raj coverage on EV Grieve here.

That Four Loko sign isn't lying at Robin Raj

Yesterday, we noted that Robin Raj on Third Avenue near 14th Street was advertising Four Loko... a few people questioned whether this was the real thing...

Then someone passed along this photo of their fridge after a Robin Raj run and this message: "Just look at it. The sign does not lie."

Really big 5 Napkin Burger still coming to 14th and 3rd; realtor disses Robin Raj

Back in October, Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo reported that a 5 Napkin Burger was opening on the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue — the former home of Robin Raj, duh. We kind of wondered what happened with that. The site has been rather quiet of late.

The Observer has a follow-up today. Per the Observer:

The restaurant includes 3,570 square feet of ground-floor space, as well as a full basement. "This prime corner has laid fallow for the past five years. 5 Napkin Burger will undertake a full reconstruction of the building and turn it into a wonderful gem," said Winick Realty Group's Tatiana Jung-Voevodina, who repped the tenant.

Fallow!? Robin Raj moved out just two years ago!

Anyway! 5 Napkins is expected to open in April.

Robin Raj finally makes the move, though there's no sign of the cartoon ham

We finally have some closure on one of the most important news stories of our lifetime(s): Robin Raj has now move into their comfy new digs at 114 Third Ave.



Meanwhile, in one of those good news/bad news scenarios, the RR honchos saw fit to continue with their cartoon food motif. Good!:




Bad: Unfortunately, though, there was no sign of our our favorite food toon: the delightful ham. Sadly, the sign featuring the ham (or is that beef? Whatever!) still sits neglected at their old location two doors down at 14th Street.



Click here for one of the 4,500 previous Robin Raj posts on EV Grieve.

More Robin Raj intel (and what about those cartoon hams?)

Thanks to the fine folks at Curbed for the link to my Robin Raj post earlier today. Joey had some additional intel:
"This reminds us that we were in Robin Raj last weekend and asked an employee about the move. He told us they paid under $30,000/month in rent on the 14th Street and Third Ave. space, and the landlord was raising the rent to $60,000/month. Yowza. He also said the landlord hadn't found a taker yet."

And what will happen to those cartoon hams and other illustrations on their outdoor menu? Check out Jeremiah's photos of the RR storefront at Flickr. (Like the one above...)

Live above Robin Raj

At 114 Third Ave. At the old Grace and Hope Mission. Given the proximity to bars, a store full of snacks, NYU...I expect that apartment to look something like this soon...




Previous Robin Raj coverage on EV Grieve.

Psychic looking a little more permanent

The psychic/clairvoyant/chakra balancer who took up board above Rockin' Robin Raj at 114 Third Ave. now has spiffy new awnings and signs. Maybe they're here to stay? If so, then maybe someone wants to take down that "building available" sign.

Previously on EV Grieve:
I sense that Robin Raj gets a new upstairs tenant

Dueling rent signs now at former Robin Raj space

Prime space at 14th Street and Third Avenue. Your complete Robin Raj coverage is here.

Fall from Grace

I was curious how much longer the inspirational message would stay up at the Grace and Hope Mission at 114 Third Ave. near 14th Street. Workers have been pounding away at this place in recents weeks....



to turn it into a barf factory. It's now revealed.



UPDATED: As a commenter notes: I don't think this spot is going to be a Mitchell Banchik bar anymore. I belive this is where Robin Raj (the deli on the corner is relocating too).... The Robin Raj people told me they are moving here sometime between Christmas and New Years.

Jeremiah has some history on the Grace and Hope Mission here. By the way, even though the place shuttered in the fall of 2007, the Grace and Hope Mission's Web site is still up and running.

Meat coming to the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue

We've been wondering what might be coming here to the former Robin Raj space... And Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo has the answer: An outpost of 5 Napkin Burger, or a variation of it.

Rebecca Marx at the Voice last week named the 5 Five Napkin veggie burger as the best in the city.

Meanwhile, this is NOT their veggie burger:



Previously on EV Grieve:
All your Robin Raj news here.

New tenant making move on southwest corner of 14th and Third

After sitting dormant for nearly 22 months, the prime patch of real estate on the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue apparently has an incoming tenant... workers just put up the freshly painted green plywood...





Robin Raj moved a few hundred feet away on Third Avenue in early 2009... At the time, Curbed heard from the RR guys that the new landlord wanted $60,000 a month in rent. (Heh, oh boy...)

I quickly looked at the DOB records... nothing too alarming afoot... nothing like, a mate for 123 Third Ave. ... Per the DOB:

Application is filed to combine two buildings. General construction, plumbing structural work, install new storefront, install temporary wood fence to be removed upon completion of work...

Even with three Duane Reades and one Walgreens within a block or two of here ... I have to go with a Duane Reade...

Previously on EV Grieve:
All your Robin Raj news here.

I sense that Robin Raj gets a new upstairs tenant

A clairvoyant! Chakra balancing! At 114 Third Ave.

For the complete EV Grieve mini-series on Robin Raj, please click this.

Confirmed! Robin Raj moving from corner to 114 Third Ave.

The Robin Raj bodega is preparing to move two doors down to 114 Third Ave., the site of the former Grace and Hope Mission. Their soon-to-be-former site on the corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue is up for grabs. Perhaps a nice shiny tower to keep in line with the neighborhood?

Was just a matter of time before EV got The 13th Step

Thanks to Jeremiah for remembering this one... So, now that the Jake's Dilemma-Down-the Hatch team and their Celebrating xxx years of Debauchery slogan folks have finally established an EV beachhead with the 13th Step.... We recall that Team Hatch unsuccessfully tried to open a bar at the former Grace & Hope Mission at 114-116 Third Ave. Our old friends at East Village podcasts covered the CB3/SLA meeting back in July 2008.

And, of course, the former Mission is now home to Robin Raj ...and the psychic!

Easy as: 3 units in 123 Third Ave. now in contract

Well, we barely even had time to look over the available units at 123 Third Avenue, that new tower of condo going up in East Union Square at 14th Street. (It's the one up there on the left — I get them mixed up too...).

Curbed just brought the news that the units were on the market back on Aug. 30 .... And now! A quick look at StreetEasy finds that three of the available homes are already in contract. Hmmm.....



Fear not if you were slow to act... 10 units remain for purchase, including the big honkin' penthouse for $3.7 million that provides unobstructed views of ConEd... and, presumably, our friends down at Robin Raj...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Living local: Here comes the 123 Third Ave. sales center!

[Top photo by Blue Glass]

Thanksgiving leftovers

Were you away for the holiday? If so, then welcome back. Anyway, we posted a bunch of stuff the last few days... In case you missed it the first time around...:

• Your CB3/SLA booze and bar agenda for December.

• Thanksgiving at the Blarney Cove

• More about Puddin' on St. Mark's Place

• Looking at the Robin Raj holiday window display

• People lined up really early for Black Friday at the Union Square Best Buy

• Lingerie-clad model in a lamp post photo shoot

• You may now buy Christmas holiday trees

• Chico creates a new ad mural on Houston and Avenue B

Priciest pad at 123 Third Ave. hits the market; private greenhouse included

Yesterday, the most expensive home in 123 Third Avenue appeared on Streeteasy. The penthouse features 7.5 rooms: 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms — 2,334 square feet in all. And it's yours for $4.5 (plus change!) million.
A few more details via Corcoran:

Apartment Features
• North, South, East and West exposures
• Balcony, Greenhouse, Roof deck, Terrace, Full city view, Full skyline view, Partial river view, Floors - hardwood, Light - excellent, Great closet space, Washer/dryer

And, most important, you're just steps away from the best that East Union Square has to offer... like the Four Loko at Robin Raj!