Wednesday, April 18, 2012

For rent signs going up at Kate's Joint; and here come the Starbucks rumors



EV Grieve reader Sam sends along these photos from this afternoon... for rent signs are going up at Kate's Joint on East Fourth Street and Avenue B, making the closure here permanent. Yesterday, the landlord took possession of the 16-year-old vegetarian restaurant. Regulars were hopeful that owner Kate Halpern would be able to reopen.

Meanwhile, a reliable tipster sends along this kick in the groin: There is a very real possibility that a Starbucks will open here.

Also, there's word that the landlord did offer to decrease the rent for Kate's by $2,000 a month.

Previously.
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13 comments:

  1. glammaApril 18, 2012 at 1:45 PM

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    susan, rosie, HELP

    ReplyDelete
  2. ZachApril 18, 2012 at 1:57 PM

    I'm at a serious loss here. Kate's has always been there for me. I consider her and her staff to be a surrogate family. This is going to sting for a long, long time.

    R.I.P. Kate's Joint. I'll never forget you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 18, 2012 at 2:42 PM

    As much as I hate to think about what the future will bring to that corner, my experiences at Kate's have always been: good food, good prices, terrible service. I'm talking 'only two people in the restaurant, where did the waiter go?' kind of service.

    I stopped going a while back because of how frustrating it was. I sure do miss Curly's.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 18, 2012 at 4:59 PM

    This is sad. But it is very difficult to be a small business in NYC. I saw them in there early today. F'ing cockroaches swarming, changing locks and grabbing what they could.
    Landlords suck. Especially down here. They all feel they are "due" because they bought when neighborhood was down and they "deserve" to cash in.
    kate worked damn hard. She, and all of us, deserve better.
    I NEVER use starbux. If they open there call the anarchists and crustys

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousApril 18, 2012 at 5:20 PM

    What about Life Cafe taking over?

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousApril 18, 2012 at 5:59 PM

    Anonymous said...
    C'mon people forget the Starbucks thing this location has a Full Liquor License on a corner on Lower Avenue B and that asset belong's to Kate. She can put it in safe-keeping and try and use it somewhere else or sell it to the prospective new tenant. My bet is this space will become another high-end cocktail lounge and Kate sells them her license. I hope not but seems like everyone who has a license just sells it to the highets bidder so. . .Perhaps Kathy can take this space and Kate can take the old Life space. Kate's might do well in a smaller space.

    ReplyDelete
  7. esquared™April 18, 2012 at 8:37 PM

    Lower Avenue B, some real estate agent will coin that LAB, the new and hot and trendy nabe in the EV, bro, brah, sistah. mark.my.comment ...

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousApril 19, 2012 at 12:25 PM

    OMG, I would totally take some dumb trendy overpriced bar over a starbucks on that corner ANY DAY.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousApril 19, 2012 at 4:18 PM

    And there goes me old hood...sad. Some of the best veg burgers you could find. Anything but a Starfux please! Ave B & C are the only remaining cool streets in this whole town! Stay weird Alphabet Town!! Stay Weird!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousApril 19, 2012 at 5:56 PM

    2anon 4:18

    Are you for real B and c are the biggest shit shows around. Swarming with douchebags. You've got the The Summit, Zum Schneider, Poco, Sunburnt Cow, Bedlam, Billy Hurricanes, Affaire and so many others.

    I won't even step foot on B or C, horrible! You've got to be kidding me. Kate's attracted an interesting crowd. Maybe because vegetarians tend to be more socially conscious about animal rights and the earth, therefore more conscious about housing, human rights, etc., and all around more layed back. This was a real old time Hippie, bohemian place.The douchebags tend to eat lots of pork, and
    are not opposed to foie gras or anything related to animal cruelty.

    Live and let live!

    Occupy, peace!

    ReplyDelete
  11. *sharadise city*April 20, 2012 at 9:21 AM

    Even before I joined the vegan lifestyle three years ago, I'd enjoyed Kate's since a friend took me there in 2003. I love their veggie burgers, mac-n-cheese, and so many other things. I miss Curly's tuna salad sandwich. Now that Kate's is closing, where am I getting a vegan chocolate-banana tiramisu????

    Maybe they can move to Brooklyn?

    ReplyDelete
  12. PantsApril 20, 2012 at 12:28 PM

    I love vegan grub, but I stopped going here a long time ago because the food always took sooooo looooong. Kate will be okay - she's probably just tired of being asked if there's dairy in that tofu cheese.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousApril 21, 2012 at 1:21 PM

    Kathy bring back Life!

    Transfer the license to this location and keep Rubel out of it. It is a great location and you can help to save the area by coming back. You will not have the same problems that you had at the other location. There is no scaffolding in the way and it is perfect for Life.

    Kate can you find another place to relocate. What about Avenue C?

    ReplyDelete

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