We're getting close to the two-week mark for the Vella Market being closed on Avenue B and East Fourth Street... One reader heard the owners were in a dispute with the landlord over back rent.
Meanwhile, another reader passes along a bad sign... there is a ConEd notice on their front gate — the store's power has been shut off... according to the notice, the store owes a total of more than $12,000 to ConEd...
As we said earlier, we like Vella Market, which just opened in April at the former home of Kate's Joint.
I have often wondered how it is possible for 3 stores that are very much the same to exist on 3 corners of the same small narrow intersection without someone going out of business. Maybe now I am getting my answer.
ReplyDeleteThese people are so nice, and they had great items - They seemed to be doing well and this is interesting because the place was new, I don't understand how they racked up all that debt, etc. Something's wrong.
ReplyDelete4:05 what is wrong is that while they have the upscale hot table items etc., RIGHT ON THE SAME CORNER there are 2 other places that sell pretty much everything else they have, even a bit cheaper. The potato chips, soda, beer, apples, bananas ,yogurt, ice cream, bread, etc., have to be split too widely. Same for the ham and eggs on a roll and coffee breakfast business. And I don't remember, do they sell tobacco, if not that profit center allows the other guys to run lower prices elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course right down the block the mighty KeyFood, for all the real bulk purchases, paper goods, etc., at prices they can not match.
well it did take like 6 months to do the remodel from bar to deli and from what I heard the rent is out of control $$$$$, like $11,000 a month, so if they had to pay all those back months there is your debt right there
ReplyDeleteLocation was not a good move serious long time established competition in blocks, Sunny and Annie plus others didn't have snowballs chance in hell add exorbitant rent recipe for failure
ReplyDelete