As we first noted last Thursday, an 18-year-resident of the Lower East Side created a petition "to promote diversity in low to mid-priced food options for New York City's Lower East Side."
Via Change.org:
Are you sick and tired of pizzerias opening up all over the Lower East Side? With the closures of so many restaurants in the neighborhood, our low to mid-priced food options are dwindling. Pizzerias have over-saturated this part of Manhattan. Sign this petition and maybe Community Board 3 will take notice. *Enough of the L.E.S. pizzeria takeover!*
The person behind the petition, who goes by No More L.E.S. Pizzerias, made an amendment to the petition to help set the record straight. This is NOT about calling for an end to $1 pizzerias (misinformation that we helped spread).
To clarify the point of this petition: It is not an anti $1 slice pizza petition. We're sick of ALL pizzerias. No more $1 slice pizzerias. No more expensive brick oven pizzerias. NO MORE PIZZERIAS!
Despite a lot of media attention (NPR, CBS 2, among outlets), there have only been 27 signatures added to date.
And here's the report from CBS New York...
Previously on EV Grieve:
Petition calls for an end to so many 'shitty' pizzerias opening up on the Lower East Side
I think of 8000 more pressing threats to the LES, this is certainly from someone that cannot eat dairy or wheat.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that like saying no more cheesesteak in Philly?
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with pizza myself, but I think this is a really terrific exercise for an 18-yr-old. Learning how to organize and lead is a lot better than learning how to give up on society. Who knows, maybe in a decade this person could be mayor, or at least councilperson who earned the cred'.
ReplyDeleteI say, let's not knock this effort, and maybe this person will one day be ridding our neighborhoods of 7-11s, 4am clubs, and slumlords. There are just too many worse things that this person could be doing.
Personally, I could go for a $1 eggroll, mini-burrito, samosa, kishka, meatball, or fruit cup.
Honestly, if someone doesn't like pizza they just shouldn't live here.
ReplyDelete@Bowboy
ReplyDeleteThe person is an 18-year resident of the LES... not 18 years old!
And I agree with you!
The public demand for tpes of eateries will determine what food is sold. The government does not need to pass an ordinance because some people don't like pizza. Next, the Great Gyro Ban, followed by no more bagels in Brooklyn!
ReplyDeleteBravo to Anon at 11:52. So correct. It is a strange mindset that somebody whose aesthetic sensibilities are threatened by too much pizza, looks to ban it for everybody else.
ReplyDeleteThe people who feel most strongly about this, of course, are the owners of the existing pizza places looking to keep out competition -- and this supposed 18 year resident is allowing himself to be used as their tool. Unlikely to have free time to speak up are the many people happy to be able to get a meal for a buck or two.
Agree with Anon 11:52. If the owners of the pizzerias didnt think they could make money in the LES, they wouldn't open the shops. If there are too many pizzerias for the pizza-eating population, then someone will eventually fold their tent and go elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteoops. I hope he moved here when he was 3. If not, I still say - go for it! First a slice, next the woooorld!
ReplyDeleteThis my friends is the day the lower east side ceased to exist
ReplyDeleteSometimes you have 15 bank branches and no pizza.. sometimes 15 pizza joints and no sushi...
ReplyDeleteI could see some pressure put on the CB to say to a new resturant proposal.. uh... "we really have a lot of pizza places.. have you considered opening a different food type?"
diversity is good.
Not to sound like Mr Capitalist but the market will determine how many pizza joints can fit into a neighborhood and survive. The same can be said for most any retail service or business. One could also consider leaning how to buy groceries and cooking as a radical option.
ReplyDeleteI hear there's a new Chicago-style deep dish pizza place off of Houston St. over in the West Village and its so good the lines are out the door. I'm heading over there right now, anyone want a slice? Deep dish pizza could be the next Cronut...hope they open one here in the EV.
ReplyDeleteEven Scalia, the “pride” of Xavier HS, (who I agree with nothing) finally said something I can agree with: Chicago pizza "is very tasty, but it's not pizza," he told the Chicago Sun Times over the weekend. Back in 2012, the justice told the paper "it should be called a tomato pie." Explaining the difference meticulously, he noted that real pizza is from Naples, Italy. "It is thin, it is chewy, and crispy, OK?"
ReplyDeleteTHEN LEAVE NYC YOU SELF-IMPORTANT LOSER.
ReplyDeleteCrazy Eddie, I don't care what it's called, sometimes I call it lasagna, but Chicago deep dish is delicious. I lived in Chicago for a couple of years and being the typical NY pizza snob I believed the same thing, until I tasted it. It's so delicious you can eat it cold right out of the refrigerator the next day. All we have in NYC is Pizzaria UNOs which is not as thick and delicious like the tomato pies they serve at Giordanos and the original UNOs, Pizzaria Due, and Ginos East among others. Now we finally have Emmett's on west Houston with the real thing. Go try it and tell me it's not anything but delicious pizza.
ReplyDelete