Back in early October 2012, we heard that Lorella Innocenti, who operated I Coppi on East Ninth Street, was opening a new restaurant on Avenue A in the storefront that previously housed Vampire Freaks.
She was going to run it with her sister Maristella, who owns Matilda on East 11th Street near Avenue C.
However, a few weeks after the news of the Avenue A project, Hurricane Sandy hit … and Matilda was was one of the businesses that struggled to get back up and running … all the while, the plans for the new Italian restaurant stalled. The sisters took to the streets last summer to find investors to make the new place a reality.
Apparently they didn't have much luck. The storefront at 189 Avenue A near East 12th Street is now for rent … a sign that follows the eviction notice last month.
It will be interesting to see what might take the space. The two buildings here will be dwarfed by developer Douglas Steiner's 7-story retail-residential complex coming soon to the former Mary Help of Christians complex.
But for now…
Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: I Coppi team opening new restaurant on Avenue A
Owners of I Cipressi take to the streets to find investors
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool
Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A
I loved I Coppi, especially the garden area out in the back of the restaurant. They had a great location.
ReplyDeleteOh my God 11th and A looks even worse in that perspective...
ReplyDeleteAs a next door neighbor, I really can't wish them luck. After Sandy, while all other restaurants were giving away their perishable food for free, Matilda was charging $9 for a single taco. Okay, fine - it's their business, they can do what they want.
ReplyDeleteHowever, every summer they put down tables and chairs on the other side of the sidewalk (for which they don't have a permit_, leaving a very narrow stretch of the sidewalk open for pedestrians. To make matters worse, their clients will often block even that every narrow bit. I asked them politely a few times to move and every time, the staff got confrontational.
Karma.
according to NYC Open Data there is a sidewalk cafe license at that address
ReplyDeletehttps://data.cityofnewyork.us/Business/Sidewalk-Cafes/6k68-kc8
not here or there on the tacos.
@Anonymous May 27, 2014 at 3:51 PM
ReplyDeleteMaybe I didn't illustrate the problem clearly. They have a sidewalk permit for the side that borders the restaurant. However, they were putting down tables, chairs and canopy umbrellas on the other side of the sidewalk as well.
So imagine that you're on the sidewalk with the restaurant on your left side. The permit allows them use of the left side of the sidewalk adjoining the restaurant - but NOT the middle of the sidewalk, nor the right side. They were putting down a row of tables, chairs, umbrellas on the right side - and leaving barely any walking room in the middle of the sidewalk.