A disturbing sign has arrived on the front door of the family owned Open Pantry, the coffee and tea specialists at 184 Second Ave. between East 11th Street and East 12th Street...
"After 40 years of success, The Open Pantry will be closing its doors. Our family would like to thank the neighborhood and all our customers for their loyalty and continued support throughout the years."
A tipster tells us that the closure would likely happen in the next month. While there was a rent increase, we hear that the continued competition from the nearby Starbucks (Second Avenue and East Ninth Street, First Avenue and East 13th Street) as well as the new Westside Market have put a damper on sales.
The sign mentions "we hope that in the future we are able to again serve the community in a capacity more conducive to its changing needs." So perhaps it's possible that the store would restructure, shedding the groceries and focusing on coffee and tea.
In any event, sad news. According to The Open Pantry website, the shop opened in 1970.
Very sad in this day of Organic Free-Trade Estate Grown Small Batch $$$ Coffee, fresh Columbian or Vienna Roast from Barrie house still was available for 8.99 a pound at open pantry. Now I'll have to go across the street to the Westside market damnnit!
ReplyDeleteApparently the "coffee" generation only buys cups of coffee and not coffee.
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad. If they were struggling, I wish they would have reached out to the community. I would have made sure to make more purchases there, and I know my friends and neighbors would have, too. I hope they can find a new space.
ReplyDeleteFukc you Schultz/Starbucks. I'm coming to get you. Gathering strengh on Avenue A like a you young Skywalker. Soon enough I'll be right at your door and you should be worried about that. You've taunted the little guys long enough.
ReplyDeleteThat's my go-to place for coffee! Damn it! I wish the family the best, they were always so nice.
ReplyDeleteThe carnage is starting early.
They were really nice. Put up with my ham-handed fumbling with beans and bags in my quest for organic coffee.
ReplyDeleteAnd EVG - thanks for always putting the cross-streets in your addresses. There are really no single-street address around here. I live at "___ E 9th @ 1st"... Not just "___ E 9th". [The blanks are, of course, because I can't remember my own address - not for privacy or nuttin' lol]
This is sad. But do not forget that instead of Westside Market you can frequent Porto Rico. Luckily they own their building on Bleeker Street!
ReplyDeleteSorry vsabuser, but It's Colombian, not Columbian.
ReplyDeleteNot trying to be a dick, but for some reason that one always chaps me arse.
They own the building
ReplyDeleteYes... The Pappas family own the building. Just look at the DOB website.
ReplyDeleteI am certain that they will be renting it out for a much larger profit then selling bins of gross dry fruit/nuts and random items.
They own the building? Then this is yet ANOTHER case of someone who owns their building deciding to cash in. I'm sure they will make a ton of money renting the space out or they could sell it and clear millions. Easier for them to collect monster rent then work themselves to death. Are they now evil because they own something?
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's *not* too late to help. I was in there the other day and spent $20. The coffee there is the GREATEST in the hood (in my opinion). It's just delicious and not too expensive because it's richer; you lose less coffee to brew. Their pastries and breads are good, too. Instead of heading to the supermarket (where you always end up buying more than you need) stop by and buy a few groceries from Open Pantry one week...spread the wealth!
ReplyDeleteVery sad to hear this. Open Pantry has been my go-to coffee bean shop for over 20 years, even after I left the EV.
ReplyDeleteI've always been a porto rico fan.
ReplyDeletePossibly apropos but reluctantly speculating here with no inside info whatsoever, The Met supermarket on 2nd Ave between 6 & 7th seems awfully barren these days. As if Whole Foods and Trader Joe's weren't enough, The Westside Market has to be taking a bite out of their business. I hope they're ok.
The Mets prices always seemed high to me, especially if you wanted fruit. The prices at Westside are, for the most part, cheaper and they have a never ending selection of prepared foods, meats, cheese, etc.
ReplyDeleteI give up.
ReplyDeleteAlso the bagel store on 3rd Avenue (11-12th) appears to have vanished, and the "bubble tea" place on the corner. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteI had the impression that the family who owns The Open Pantry owns the building. In fact I was sure of it because I saw one of the upstairs tenants paying their rent int the store one day.
ReplyDeleteI will go there tomorrow; thank you as always, EV, for being the bearer of bad news.
The twits at Porto Rico are the main reason I started going to Open Pantry 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI shopped here for many years. But the last few years, when the owners were there less, the workers were often grumpy and surly. I'm not happy to see it go...not that I shopped there anymore...but ironically I would never be treated so badly at Starbucks as I have been treated at Open Pantry.
ReplyDelete