[Image via Facebook]
The sign on the restaurant's door at 334 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue sums up the situation...
As we understand it, the Marshal has already been by with eviction papers … and Mitali East, which has served Indian and Bengali specialties here since 1973, will be closing in another few days at most.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy dined at Mitali East last night. She said that Sai, the owner, wasn't bitter or upset — just sad. They have looked in the neighborhood for another space but, not surprisingly, nothing affordable is available.
Steve Croman bought the building in early January, according to public documents.
That place is legend. Fuck Croman. May that space give him a headache for the next ten years.
ReplyDeleteThs is both sad and entrely predictable. The Croman Crowbar strikes again. Is ANY neighborhood institution good enough for these people? Mitlai is basically the anchor in Indian Row, it has survived all the downturns over 40 years. Gerald Ford was President when they first opened. With Mitali gone the rest of Indian Row will soon follow, and this is probaby the master plan. After all, who wants to pay market rate to live above all those "ethnic" restauants? No one can survive a vulture wth an endless appetite.
ReplyDeleteI've been to India many times, had every type of Indian food imaginable, but Mitali was always one of my favorites. Had so many many good times there, even including the night my friend's purse was stolen rght off the chair beside her. We rushed out and seached the garbage cans, knowing that people usually dump the evidence and keep the money. We soon found her purse across the street in a vestibule, with everything still in it less the money. We still laugh about that night.
Everyone likes to tell their horror stores about the "Old East Village" and about the bad old days, yet somehow we are all still alive and healthy enough to tell them. Bye Mitali.
Time for our so-called pr0gressive leadership to act. Let's see if our speaker and our Mayor are truly progressive or in the pockets of the real-estate industry. Christine Quinn killed this legislation years ago that could have helped place like Mitali and Café Pick Me Up at least get a fair lease offer. We need to pressure our elected officials to pass this key piece of legislation now:
ReplyDelete"Is there a "real solution" to stop the closing of our businesses and art and cultural institutions and save New Yorker's jobs and the character of our neighborhoods?
Yes, the only real solution is the Small Business Jobs Survival Act, which was first introduced by former Councilmember Ruth Messinger in 1986 and has been denied a vote by the full city council for over 25 years. (Click Jobs Survival Act for history and bill)
What the SBJSA would do: Give rights to the tenants so they can again "bargain in good faith equally with their landlords to arrive at fair and reasonable lease terms."
•End the Crisis and Save Mom and Pop main street businesses from becoming extinct.
•End rent gouging
•End empty storefronts on every Main Street
•Save the jobs created by our small businesses.
•Stop the illegal extortion "under the table cash demanded by greedy landlords" of the mostly immigrant owners.
•Stabilize our city's small business community so they can again grow and do what they do best, create jobs.
The SBJSA bill has been bottled up in committee for over four years , without a vote or hearing. Why, because of the power and enormous influence of the real estate lobby, political machine, corrupt politicians who serve the special interests, and politicians who lack the political will and courage to stand up against the wealth and power of the 1%."
I quickly misread the title as Landlord Steve Croman Dies. Wishful thinking.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first Anon. My heart just sank.
ReplyDeleteWill have to try it one last time.
ReplyDeleteBtw, Ford didn't replace Milhous the Tricky One until '74.
And just as Dick gave the finger to America, now I'll give one to Croman.
I imagine a sniper on the roof of the SchwimmerDome picking these restaurants off one by one. Not surprising really but some losses hit closer to home.
ReplyDeleteNot a big fan of Indian cuisine, but when I first moved here back in the 80's a few friends took me there. Great atmosphere, great service, they will be missed. These douchebags like croman, shaoul, avid care only about $$$'s. In a few years only shadows will remain of what was once a vibrant community. In the end though, I think the last laugh will be at the expense of these landlords, just keep jacking up the rent, how many spaces are already sitting idle?? Sooner or later they'll hit a threshold and all they'll have is empty storefronts and apartments, and they'll be on the hook for taxes etc, etc. I just hope I'm still here too see it.
ReplyDeleteMy go-to brunch (7A), my go-to Mexican and margs (Benny's), and now my go-to Indian. It's like they want me to leave the EV. I'm grieving. I wish them all the best, and thanks for the great food.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 11:17- thanks for the info on this issue. I am joining up here: http://savenycjobs.org/join-the-cause/new
ReplyDeleteThere is also the Action Committee for Reasonable Real Estate Taxes which is another side of the same issue: https://www.cnyc.com/code/newsletters/2000/2000-win-taxaction.htm
And you can email our councilwoman here:RMendez@council.nyc.gov
All the go-tos . . . gone!
ReplyDeleteThis week alone....first Puebla, now this.
ReplyDeleteWe're just going to have to get used to the fact that it's all going to disappear, I guess.
It's too bad. I don't think that it had to be this way.
@creature -- I hope Croman reads your comment, as well as the others here.
ReplyDeleteThese greedy effs are driving out all of the places that draw people to live and/or visit the EV in the first place.
Shooting themselves in the foot again and again and again.
Hopefully after all of the grieving over yet another loss like this, readers pick up the phone and call their city council person to demand that something be done. That something is pass the Small Business Jobs Survival Act.
ReplyDelete...that's lousy news. What we don't need is another plasticine Day-glo orange spaceship of craptasticism...
ReplyDeleteNow Mitali's been CROMANATED.
ReplyDeleteLet's all pray for THE FALL OF THE CROMAN EMPIRE and CROMAGEDDEN.
ROT IN HELL CROMAN, YOU EVIL GREEDY PIG, YOUR KARMA IS AWAITING YOU.
The only place in the East Village worth going to is San Loco - ditto for the Lower East Side.
ReplyDeleteHow long do you give either SL? I say five years tops.