[Image of East 12th Street location via Facebook]
Amy Miceli, who has operated Ciao for Now in the East Village the past 14 years with her husband Kevin and three kids, passed along news that they are closing their West Village branch tomorrow.
The cafe at 523 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B will continue on, she said.
"It is brutal running a business in the city," she said. "I love it and hate it every day."
Here's part of the closure notice for the space on West 10th Street between Sixth Avenue and Greenwich Avenue:
We would like to say thank you to all of the wonderful customers we have had over the past seven years. We have enjoyed serving you.
Kevin and I would like to let everyone know that we are NOT closing due to a huge rent increase from a greedy landlord. We are closing so that we can focus our energy on our family and our main location at 523 East 12th Street. In fact we have had a very reasonable landlord that has treated us with respect and patience throughout our seven years and many challenges.
Ciao moved into this beautiful spot in June of 2008. We managed to survive a Con Edison explosion that closed us down for three months in 2009, Hurricane Sandy that closed us down for a week, but destroyed our entire inventory at our main location in 2011. Those were some really tough times that took a lot of our resources and patience.
It has been the water main repair of 2014/2015 that has really put a strain on our business and ultimately caused us to say no more. We wish this was not the case. We love our west location and will miss it very much.
4 comments:
I am sorry to hear, but it sounds like a smart business decision. The thing that makes Ciao work is the small, neighborhood vibe, and while you feel it in the East Village location, it isn't the same at the West Village spot. They aren't Duane Reade, so they don't need multiple locations. Sometimes expansion isn't best.
How is the East Village location doing? I have seen a lot of people brunching there but not as much activity during the week. If they need support, they should let us know now before it is too late! I am willing to move my dollars to the small businesses that need a boost.
Ciao For Now on 12th is such a treasure. The food is great and the family that owns it are warm, wonderful people. The neighborhood is better with them in it.
I wish they would open a Brooklyn outpost. This place would do well in a neighborhood like Cobble Hill, and they could probably get a bigger space.
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