[Image via]
Pommes Frites lost its Second Avenue home of 18 years in the deadly gas explosion this past March 26.
The owners wanted to reopen somewhere in the East Village, but couldn't find anything affordable, DNAinfo's Lisha Arino reports today.
“We looked at so many spaces that didn’t work for one reason or another,” said co-owner Omer Shorshi.
Shorshi and his partner, Suzanne Levinson, looked at more than 50 locations, mostly in the East Village, but found that spaces similar to their 500-square-foot former home were at least double the $5,000-a-month rent they paid at their 123 Second Ave. location, he said.
The owners ultimately signed a lease at 128 MacDougal St. near Washington Square Park. The new space will be much bigger at about 800 square feet, and will cost about $9,000 a month in rent, Shorshi said.
The owners said that they hope to be up and running this fall.
H/T EVG reader Pinch!
19 comments:
$9K / mo. - that is a LOT of potatoes to peel!
Good for the central Village! Maybe that area will become more hospitable to small business than the E.Vil...
In other words, despite the tragedy that forced Pomme Frites to move, not one single East Village landlord was even willing to offer a good deal to a successful local business with a great reputation and a huge, loyal following. That, my friends, is the world we live in now.
Central Village? Where is that? Siri, GPS, HopStop, Mapquest can't seem to find it? Oh, it's in the new New York -- where East Village is Midtown South; North of Madison Sq. Park is NoMad; Bushwick is East Williamsburg; lower Delancey is LoDel; Right Around the Manhattan Bridge Overpass is RAMBO; North Harlem is NoHa, Parkwanus, Procro...
And people who make fries at Pommes Frites? Are they Fritologists or Frieologists?
Frieologists!
Fritologists are people who enjoy Fritos. Oh, sorry — FRITOS®
Ok, now I want a Frito pie.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frito_pie
The last thing the "Central" Village needs is another place for drunks. It's like Disneyland over there already. i'm sure they'll be fine, but they're up against a lot of competition.
It seems like, at these rents, a business has to be an absolute blockbuster just to turn some sort of profit. Kind of a shame. There is a lot to be said for quiet, modest businesses that are not necessarily looking to set the world on fire with their awesomeness.
I'd love to see San Loco open a new location in Greenwich Village If they did that I'd never go to the East Village or Lower East Side SLs again.
Strange choice - there's already a french fry spot on that block (La Frite).
landlords are in the business to make money. Business owners are in the business to make money
So happy they're reopening. So sad it's so far away.
Both landlords and business owners need to be able to make money. Last time I checked virtually none of the local landlords were abandoning buildings or going bust, while far too many local businesses are being forced out due to sky high rents.
Wish they stayed in the east village.... And someone else was right there is already a spot on Macdougal
It shows how long I have been gone that I am still amazed that a larger spot on McDougal is cheaper than a smaller place in the East Village. Its been nearly 20 years since I called the LES home and while I used to dream of moving back, I no longer do. I have gotten older and changed a lot and so has the neighborhood.
At 1:11 AM, Anonymous wrote:
Wish they stayed in the east village.... And someone else was right there is already a spot on Macdougal
That's how they do it; when Commodities scouted for a place to move from its original Tribeca location, they chose a place on 1st Avenue, a block from Prana.
Pommes Frites was one of the first frite shoppes around, and their name and reputation may help them crush the opposition. Look at Commodities: they moved a block from Prana, and although many people shopped at both places, Prana's own troubles—ancient (1850s) building, landlord refused to make any repairs—finally forced them out.
But now that the battle is Commodities vs. WholeMart™, I go to Commodities; we're fortunate to have a choice. After all, some small towns have shuttle buses to WalMart because they're the only game in town.
"landlords are in the business to make money."
No shit. But there's a big different between a neighborhood where local businesses can thrive, and one where businesses are forced out because giant holding LLCs have come in to flip buildings for as much money as they can get every three years.
The only ones making money are the landlords. Very few small businesses actually make money, most just get by.
While I am saddened by the tragedy that caused fatalities, bodily harm and loss of business to so many, the loss of Pommes Frites is no loss at all.
Yes, their french fries are delicious. But they were among the worst tenants of Second Avenue in terms of sanitation. The garbage from this place left the sidewalks filthy as well as greasy. 24/7 the sidewalks in and around this store were littered with their paper plates, wrappers and napkins. It was absolutely disgusting and they never cared one bit about the neighborhood or the residents.
As I walk this block multiple times every day I can say how much cleaner it is now that they are gone. They only cared about the money they were making. I say...good riddance.
Post a Comment