[Photo by Steven]
A new business is prepping to take over the recently vacated storefront at 350 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
The sign shows East Village Tobacco (Tobbaco) & Variety Shop opening soon. And variety is right: Aside from some usual deli-type items, there's promise of perfume and cloth.
The space was previously home to A.K. Shoe Repair, which closed at the end of August. The proprietor said that he was no longer able to sustain the business after his landlord raised the rent from $2k to $4.5k a month.
And what will be coming in 8 months after this? 9th Street is already flanked by Village Farm on 2nd and Lime Tree on 1st -- both good and more than capable of catering to the traffic in the area. Better keep all that "cloth" to soak up the tears on eviction day. More waste.
ReplyDeleteWill they be selling tobbaco and tobbbbbaco?
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Anon. 7:52; this is just one more storefront that offered services for actual residents which was emptied out so that yet another peddler of crap for superficial transients could come in paying a higher rent.
ReplyDeletePeddler of crap is right. I'm not begrudging them for trying to run a business; the question is who thinks this is a good investment? Can't they see that the neighborhood is already filled with enough bodegas displaying their always static inventory of dusty bongs? What kind of variety is this place going to provide that can't be had elsewhere?
ReplyDeleteokay
ReplyDeletevariety, tobacco
really a store getting ready to sell pot
they have all the necessities: hookahs, vaporizers, papers from all over the world, chips, chocolate, etc. i can't wait until this stuff is local, locavore, organic, artisanal,
there is one on almost every block - along with pizza, ramen, yogurt, dumplings, all the things late night drunks and stoners need.
but a supermarket, shoe repair, tailor, etc. forget about it!