[Photo via @salim]
Mercadito has been closed now for just about a year at 179 Avenue B between East 11th Street and East 12th Street.
If things work out, then there looks to be another Mexican restaurant opening in the space. Vincent Sgarlato, who owns Eleven B and 11B Express almost directly across Avenue B, will appear before CB3's SLA committee meeting on Monday for a new liquor license for the former Mercadito.
Paperwork (PDF!) made available to the public at the CB3 website shows a configuration of 19 tables and 38 seats. The proposed hours are 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday-Thursday; until 3 a.m. on Friday-Saturday.
There is not a working name listed just yet for the new restaurant.
CB3's SLA committee meeting is Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the CB3 office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.
P.S.
While on the topic of Mercadito... the former Mercadito Cantina space at 172 Avenue B between East 10th Street and East 11th Street remains empty and for rent. The space has been vacant since January 2011.
17 comments:
What kind of restaurant stay open to 3 AM, answer a BAR.
Those of us living nearby do not want yet another bar and all the noise that always comes with it. I will attend this meeting to oppose this and encourage all my neighbors to do the same.
beans and booze - they got rid of a few thousand junkies and replaced them with 100,000 millenial alcohol addicts.
grump you are right,
they start the weekend on thursday (sometimes wedneaday) and it does not end on monday.
loud loud loud, shrill, inconsiderate, self-satisfied, think that they can pay so they should be allowed perpetual play.
thanks cb#3 and our EOs.
This building was never zoned for a restaurant of any kind, never mind a bar but rather a non-profit. How these landlords keep violating these laws is unbelievable.
11B is great, top pizza with a welcoming relaxing atmosphere (no, maybe not on a Friday or Saturday night, but what is anymore?) and a big part of that is Vincent. I'd follow him in to restaurant hell. Mercadito closing, for me, was a big loss. It hit that sweet spot in between casual Tacos Morelos or Zaragoza and the overpriced (and underwhelming) mayahuel and black ant. Cannot wait to follow this development.
11B and Vincent hosts local business owner meetings for the block as well, addressing issues of late night noise, ventilation, and foot traffic. They of course need to turn a profit, but have this stretch of neighborhood's best interest in mind.
That's what we need: another mediocre Mexican restaurant.
Vinnie is awesome! I will definitely vote in favor of this.
There are more than enough Mexican restaurants in the neighborhood so there is no benefit whatsoever to another one and certainly not one open to 3 am with full liquor. If Mercadito was not successful at this location and I am sure they were paying less rent and had a full liquor license, what makes anyone think that this applicant will be successful? If he isn't - the residents of the immediate area will be stuck with a full liquor license at this location forever, regardless if Vinnie is the owner or not. Frankly who the applicant is doesn't matter at this point it is the idea of adding another liquor license to a community has that has way more then it needs. There are also several small business on Ave B and the side streets like the new Vintage place that are struggling to survive because there is not enough daytime foot traffic in the area. Opening a place at 4pm and closing at 3am doesn't support this. If people really care about daytime retail and small local businesses then supporting new nightlife just doesn't make sense, no matter who it is.
If people don't want another bar on Avenue B, which this will be if it has a full liquor license until 3am then please attend the CB meeting and voice your concerns. If enough people show-up they will listen.
CB3's SLA committee meeting is Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the CB3 office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.
You can also get NY Tourist style Mexican food at 7-Eleven. Get a few of their Go Go Taquitos, spike your giant Slupee with a couple of shots of tequila and you've got the cheapest Cinco de Mayo party that money can buy.
Vincent is a local who also owns a local business. If what he has accomplished with 11B is any indicator -- and it was not easy for him, at first -- we should open our minds to his idea for the space. Believe me, this is a stand up bloke whose best interest isn't just himself.
@Brian Katz
I agree. Vinny one of the nicest guys in the hood, works his ass off and never fails to say hello and ask how your day is going. And yes, as far as I understand, lives up the street. Unfortunately a lot of people don't give a shit about that when a liquor license is involved. Do you know if he has a petition going? I would sign it in an instant.
Go to Eleven B, look for the tall skinny guy with white hair. You can find him and sometimes his mother there almost everyday.
A restaurant will eventually come to that space. We would be lucky if anyone half as nice as Vinny ran it.
If it were open for lunch and closed at midnight I wouldn't have s problem with it
except I think beer/wine is sufficient. Opening at 4PM and closing at 3AM with a full liquor license sounds like a bar to me.
Well good thing you aren't in charge on the decision Anon 4:39.
According to their website, Desi Galli (delicious, cheap Indian street food) is coming to the old Mercadito Cantina
Anon 12:22 there is a petition you can sign with Vin at 11B. But he goes tonight I think, so not sure if you'll see this in time.
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