[EVG file photo of East 9th Street location]
After 14 years on East Ninth Street at Avenue A, the antiques shop the Upper Rust packed up for a move to Chelsea back in February.
At the time, the owners didn't have a forwarding address... now they do. The new Upper Rust is open (as of Friday) at 120 W. 25th St. between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue...
We do not know the reason why they left the East Village storefront. According to one previous tenant here, landlord Icon Realty either hasn't been renewing leases or offering new terms with unmanageable rent increases.
In any event, the former Upper Rust space has been on the rental market. According to the listing at Icon Realty's website, the asking rent is $16,500 per month for the roughly 900 square feet of space.
[Image via the Icon website]
Previously on EV Grieve:
The Upper Rust is moving away from East 9th Street and the East Village
Their gain is most definitely our loss. One of the most beautiful and charming shops in the EV, and we lose it for what will doubtless be yet another sterile, personality-free storefront catering to the new room temperature IQ denizens of our once-fair 'hood. Simply heartbreaking. Best of luck in your new digs, folks, may your new landlord be more humane and intelligent and less greedy than the fucks from Icon.
ReplyDeleteWell said Gojira. Glad they found a new home, but boy are they missed.
ReplyDeleteI miss their shop! I bought so many gifts there over the years. The guys who ran it were always so friendly. Chelsea wins for once. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteYep, miss that whole corner, the cafe, the Upper Rust, etc.
ReplyDeleteSAD SAD SAD! for the EV.
Very sad to see these guys go. They frequented TSB often and became great friends. Even got my daughter a gift when she was born last year. Shops like theirs was one of the reasons I always walked down 9th street, instead of 10th, to and from work even though it was a block out of my way. It stinks that they're gone but I absolutely love when a small biz can give a big giant middle finger to a landlord , pack up, and set up shop elsewhere. I wish them success. And guys, you'll still get your bagels every now and then. I will make sure of that ;-)
ReplyDeleteThere is no future for small businesses other than chains stores and bars in the EV. With more property in the hands of fewer landlords don't expect diversity in retail and services. Icon is looking for the same renter pretty much for all the properties, someone that will pay the highest square foot price possible.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't a regular here — who can afford this stuff? — however, I will miss the eclectic sidewalk display and the fun window shopping. Not looking forward to yet another empty storefront. Hope they do well in Chelsea.
ReplyDeleteIcon realty jacked up their rent so high that they had no choice but for this store and the other stores on this block to move. I used to live in the building above these stores and Icon has forced out most of the tenants and has harassed anyone who remains. These stores made 9th street a beautiful little street. Icon has killed this block and continues to abuse and kill the spirit of any rent regulated tenant who is on their way. Walk past the building; they are terrorizing those people with noise and construction. BOYCOTT anything that moves in and DO NOT RENT from Icon. Shame on them!
ReplyDelete