An EVG reader points out that someone has torn off the mosaic tiles at the now-closed location of the Bean on Second Avenue and Third Street...
Jim Power created the colorful mosaics ahead of the cafe's December 2011 opening. This location as well as the one on First Avenue and Ninth Street suddenly closed on Nov. 25.
The storefront at 54 Second Ave. is currently on the rental market — minus mosaic tiles — with an ask of $135 to $155 per square foot.
Speaking of The Bean, I stopped in at the 3rd Avenue and 9th Street location last night where an amazing jazz band was playing. The vibe was perfect, and the crowd applauded after every number. The place was packed and people were still pouring on when I noticed a sign on the wall indicating that The Bean had reduced their hours during NYUs winter break. Say what? I don't remember the other locations doing that. They always seemed to be open late. Now they are tailoring their hours to college breaks. Sure enough, at 8:30 PM, a tiny female barista with one the loudest voices I‘ve ever heard started yelling that The Bean would be closing in half an hour, at 9PM. What is this, Cincinnati on the Hudson? Who closes a packed coffee shop on a Thursday night at 9PM? People were still pouring in trying to get a coffee. Every 5 minutes the little loud little barista would make another loud announcement, even while the jazz band was playing, about their 9PM closing time. But nobody moved, and the employees got more and more annoyed at their inability to convince people to leave. They finally got the 80-100 people who were enjoying themselves pushed out onto the sidewalk, and suddenly New York was just like Boston, where everything is closed around dinner time.
ReplyDeleteWhat next the Early Bird Specials?!
ReplyDeleteI went by the Bean location on First and Ninth yesterday and the lights were on so that people could see to clean up and clear the place out. It looked rather sad, although I wasn’t a Bean fan.
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