Chase, the newish tenant on the southwest corner of West 16th Street and Union Square West, has erected its new vertical sign on the building — a bland attempt at replicating the familiar neon that was here for 60-plus years.
Food writer Nick Solares shared these photos...
A little history. The Coffee Shop, the Brazilian-American diner run by former Wilhelmina models, closed here in October 2018 after 28 years in business. The Chase branch opened on Dec. 17 ... along with Chase-partnered Joe Coffee. (There's also another vegan quick-serve outpost of by CHLOE on the 16th Street side.)
During the renovations, workers removed the 1950s-era Coffee Shop neon sign — which belonged to the cafe (called Chase, oddly enough) that predated the Coffee Shop by several businesses.
There was some hope that the old sign would return after a cleaning/refurbishment. Obviously that isn't happening.
[Photo via Jeremiah Moss]
looks like Chase has some real creative "artisans" on their payroll... ugh
ReplyDeleteYou have GOT to be fuk'n kidding me. What a travesty.
ReplyDeleteAt least the corner will be more pedestrian friendly. The outdoor cafe of the diner created a nuisance and hazard.
ReplyDelete@10;12PM Don’t tell me, you're the same guy who doesn’t like newsstands because they slow down pedestrian traffic. I always liked seeing people sitting outside on that corner while dining because it bought more life to the area. Now it will be dead. Chase had a chance to be a little creative and part of the fabric of the community, but of course they chose to do neither.
ReplyDelete@10:12AM Having had an office on the corner of 17th St & USW for 27 years, losing one more option for reasonably priced, interesting food for another bank, another coffee bar (right next to a Starbucks) and another bland fast casual chain is heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteAs for the outdoor seating, it was a pleasure to take a work break and have lunch, served at a table rather than eating from a cardboard box on a park bench.
The loss of the Coffee Shop, Chat N Chew and other independent it casual sit down restaurants is a degradation of the neighborhood.
2:34 - the goal is you understand this is not your neighborhood and you have no right to any of it. It belongs to the transnationalists, the tourists, students, investors: the temporary people.
ReplyDeleteGraphic Design 101: vertical words are read from the top down. Never ever ever lay out a vertical word to be read from the bottom up. It is the first thing design students learn. What an embarrassing joke! They couldn't even get that right!
ReplyDelete@5:27pm: You hit the nail on the head. I was just about to write what you've already noted. This is the visual equivalent of stepping on a rake.
ReplyDeleteGod, yes. Perhaps they thought it was "EV quirky" or some such.
ReplyDeleteI think there is a secret narrative to that sign: rather than "Chase Joe" it reads "Joe Chase," so I think some Chase CEO named Joe is chasing money in the form of fossil fuel investments. Ergo, "Joe Chase Climate Change!"
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