[Photo from Saturday]
The former Gem Spa storefront on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place is now officially on the rental market, billed as "First time available."
The listing at RIPCO doesn't have much info, other than square footage, location, etc. Pricing is available by request.
And while Gem Spa's address was 131 Second Ave., the marketing materials list this as 36 St. Mark's Place.
Potentially concerning (and confusing) is that the listing includes Paul's Da Burger Joint next door. The listing notes that the two spaces are available separately or combined...
The fact that the space was on the market was news to the owners of Paul's, who have a few more years left on the lease.
"I’ll assume at the moment it’s a mistake, as I spoke to the landlord today about something unrelated and nothing was mentioned," Matt Wardrop, who has been running Paul's since 2007, told EVG contributor Stacie Joy on Friday.
He added this on Sunday: "It seems as if that listing was created like that to draw more potential tenants for the corner. Someone can express interest for the whole lot and then the broker can say that only the corner is available. We are still here, doing the best we can given the current state of events. We enjoy serving the community and our loyal customers. We look forward to staying open and continuing to do what we love the most — feeding our loyal friends!"
Stacie stopped by Paul's on Friday...
Here's Angel, who has been here nearly the entire time since the restaurant opened in 1989, with his daughter and co-worker Daniella...
Gem Spa officially closed on May 7 amid ongoing financial challenges worsened by the COVID-19 crisis. The corner has a long history as a candy store and newsstand.
What a sneaky underhanded way for the landlord to let Paul's know that if they want to stay it is going to cost them more. Also amazing in this day and age when the landlord is lucky enough to have a decent tenant that has obviously been making rent payments in full in a timely manner for decades. Instead they want to have an empty storefront with a rent too high for anyone to consider opening a business. I would suggest to Paul's that they can re-create their amazing place in any one of a hundred empty store fronts in a five block radius....with better everything, bigger to handle the social distancing rules that will be in place for years, a better looking window store front...maybe put that grill right in the window where everyone will stop to watch those trademark juicy burgers cooking as they drool and beg for a seat. How about that NW corner of St. Mark's and Second...coffee shops and ice cream shops can't make it there, but a burger place would!
ReplyDeleteIf something bad would happen to Paul's, I WILL riot!
ReplyDeletePaul's is pretty dope.
ReplyDeleteHere's an update from Matt Wardrop: "It seems as if that listing was created like that to draw more potential tenants for the corner. Someone can express interest for the whole lot & then the broker can say that only the corner is available. We are still here, doing the best we can given the current state of events. We enjoy serving the community & our loyal customers. We look forward to staying open & continuing to do what we love the most, feeding our loyal friends!"
ReplyDeleteThank you to Matt, Angel and Daniella and the whole team at Paul's Da Burger Joint!
If these people get rid of Paul's too I am going to have a conniption. I'm consistently shocked by the real estate industry's inability to read the writing on the wall throughout this crisis. Who do they think is going to fill these spaces??
ReplyDeleteI can’t wait for the next culturally diminishing glass box to operate out of here!
ReplyDeletethis would be a perfect location for The Vape N Smoke U Crave 2 Corp.
ReplyDeleteBring back Dojo’s.
ReplyDeleteBring back Gem Spa - at least the EGG CREAM part of it!
ReplyDeleteMaybe Paul's could seegg creams? creams?
DeleteWell, that's rude.
ReplyDelete36 Saint Mark's Place is right one door in from the former Gem Spa space. There used to be a sign that said "Honig" [German for honey") there; I think it was the name of the proprietor.
ReplyDeleteAnd @Anonymous4:59—Gem Spa has plans for pop-ups in the coming months, so stay tuned.
A tiny CVS with a NY Dolls awning!
ReplyDeleteOr an ATM with a Trotsky mural. Yeah that would be more 2021.
Off topic: Sammy’s Noodles in the West Village has permanently closed down. They had some of the best cold sesame noodles in town. We are losing some of the best places in the city every single day.
ReplyDelete@Scuba Diva: "Honig" was a plumbing company; and the owner, Mr. Honig, did work in my apartment many decades ago. I'm sure he has long since gone to his reward. They don't make 'em like that any more!
ReplyDelete@LPIFLY: I like the idea of Paul's selling egg creams (but only if they can do it right!).
This is the end... Now what? A few years of vacancy? Then a Starbucks? Or more appropriate to our era, 7-11?
ReplyDelete