Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Wine bar in the works for this former dry cleaners on 1st Avenue

Work continues at the former Exquisite Cleaners, where a wine bar is in the works here on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Third Street. 

Jorge Arias is on this month's CB3 SLA committee agenda Monday evening for the unnamed bar "specializing in small, handmade wines." (This item will not be heard in front of the committee.) 

The questionnaire (PDF here) on the CB3 website shows that the space will have five tables for 30 guests and a six-seat bar. The proposed hours are noon to midnight daily. 

Arias operates several like-minded businesses, including the Wine Hut on Sixth Avenue and, closer to home, Urban Wine & Spirits a few storefronts away. 

Exquisite Cleaners closed last summer ... one of 10 dry cleaners in the East Village to close during the pandemic.

10 comments:

Neighbor said...

Not a wine drinker but Urban Wine and Spirits is a fantastic store with an incredible selection and very helpful and friendly employees. It's my go to liquor store as a result.

stephen b said...

We feel, word for word, what Neighbor (above) says about Urban Wine and Spirits

noble neolani said...

Great one more alcohol establishment and the loss of a service business, will this ever end?

Anonymous said...

While sad to see Exquisite go (very much so), if anyone is opening an establishment there, glad to see it is the team behind Urban. They are wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Cry all you want about it not being a service business, but I welcome any local business to my corner. Urban Wine & Spirits are good neighbors and I wish them the best of luck in their new endeavor.

Anonymous said...

The Temperance Totalitarian movement remains strong I see. May the dry E.V. be with you!

Ronnie said...

I love Urban Wine And Spirits, a good selection at different price points and the service people are the best!

Anonymous said...

@12:55pm: Oh zip it! AS IF there's nowhere to get drunk in the East Village! I suppose you're in favor of people not needing to go more than a half-block to get soused?

Replacing a non-booze business with a booze-based business is going to get us more drunks, more screaming, more fights, and more killings. Is that what you look for in a neighborhood? I effing hate what this neighborhood has turned into: drunk-land for losers.

Anonymous said...

Get real folks. To you who decry local angst about yet another bar/restaurant opening up, may 12 or more of them open up on your block, all with outside dining, then your tune will change. EV is drunk Disneyland these days and quality of life just keeps declining because of it.

Anonymous said...

I patronized Exquisite cleaners for over 30 years and I was very sad to see them go. I live on the block. I am also a patron of Urban Wines. These guys are classy, sweet, helpful and great all around! I have seen the renovations in the old Exquisite cleaners space and I have been fearing the worst. Knowing it is the nice guys at Urban Wines ia a huge relief. I am excited to see what they do with the space and I am even more excited to see what they do with their menu to go along with their expert selection of wines. These guys have been local heros in the past year keeping us happy during Covid and I am happy to see them thrive.