Monday, August 30, 2021

So long to the Clover Deli's iconic neon signage

Heading north outside the usual coverage area for a moment... Clover Deli officially closed last summer after 72 years on the corner of Second Avenue and 34th Street. The third-generation of the Cuttita Family had been running the deli. 

On Saturday, workers removed the Clover's iconic neon signage... Yo La Tengo's Instagram account was among those who shared the news...

The owners also operate House of Wine & Liquor around the corner on 34th Street.

17 comments:

creature said...

Sign by sign, building by building, character is lost.

noble neolani said...

@creature such is the way of gentrification, no room for small or family owned businesses, signage not approved by the CEO and vetted by committee.

Anonymous said...

sad to lose these things

Anonymous said...

This was my bus stop for 19 years - working at 34th and Park; travelling back home to the EV. Will miss seeing the glow.

Anonymous said...

Sadly, the warm, colorful, inviting neon signs of NYC have succumbed to the sterile, seizure inducing, LED billboards everywhere one turns.

And this is called "progress".
Dystopian is more apropos.

Anonymous said...

Damn! That sign was a landmark (literally & figuratively) on that corner. It was the sign that let you know exactly where you were, esp if you were on a bus with fogged-up windows.

Anonymous said...

The heart of NYC, relocated to a museum in Cincinnati - that's it in one sentence.

Anonymous said...

That place had not so good food.

Anonymous said...

I read somewhere that the neon sign company that made the Clover Deli's sign also made the one for The Dublin House on the UWS; that harp is gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

"The heart of NYC, relocated to a museum in Cincinnati - that's it in one sentence" - exactly. Nail on thee head.

Gar said...

@ 9:45 AM

Me too! I would take the M34 bus coming from Waterside after shopping at Fairways and the fruit vendor nearby. They really tried hard to pivot during the pandemic, selling items not normally sold in this special place. However, they were rarely opened and I knew the writing is on the wall. Will miss the random showcases at the glass windows and just having a piece of old New York a few blocks from the cosmopolitan Herald Square.

anonymous said...

😢

Anonymous said...

That's a real shame. Their rugelach and rainbow cookies were very tasty.

Brian said...

Great cookies and sandwiches. I guess they were hand crafted.

Carol from East 5th Street said...

So sad. Even after the store closed it was so reassuring to see the sign from the M15 bus as it passed 34th Street. And I would always stop in to get a little treat whenever I visited anyone at the hospital.

Anonymous said...

They used to sell the most yummy butter cookies. I loved that pretty sign. I miss neon signs.

Anonymous said...

I was just lamenting the loss of their crunchy rye bread.