Photos, past and present, by Stacie Joy
As we first reported on May 8, the always confounding but excellent Fine Wine & Champagne's signage would be coming down in the weeks ahead here on the NE corner of Avenue A and Fourth Street.
And yesterday, workers removed the neighborhood's greatest sign featuring an unnecessary apostrophe.
The decades-spanning Nizga Liquors is under new ownership... the new shop is going as LES Fine Wines & Spirits. (IMO, to keep with tradition, the name should be LES Fine Wine's & Spirit's.)
We're not sure about new signage. As we understand it, the private-equity firm that bought the block-long residential building last September for a reported $64 million wants uniform signage/awnings for all the storefronts here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.
However! The two sections of the Champagne's signage — now safe in storage somewhere — are up for grabs. (Hello, MoMa permanent collection!) Rich, the manager, said he that he might auction them off for a "good cause" or they may be available for sale. Either way, stop by the shop or DM @the.rich.brand on Instagram for details. (Several people have already inquired, he said.)
Otherwise, you can lovingly gaze at the sign as seen during the filming of "Hawkeye" with Hailee Steinfeld and Jeremy Renner on the corner in December 2020..
10 comments:
glorious headline! hope someone snap's these up!
Such a terrible, beloved sign. RIP!
Yea a classic sign for sure, hope its somewhere safe
Hawkeye was the worst movie to be shot in the neighborhood, in terms of the production consideration towards residents and crew's attitude. Hollywood at its worst. People on Ave C threw bottles at them at night. They brought the cops to nanny them.
I saw the old owners sell half a gallon of Popov vodka to a wobbly guy in a gown and socks from an Emergency Room, wearing a bracelet that said FALL RISK. Hope the new owner/management is different.
As long as they keep the mini bottles of booze in the window for all the street addicts to slobber over.
Maybe that's all he could afford? Popov is ok in a pinch.
They were an asset to the neighborhood
I had an crappy experience with the owner once and and never went in again—mean and petty they behaved. Here’s hoping the new owner contributes something to the neighborhood.
"wants uniform signage/awnings for all the storefronts here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street" to my own surprise made me as angry as any recent Supreme Court ruling. Take your uniformity elsewhere. (I'm half joking here, but seriously, uniform storefronts?)
Post a Comment