Key Food new self-checkouts month in review (plus first look at the new dessert signage)

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

On May 15, Key Food officially unveiled its new self-checkout stations — seven brand-new Toshiba SCO Traveler machines have been in service these past two-plus weeks. 

Here's a recap of what has happened here this month. As we've noted, the grocery at Avenue A and Fourth Street retired a row of its self-checkout terminals. In its place: a staffed register, which will make four for Key.  

And I happened to be there when the new machines got the hook-up...

Because dreams do really come true, I had the great honor of being the first customer to scan an item (a banana, no less — and yes, there was drama).

 
According to a high-level, highly anonymous Key source, the new machines are "smaller, faster, and more efficient" and come equipped with cameras that recognize produce by sight. The future has arrived — and it knows your tomatoes.

Two of the seven scanners accept cash and offer cash back, and all are topped with light-up signs that indicate availability or flash for assistance. And yes, that familiar, no-nonsense voice still demands that you "place the last scanned item on the scale." Some things never change. 

There is a new option to select the number of paper bags you need, although you will still need to obtain the bags from a staff member.

Around the same time, the store's floor got a much-needed patch-up, smoothing the path for carts and casual striders alike.

Meanwhile, a new price-check scanner was installed near the Pringles (still on sale), ready to resolve all your label-induced uncertainties.

Speaking of labels — fresh signage is underway. The iconic "CAKES FOR ALL OCCASIONS" sign is being retired in favor of the more inclusive and dessert-forward "Desserts For Every Occasion," a nod to the rise of puddings and parfaits in the section. (Yes, "occassions" was misspelled on the prototype. Yes, they're fixing it.)

We also got a sneak peek at some of the rejected signage options — including one dismissed as "too bubblegum" — and learned that a classic serif font ultimately won the vote. No Comic Sans here. 

The sushi case is also due for a typographic refresh, and store manager Richie was spotted mid-P-Touch session, labeling the new self-checkout lanes with the concentration of a seasoned typesetter.

Meanwhile, the new cash drawers were filled with ones, fives, and an aesthetically pleasing coin assortment.

If you're wondering what beats carried us through this transformation: Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love," followed by Europe's "The Final Countdown," capped off with the Eurythmics' "Would I Lie to You?" A fitting trio for a store that's balancing nostalgia with a leap into the checkout future.

Here's Johnny on the Bowery

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Earlier this month, we previewed Johnny, a new lounge that wants to bring a little glamour and grit to the local nightlife scene.

Johnny, a concept from East Village hospitality veterans Laura Stemmer and Johnny T. (pictured below), is located at 327 Bowery in the former ground-floor space of the Bowery Electric. (Live music still continues downstairs at the Bowery Electric via a separate entrance.)

The space is intimate and thoughtfully designed, with red velvet booths, a VIP nook and a back lounge. It's a comfortable space and a nice companion to Johnny T's other local spots, including Lovers of Today on Seventh Street, 96 Tears on Avenue A, and Berlin on Avenue A and Second Street.

The preview evening included a set from Johnny regular DJ Elliott Brakebill...

There’s also a food program led by Chef Carlos Sandoval, though we had to leave before the service started.

For now, there is a guest list for entry. You can follow Johnny on Instagram here.

Thursday's parting shots

Photos by Peter Brownscombe 

Manhattanhenge from 14th Street and Avenue C this evening, as the clouds cleared in time to deliver a sunset photo op for the handful of people gathered here (much more civil here than Union Square!)...

Manhattanhenge Part 2 returns on July 11 and 12... details here.

Junk Journaling with Mercy and Odin

An East Village resident has been planning and organizing a junk journaling (aka scrapbooking) event for Saturday evening. Details via the EVG inbox...

Junk Journaling with Mercy & Odin 

Wind down with paper scraps and glue sticks at this cozy East Village hang for self-expression and connection. 

No experience needed — just show up, grab a notebook, and make something weird and beautiful. All materials (and snacks) provided. Bring collage fodder to share if you're feeling generous. 

Hosted by Mercy of Mercy & Odin. 

367 E. 10th St. between Avenue B and Avenue C (in the Piragua Art Space that they are renting out) 

Saturday, May 31, 6-9 p.m.: $20 + $3.18 fee (We hear that in the future return guests will get a discount.)

 Find more info at this Eventbrite link.

Checking out the newly reopened area of East River Park

On Memorial Day, the city opened parts of the refurbished East River Park a little north and south of the Williamsburg Bridge. 

This marked the first time these areas have been open to the public since demolition work began as part of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) in late 2021. 

New amenities in this area include six regulation tennis courts, two basketball courts, picnic and BBQ facilities, water sprinklers, a passive lawn, and a flexible-use space.

The city will officially mark this reopening at 11 a.m. today. Several city leaders and local elected officials are expected to attend, including NYC Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeffrey Roth, DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley, Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue and local City Council Member Carlina Rivera. 

We visited the newly opened section on Monday and found plenty of others doing the same. The BBQ area and tennis courts were mostly full, while the lawn was about half occupied with sunbathers and others enjoying the day's low-70s temperatures. 

Here's a look at this section of East River Park, which is currently accessible only via the new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge...

People we talked with liked the well-tended plantings, BBQ area and brand-new amenities. 

Still, it feels pretty sterile at the moment — especially without much shade (thanks to the hundreds of mature trees that were cut down as workers raised the park eight to 10 feet to help protect against future coastal storms and tidal flooding). 

According to DDC officials, 600 new trees have been planted in areas reopening, along with more than 21,000 new shrubs, grasses, and perennials. (In total, officials say they will eventually plant upwards of 2,000 trees in the new East River Park.) 

You can find some shade in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge and the (metal!?) umbrellas in the BBQ area. There are also new drinking fountains...

Here's the area around the former Fireboat House, which remains in place for now...

We were happy to be able to walk under the Williamsburg Bridge again and take in the water views. Still, you can't help but feel a little trapped, as park access is limited in either direction until the whole project reaches its expected completion date in late 2026.

This new space promises to get more crowded soon. The 10th Street pedestrian bridge closed along with those adjacent amenities on Tuesday. By the end of the summer, the complete north end of East River Park will be shuttered for the duration of the project. 

This is the second new area of East River Park to reopen. The adjacent ballfields 1 and 2 debuted last September. 

The folks at East River Park Action, who have advocated for a more resilient flood control plan for East River Park, share their thoughts on the new section in this post.

Flock this way: Flamingos Vintage Pound debuts on St. Mark's Place

Flamingos Vintage Pound is now open on the lower level at 4 St Mark's Place just east of Third Avenue. 

This marks a return to the neighborhood for Flamingos, which charges by the pound (for the clothes you want to purchase, not your personal weight). 

The store promises 10,000 items (we didn't count, but there are a lot), including T-shirts, denim, shirts, jackets, and dresses, all from various eras —1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Y2K, and more. Price: $17.99 per pound. (And the store is advertising this on Instagram: 30% off on items over 2.5 pounds — "every day, all year long. The more it weighs, the less you pay.") 

The official grand opening is tomorrow (Friday!) from noon to 8 p.m., with DJs from 5 p.m. on.

Flamingos, which has more than 40 locations in the United States and abroad, previously had stores on First Avenue near Ninth Street and on 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (There was also one on Stanton Street.) All three didn't survive the pandemic, with the First Avenue store being the last to shut down in the fall of 2021. 

As we've noted, until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St. in 2016.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton's son. The landmarked building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, also underwent a gut renovation and expansion. 

All the city's a stage: 'Much Ado About Nothing' pops up on Astor Place

The Public Theater brings "Much Ado About Nothing" to Astor Place starting today, marking the 15th anniversary of its Mobile Unit. 

The free, family-friendly production is a bilingual, 100-minute adaptation of the Shakespeare classic. 

The show is here through Saturday (with a 6:30 p.m. start time each day) before hitting other parts of NYC through June 29 as part of "Shakespeare for the City." 

Find more details at this link.

Classic EV band Disturbed Furniture headlines night of local music at Parkside Lounge

If you're looking for a show to hit tomorrow night... via the EVG inbox...

On May 29, Disturbed Furniture will be playing one of its rare shows (the last one was July 2024) as part of a four-band concert of women-fronted East Village rock bands taking over Parkside Lounge for the night. 

Disturbed Furniture front-woman Alexa Hunter is in town for a visit to her East Village roots at the end of May and is getting the band back together for just one show, the first since the July 2024 Parkside show. 

Alexa and Disturbed Furniture were part of the legendary Club 57 crowd ... and the band's 45-rpm record is in MoMa's permanent collection for its Club 57 exhibit. Alexa lives in LA now, so we don't get to see her often enough. 

All four bands have been part of the East Village/downtown rock scene for many years. With the exception of Alexa, all the other frontwomen and many of the musicians still live here in the East Village. 

Admission is $5, and the music starts at 7 p.m. with FaithNYC... followed by Disturbed Furniture ... then The Patti Rothberg Coincidence and Valkyrie's Vendetta.

The Parkside is on Houston at Attorney. 

And leaving you with this classic Disturbed Furniture track ...

 

East Village AMA is happening now with District 2 City Council candidates

Four of the candidates for NYC City Council District 2 are taking questions today (May 28!) in an AMA Reddit.

Sarah Batchu, Harvey Epstein, Andrea Gordillo and Allie Ryan are taking questions at r/eastvillage until 8 p.m. Find the link here.

Packing up Sixth Street Specials

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Sixth Street Specials, the motorcycle repair shop known for its work on vintage Triumphs, continues to move out of its longtime home here on Sixth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D. 

There has been a lot of activity recently, as the business will vacate the space by the end of the week.

As we first reported in March, owner Hugh Mackie (below, middle), who opened the shop in 1986, is retiring.

Shop manager Joshua Mackenzie is taking over the business and moving it to New Rochelle. The new location — formerly home to Urchin Custom Cycles at 11 Lincoln Ave. — will open on June 3 and operate Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Mackie and his family, who also lived in the building, are moving to Queens. The rest of the building, which has been on the sales market, is now vacant. 

Mackenzie (pictured below), who worked at the shop from 1997 to 2002 and returned in 2020, plans to continue the shop's focus on vintage Triumph motorcycles. He's keeping the name Sixth Street Specials "for now and for the foreseeable future." The shop's Triumph mural will be preserved.

"Hugh will always have a bench," Mackenzie told me previously. "It'll be my shop, but he'll always have access."

Here's a look at space as the move-out got underway...

To follow the shop's move and reopening, visit @6thstreetspecials on Instagram. 

After nearly 40 years, the move closes another chapter for this stretch of Sixth Street.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• After nearly 40 years, Sixth Street Specials prepares for its final ride in the East Village 

• A visit to Sixth Street Specials