From Katinka to a back entrance on 9th Street

If you're unfamiliar with the north side of Ninth Street east of Second Avenue, you might not notice that anything is amiss outside 303 E. Ninth St. 

But longtime neighbors will.

Katinka, the well-liked, closet-sized shop at 303 E. Ninth St. just east of Second Avenue, closed in the summer of 2024 after 45 years in the East Village. 

In recent months, the landlord has demolished the small storefront. 

The former shop space now appears to function as a back entrance for building staff and a staging area for resident trash — a dispiriting end for one of the neighborhood's most distinctive retail spaces. (Construction photos by William Klayer.)

The permits at the Department of Buildings list the removal of a small structure between No. 303 and 305 and "restore to previous existing conditions."

Opened in 1979 by partners Jane Williams and Billy Lyles, Katinka specialized in hand-made clothing and textiles imported from India, including shirts, vests, quilts, and rugs. 

Over the decades, the shop became a destination for people seeking something personal, thoughtful, and unlike anything else around.

Williams and Lyles announced in the summer of 2024 that they were retiring. 

For many longtime residents, Katinka wasn't just a store — it was part of the fabric of the block. Its disappearance leaves behind a utilitarian void that feels especially stark given what once occupied the space.

Photo from August 2024 by Stacie Joy 

Thanks also to Jason Solarek and Steven for sharing photos of the construction.