Saturday, February 28, 2026

Back to the Gap

The arrival of signage for the incoming Sephora on the NE corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place has stirred up some déjà vu for longtime observers of the retail beat. 

When the Gap opened on the NW corner of St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue in 1988, it felt — to some — like the corporate cavalry had arrived. That outpost eventually closed in 2001, but the memory lingers. 

And now, in a small nod to that moment in neighborhood history, someone has affixed a Gap sticker onto the new Sephora signage — just in case anyone needed a reminder. 

Oh!
The above photo is by Barry Joseph, and it was published in Ada Calhoun's book "St. Marks Is Dead."
 
Previously on EV Grieve: 
• When the Gap moved into the East Village (January 2010)
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9 comments:

  1. AnnieFebruary 28, 2026 at 9:54 AM

    I sure don't look forward to seeing that all them time as I'm getting around. I hope it goes away like the Gap did, but I'm not sure about that, because the neighborhood people have changed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carol from East 5th StreetFebruary 28, 2026 at 10:24 AM

    Great memories of Kim's Video......

    ReplyDelete
  3. billFebruary 28, 2026 at 11:34 AM

    Ada Calhoun's book is a very good read. St. Mark's will soon see a Sephorapacolypse Now. Oops, I flunked comedy school again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jose GarciaFebruary 28, 2026 at 7:42 PM

    Boy, oh boy, those were the days! I remeber that Gap like it was yesterday. Sooner or later those evil 7/11s mostly closed around these parts too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Barry JosephFebruary 28, 2026 at 10:25 PM

    Thanks for reposting my photo. It was for a 1995 Website - The St. Marks Experience - that photographed the entire north and south side of the block that summer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. GrieveMarch 1, 2026 at 12:30 PM

    thanks, Barry! Hopefully we can see the rest of the photos some day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barry JosephMarch 1, 2026 at 8:20 PM

      Sure - how can I get them to you?

      Delete
    2. GrieveMarch 1, 2026 at 10:08 PM

      That would be great... My email is grieve98@gmail.com ...

      Delete
  7. AnonymousMarch 1, 2026 at 7:14 PM

    The Gap on that corner was so small it was more like a crack thean a gap.

    ReplyDelete

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