Stella Soltowska, a fixture at Ray’s Candy Store since 1977, has died

Reporting by Stacie Joy

Photos from 2024 by Stacie Joy

Stella Soltowska, a regular presence at Ray's Candy Store on Avenue A for nearly 50 years, passed away over the holidays. She was 80. 

Sources say she suffered a heart attack at her home in Queens. 

Stella, a longtime friend of owner Ray Alvarez, had been with Ray's Candy Store since 1977.

This afternoon, the 24/7 Ray's was closed during what was traditionally Stella's shift. 

We're told that Ray is in shock over Stella's passing. 

She will be missed by generations of East Village residents, past and present, and by all those who made Ray's a neighborhood favorite over the years.

On a personal note, I will miss Stella's sweet yet steely disposition — and the way she always tried to ply me with a soft serve or an egg cream. I'll miss how she took care of Ray, making sure his meds were in order and that he ate his dinner.

It's heartbreaking to know I won't see her on my endless trips by Ray's — waving through the to-go window or smiling from behind the counter, always with style and panache, her signature blue rinse and sweater sets firmly in place.

We'll share more information as it becomes available.

Photo of Ray and Stella in 1975 via Peter Brownscombe

A ghostly parade for long-lost local music venues

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

A roaming musical parade moved through parts of the East Village and Lower East Side on late Sunday afternoon as part of Radiant Revelry for Make Music New York, a Winter Solstice happening presented by HONK NYC! and Moment NYC. 

The procession, known as Ghost Band Plays Ghost Venues, is an annual project led by musician Stefan Zeniuk that honors former music venues and creative spaces that once shaped New York's cultural landscape. 

This year's route focused on the area around East Houston Street, stopping at locations that were once home to clubs, bars and performance spaces — many of which have since been replaced by new businesses.

I stayed with the parade at a few stops, including Duane Reade (formerly the Gas Station) and Eastpoint (formerly Save the Robots). 

At Eastpoint, the band marched straight in while patrons were watching Sunday night football. The bar staff appeared welcoming, and the musicians played as customers looked on...

At Duane Reade, a security guard watched the procession pass through the store, visibly puzzled but not intervening.

The group continued on toward Rossy's, formerly Slug's Saloon, on Third Street between Avenue B and Avenue C.

According to organizers, the project is meant to "touch the past and sing a song for the town," paying tribute to venues that helped incubate punk, jazz, folk, experimental music, performance art and other scenes across decades. 

This year's list of ghost venues included Lismar Lounge, Princess Pamela's Southern Touch, the Spiral, Tonic, Cake Shop, Luna Lounge, Surf Reality and the Living Room, among others. 

The parade began at Baker Falls on Allen Street, where participants gathered to prepare costumes, props and instruments before stepping off in the late afternoon. Live music and DJ sets followed the procession's return to the venue.

ICYMI: Fire disrupts operations at Norwich Meadows Farm, a Tompkins Greenmarket regular

Norwich Meadows Farm, a longtime presence at the Tompkins Square and Union Square Greenmarkets, is assessing damage after a fire on Thursday night, Dec. 11. 

According to the farm in Upstate New York, the fire caused significant damage to its main barn. No one was injured. The barn played a central role in daily operations, housing washing and packing areas, refrigeration, equipment storage, and other essential systems that help move food from the fields to markets, restaurants, and community partners.

For decades, Norwich Meadows Farm has supplied produce to New York City farmers' markets, CSA members, restaurants, and food access organizations. 

In response to outreach from customers, chefs and community members asking how to help, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support short-term and transitional recovery efforts. Funds are intended to help cover temporary measures and related expenses as the farm works toward stabilization and rebuilding. 

You can find the GoFundMe here.

 

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A post shared by Norwich Meadows Farm (@norwichmeadowsfarm)

Scenes of the season, lately

A few holiday scenes as seen the last two weeks (or so)... a happy holiday season one and all!

Dec. 24

After standing tall in his apartment for the past 365 days, EVG reader Tom reports that he decided to discard his 2024 Christmas tree today. 

Oh, and he does have a new tree, which he found left on the sidewalk on 14th Street two days ago. 

Here's the old tree meeting the new tree.

On Christmas Eve morning, ICE agents take East Village restaurant worker into custody on 7th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

A kitchen worker at Ho Foods on Seventh Street was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents earlier this morning, according to her cousin and eyewitnesses. 

The woman, identified by her family as Evelyn, was working in the prep kitchen when she received a message instructing her to step outside to speak with immigration officials here between Avenue A and First Avenue, her cousin said. 

When she exited the restaurant, which is closed today and tomorrow, several vehicles were waiting, and ICE agents handcuffed her and took her away. 

The detainment was captured by a passerby just after 8:30 a.m. and shared on social media.

ICE picks up woman on 7th St b/n 1st & A 8:35AM. Help find her family! ⁦@ZohranKMamdani⁩ ⁦@RepDanGoldman⁩ ⁦@HarveyforNY⁩ ⁦@SenSchumer⁩ ⁦@nycdistrict1⁩ ⁦@bradhoylman⁩ ⁦@MarkLevineNYC⁩ ⁦@JumaaneWilliams⁩ ⁦@DeborahJGlick⁩ pic.twitter.com/Wnie4ky8Eb

— Jeannine Kiely (@JeannineKiely) December 24, 2025

According to her cousin, Evelyn was born in Peru and lives in Queens. She wears an ankle monitoring device and had previously been involved in immigration proceedings. Her family said she had complied with all required check-ins and directives from immigration authorities. She has a child, who is currently with her former partner.

District 2 City Council Member Harvey Epstein was on the scene this afternoon at Ho Foods, and his office is seeking pro bono legal assistance for her.

Epstein responded to the incident, telling EVG: "I am saddened to see another New Yorker taken off the streets of our great city with no due process by masked ICE agents. Our community and city deserve better. Efforts are underway to identify her so she can be provided zealous representation." 

Co-workers have organized a crowdfunding effort to help with legal fees, which you can find here.

An NYPD source told EVG that the department was not aware of any ICE-related activity in the neighborhood. The source said that this is typical, noting that the NYPD is generally not notified of immigration enforcement actions unless they are connected to a criminal investigation or drug-related activity. 

The incident has prompted heightened concern in the neighborhood, with messages circulating on Signal and WhatsApp claiming ICE agents were canvassing Tompkins Square Park and surrounding areas. 

At this time, EVG has not confirmed any additional ICE activity beyond this incident. 

We will update as more information becomes available.

Noted

There are some unfounded rumors about some "space junk" on the main lawn in Tompkins Square Park...

A taste test confirms that this is, in fact, the base of a snow person someone created back when it snowed a bit on Dec. 14... a further lab analysis shows this still contains 12% ice crystals ...

Dec. 24's opening shots

First drop-off for MulchFest 2026 in Tompkins Square Park... could have been joined by the larger sibling had someone dragged it here rather than discard it on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place...

Dec. 23's parting shots

Photos by Stacie Joy 

A holiday tip reminder at C&B, 178 E. Seventh St. near B... and a rat-adorned Christmas tree at Spooksvilla + Friends, 309 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

NYC retrospective for No Wave filmmaker Amos Poe opens Jan. 3 at Metrograph

Updated Dec. 25: Amos Poe, who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2022, died today. He was 76.

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Metrograph has just put tickets on sale for "Amos Poe and No Wave Cinema," a new retrospective running Jan. 3–25. 

The program marks the first dedicated New York City retrospective for Amos Poe, often called "the first punk filmmaker" and a key figure in the No Wave Cinema movement that emerged from the Lower East Side in the late 1970s and 1980s. Many of the films are rarely shown theatrically. 

Poe collaborated with downtown icons, including Richard Hell, Debbie Harry, and Cookie Mueller, among many others, capturing a New York that no longer exists. 

Screenings include a number of his films and those of his collaborators in which he appears, among them "The Blank Generation," "Downtown 81," "Smithereens," "Subway Riders," "Unmade Beds" and "Variety." The full schedule is now live on Metrograph's site. 

Metrograph is at 7 Ludlow St. between Hester and Canal on the Lower East Side.

RIP Stanislawa 'Anna' Sulkowska

We were very sorry to hear about the passing of Stanislawa "Anna" Sulkowska on Dec. 14 — one month from her 101st birthday. 

Anna was born in Branica, Poland, and lived there throughout World War 2. She arrived in the United States in the early 1970s and became a fixture in the East Village restaurant/bar scene, dating to 1977. 

She owned The Baltyk, a Polish restaurant on the corner of First Avenue and First Street. She also owned Downtown Beirut on First Avenue. Her final venture, Oasis Lounge, was located on St. Mark's Place just off Avenue A and closed in 1997.

From her obituary: 

These businesses were built and run by Stanislawa while she was well into her 50s, 60s, 70s — a reflection of her tireless work ethic and unwavering belief in herself. Her businesses were a big part of her identity. 

More importantly, she was a devoted mother and grandmother, and nothing brought her greater joy than her family. She is survived by her daughters, Bozena and Barbara; her grandchildren, John, Robert, Diana, Kim, and Daniel; and her beloved four-year-old great-granddaughter, Kaylee, who brought her endless happiness. 

Stanislawa will be remembered for her strength and determination, and for the simple truth she shared so often with our family: "life is beautiful." 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A longtime East Village bar and restaurant owner turns 100

Remembering Joe Strummer

Photo from Dec. 14 

Joe Strummer (aka John Graham Mellor) died on this day in 2002 at age 50. 

As always, a photo of Dr. Revolt's mural — the first iteration created in 2004 — outside Niagara on Seventh Street and Avenue A.

[Updated] NYPD searching for the hit-and-run driver who killed pedestrian on Clinton and Stanton

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Updated: Police have arrested a 54-year-old suspect who is accused of striking the woman in the crosswalk, PIX 11 reported this morning. Streetsblog has a detailed piece here on how the NYPD made the case and the arrest.

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Police continue to look for the driver of an SUV who fatally struck a woman Thursday evening on the Lower East Side and then left the scene. 

According to the NYPD, the collision occurred around 7 p.m. as the driver was making a right turn from Clinton Street onto Stanton Street. The woman was reportedly crossing Stanton Street from south to north in the crosswalk when she was hit. 

Witnesses told police that a black SUV fled the scene immediately after the collision. 

The woman was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The investigation is ongoing. Authorities have not released the name of the victim, who was believed to be in her 60s.

The NYPD has been canvassing the area in search of leads. Yesterday, officers were seen stopping drivers nearby.

Streetsblog cited city stats showing that in the 30-square-block Lower East Side this year, there have been 478 reported crashes, injuring 235 people, including 60 cyclists and 46 pedestrians. 

Someone has left a handwritten message on the scene: 

We are so sorry about the tragic loss of our neighbor during the holiday season. Our condolences to her family and friends.

The former Rite Aid is looking more like a grocery store every day

Photos Saturday by Stacie Joy 

The grocery transformation of the former Rite Aid on First Avenue at Fifth Street continues. 

In recent days, workers have brought in refrigeration units, and a check-out of sorts is shaping up...

Unfortunately, we still haven't learned which grocery this will be... no one, including neighbors and local officials, seems to know. Even a few workers who spoke with us at the start of the renovation didn't know — they were just there to install lighting for what will be a new grocery store. 

The East Village Rite Aid closed on Aug. 24 after five weeks of going-out-of-business sales. The 63-year-old pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy twice in two years before shutting down entirely last month. 

The EV lease for the 8,500-square-foot space was auctioned off this past summer. (The auction was just for the lease, set to expire in January 2032, not the building.)

Openings: Barryville General on Avenue A

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Barryville General has opened at 66 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. 

The shop carries a curated selection of home goods, apparel (officially unisex, though it is predominantly menswear), and pantry items. 

Owned and operated by a husband-and-wife team, Eric Komovoff (below left) and Sharone Komovoff, this is the store's second location, which opened upstate in Barryville before relocating to Southampton. (They are currently seeking a new space there.)

East Village resident Sean Naughton (below right) is a partner in the Avenue A store. Jordan Coronel (middle) is the manager.

I stopped by Friday evening for a quick look as they were prepping the store for a Saturday debut...

Opening hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Keep tabs on them via Instagram. No. 66 was previously Café Social 68/Viva! Café.

Openings: Burgerhead on 2nd Avenue

Burgerhead debuted over the weekend at 145 Second Ave. on the NW corner of Ninth Street. 

This is the second NYC outpost for the quick-serve joint serving charbroiled burgers and beef tallow fries. The menu includes hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, shakes and Mexican Coca-Cola. (There is a meatless "impossible charburger" available, too.) 

Current posted hours are 5-11 p.m., with a 1 a.m. close on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Signage arrived here on Dec. 2, 2024, and there wasn't much activity here earlier in the year. 

A fast-casual restaurant, Balkan StrEAT, was in the works for the corner space. However, the owners closed their Sixth Avenue outpost and pivoted to the burger biz. (Burgerhead took over the former Balkan StrEAT space at 353 Sixth Ave.)

This Second Avenue address was also home to a Starbucks until April 2019. 

And as some long-time residents will recall ... for 37 years the space was the Orchidia, a Ukrainian-Italian restaurant that closed in 1984 after the landlord raised the rent from $950 to $5,000. 

The restaurant's closing was a flashpoint in the early 1980s gentrification of the East Village. 

"Gentrify, they say that's a good thing," [Orchidia owner] Maria Pidhorodecky told the Times in a December 1983 article titled New Prosperity Brings Discord to the East Village. "To me, 'gentrify' means losing the neighborhood, the restaurant, and the feeling we have of being like family."

Signage alert: Matcha and coffee for 68 Avenue A

A sign is up on the papered-over storefront at 68 Avenue A, noting "Meet Your New Favorite Coffee & Matcha." 

This will be the latest establishment in the block-long Untitled building between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. (Other new retail tenants here are Barryville General and B&H Barber Shop.)

The new cafe is the first tenant in this storefront since Ink closed in July 2023 after 30-plus years in business. Owner Ben "Benny" Dahud had been in a legal tussle (some of this was his own fault, he admitted) with the private equity firm that bought the building in the fall of 2022 for $64 million.

In the end, Benny decided to retire and close the newsstand.