Here's your Ralph's signage on Avenue A

As we've been reporting, an outpost of Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream is coming to 145 Avenue A and Ninth Street.

And as you can see, the Ralph's signage has arrived. (Thanks to Steven for the photo!)

The business dates to 1928 when Ralph Silvestro started selling Italian ice (or water ice) from his truck around Staten Island. The first retail store opened in 1949 on Port Richmond Avenue in Staten Island. In recent years the company has franchised out, expanding to other parts of NYC as well as Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester County.

No word about an opening date just yet for Ralph's.

Ralph’s is hiring on Avenue A

As first noted back in early March, an outpost of Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream is coming to 145 Avenue A and Ninth Street.

And this location is hiring... kind of difficult to see, but there is a handwritten sign on the front window with an email address to use if you're interested in a job here (RalphsIcesEastVillage@gmail.com)...



The business dates to 1928 when Ralph Silvestro started selling Italian ice (or water ice) from his truck around Staten Island. The first retail store opened in 1949 on Port Richmond Avenue in Staten Island. In recent years the company has franchised out, expanding to other parts of NYC as well as Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester County.

No word on an opening date yet for Ralph's, which takes over the storefront from Gelarto.

Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream makes it official on Avenue A

[Photos by Steven]

The coming soon signage for Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream has arrived at 145 Avenue A and Ninth Street...



As we noted on March 3, the expanding company has several new outposts planned this year, including in the East Village.

This business dates to 1928 when Ralph Silvestro started selling Italian ice (or water ice) from his truck around Staten Island. The first retail store opened in 1949 on Port Richmond Avenue in Staten Island. In recent years the company has franchised out, expanding to other parts of NYC as well as Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester County.

Ralph's takes over for Gelarto, which closed early last summer after a rocky two years selling gelato on the corner.

'The Icon variable'

Been meaning to note this long read from Curbed titled "The story of a store."

The piece explores the city's retail vacancy or the "luxury blight" crisis ... with a focus 0n 441-445 E. Ninth St. (aka 145 Avenue A), the six-story building that Icon Realty bought in 2014 for $10.1 million.

As we documented at the time, the existing retail tenants that made up the charming row of storefronts on the Ninth Street side were either not offered lease renewals or given massive rent hikes.

Meanwhile, all but one of the new tenants (four of five) who rented the Icon-renovated retail spaces were gone within a year. The casualties included BeetleBug, the floral design shop, Mahalo New York Bakery and Gelarto.

Writer Neil deMause talked with one of those tenants, Isiah Michael, who opened the Classic Man Barber Lounge in 2018. Per the article:

An investment banker who’d gone to barbering school, Michael thought he could make a go of it in the paired storefronts, even if the rent was a bit higher than he’d anticipated.

"What we didn’t expect was the Icon variable," he says. A series of mishaps — malfunctioning air conditioning, a continually flooding basement, and an unannounced electrical upgrade that Michael claims cost him and his partner $30,000 in lost equipment and inventory — led to legal battles with his landlord, and ultimately an eviction notice last February.

When Michael offered to bring over a lease payment he had been withholding in a dispute over repair costs, he says, Icon “responded saying they were terminating the lease.”

You can read the post at this link.

As for this building, there are three new tenants on the way in: Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream ... Village Crêperie ... and Social Tees.

Hopefully they won't suffer from the "Icon variable."

Previously on EV Grieve:
• On East 9th Street Dusty Buttons is closing after 125% rent hike: 'Saying goodbye will hurt like hell'

• The Upper Rust is moving away from East 9th Street and the East Village

Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream coming to Avenue A

Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream is opening an outpost at 145 Avenue A and Ninth Street.

There has been activity inside the space, with equipment looking like more ice cream might be on the way.

While there hasn't been an official announcement of this arrival, the expanding company has several new outposts planned this year... and 145 Avenue A is now on the Ralph's website...



This business dates to 1928 when Ralph Silvestro started selling Italian ice (or water ice) from his truck around Staten Island. The first retail store opened in 1949 on Port Richmond Avenue in Staten Island. In recent years the company has franchised out, expanding to other parts of NYC as well as Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester County.

Ralph's takes over for Gelarto, which closed early last summer after a rocky two years selling gelato on the corner.

Thanks to @DanMarcustweets!

[Updated] Starbucks opened today on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

This location made the end-of-summer deadline by opening today...



The posted hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week... until 10 p.m. on weekends.

This location features a mural by Brooklyn-based artist Misha Tyutyunik, a custom piece that flows across three walls. According to the Starbucks newsroom, this collaboration was made possible via the East Village-based Citizens for the Arts.


[Image via Starbucks]

As previously reported, this wasn't a case where business was off and Nino's, the previous tenant, had to close. The pizzeria had to close on Oct. 21, 2015, due to a gas leak in the building. On Nov. 17, Nino's received an eviction notice. Owner Nino Camaj had said that the gas was shut off in the building without any notice to him.

In late November 2015, Camaj's lawyers were reportedly in discussion with landlord Citi Urban Management to dispute the rent charged for the month during which they weren't open due to the gas leak. Camaj still had 10 years left on his lease, and had been in court with the landlords.

He accepted a buyout in February 2016, after having been closed for nearly five months. Camaj told DNAinfo that he could no longer afford the $14,500 monthly rent. (Not to mention court expenses.) Camaj said that the rent for the corner space was $3,500 when he first opened in 1989. Starbucks is reportedly paying upwards of $40,000 a month for the space.

Updated 7:30

Today was apparently a soft opening with an early closing. An EVG reader stopped by early this evening to find it closed until tomorrow.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Starbucks confirmed for Avenue A

At the 'Not Another Starbucks Rally'

[Updated] Starbucks signage arrives at incoming Starbucks on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

The sign arrived yesterday...


[Photo by Fenton Lawless]

Still no word on an official opening date. Looks close to being ready, though.

Updated 11:30 a.m.

The rest of the signage has arrived this morning...



Above photo by Daniel Weiss

Previously

Gelarto officially (re)opens on Avenue A

Following an opening sneak preview back in June, the owners of Gelarto closed to make a few improvements to their gelato business at 145 Avenue A at Ninth Street.

On Wednesday, the new shop reopened... EVG contributor Steven shared these photos of the interior...







According to the Gelarto Instagram account, the shop's hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday).

Thoughts on the 9/11 mural on 9th and A

[Photos from Saturday]

On the previous post about Gelarto, the new gelato shop at 145 Avenue A, Nigel, one of the shop's proprietors, left several comments.

For starters, he's interested in receiving input about the 9/11 mural on the Ninth Street side of the building (read more about the mural here) ...



Per Nigel:

We would love to do something with the 9/11 mural that has now been graffitied over on our black wall and it would be great to get some local feedback or suggestions for this. What would everyone like to see — the same but cleaned up, or a new 9/11 commemorative mural?

Meanwhile, he apologized that the shop will be closed for a few days.

"We are moving things around a little in the store, ready for our proper official opening (no more test runs), with full menu and all staff up to speed. I will post on this blog when I am 100% certain of the opening day and we will advertise in the area, but I hope you will all be able to make it as it will be a great opportunity to try our gelato for free. I look forward to meeting you all."

These flyers arrived on the storefront yesterday...


[Photo by Steven]

Previously on EV Grieve:
The 9/11 mural on 9th and A

Gelato shop opens on Avenue A

Workers removed the plywood from around the northwest corner space on Avenue A and Ninth Street back on Friday. (Thanks to EVG regular Daniel for the photos.)



As previously noted, a gelato shop is opening here... the place is called Gelarto ... (it appears to be the first U.S. outpost of this Italian brand)...



Gelarto opened on Sunday afternoon ... an EVG reader said they have a variety of gelato flavors as well as milkshakes and cappuccinos.


[Photo by Steven]

A help-wanted ad for the place describes it like this: "We are a Gelato Café in the east village of Manhattan. Think sophisticated flavors, italian cafe and the Italian lifestyle our product hails from. We handcraft all of our gelato from scratch in Italy. We also prepare gelato creations."

Previously here ... Cafe Pick Me Up moved out in May 2015 after 20 years in business. They were housed at 145 and 147 Avenue A, and had two different landlords — Icon on the left, Steve Croman on the right. Café manager Rossella Palazzo told DNAinfo in March 2015 that a rent hike from No. 145 landlord Icon Realty was the reason for the closure.

Updated 6/21

The bricks were painted white out front.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rent hike forcing Cafe Pick Me Up into its smaller space next door on Avenue A (59 comments)

[Updated] Cafe Pick Me Up expected to close for good after May 31

Ghost signage and (eventually) gelato at 9th Street and Avenue A

Ghost signage and (eventually) gelato at 9th Street and Avenue A

Workers have been gutting the former Cafe Pick Me Up space at 145 Avenue A at Ninth Street... multiple readers have noted that some ghost signage has been exposed from a previous business — Wholesale Wine & Liquor Merchant... EVG Ghost Signage Correspondent Steven took these photos...









Anyway! As for the new tenant, word from a worker here is a gelato shop.

Cafe Pick Me Up moved out in May 2015 after 20 years in business. They were housed at 145 and 147 Avenue A, and had two different landlords — Icon on the left, Steve Croman on the right.

Café manager Rossella Palazzo told DNAinfo in March 2015 that a rent hike from No. 145 landlord Icon Realty was the reason for the closure. (Icon listed the storefrontat $15,000 a month for the space, which includes 600 square feet on the ground floor and 724 square feet in the basement.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rent hike forcing Cafe Pick Me Up into its smaller space next door on Avenue A (59 comments)

[Updated] Cafe Pick Me Up expected to close for good after May 31

BeetleBug arrives with flowers on 9th Street

BeetleBug, a flower shop, recently opened at 441 E. Ninth St. at Avenue A (their placeholder website is here).

They are the first retail tenant in the recently renovated spaces along here... which have been vacant for nearly a year...



According to one previous tenant here, landlord Icon Realty either wasn't renewing leases or offering new terms with unmanageable rent increases. The last tenant to leave was the Upper Rust, who found a new space in Chelsea for their antiques.

The former tenant at No. 441, the vintage boutique Dusty Buttons, moved one block to the west on Ninth Street in 2015. Unfortunately, owner Amanda Loureiro recently announced that Dusty Buttons was closing at the end of this month at 324 E. Ninth St.

Back on Ninth and A, four other retail spaces remain for rent... and the corner spot, home for 20 years to Café Pick Me Up until May 2015, still sits empty.

Updated: DNAInfo followed up with a post on BeetleBug here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
On East 9th Street Dusty Buttons is closing after 125% rent hike: 'Saying goodbye will hurt like hell'

The Upper Rust is moving away from East 9th Street and the East Village

The 14-year-old antiques shop on East Ninth Street at Avenue A is closing ... and moving to Chelsea.

Tomorrow (Monday!) is the last day here.

Here's part of the email the owners sent to their customers...



This marks the last business in the corner building. According to one previous tenant here, landlord Icon Realty either hasn't been renewing leases or offering new terms with unmanageable rent increases.

Cafe Pick Me Up (who moved into part of the Gnocco space on East 10th Street) and Dusty Buttons (who has a new storefront further west on Ninth Street) were the most recent tenants to vacate.


[EVG photo from July]

Icon Realty bought the building at 145 Avenue A for $10.1 million in April 2014, according to public records.

Previously on EV Grieve:
On East 9th Street Dusty Buttons is closing after 125% rent hike: 'Saying goodbye will hurt like hell'

On East 9th Street Dusty Buttons is closing after 125% rent hike: 'Saying goodbye will hurt like hell'

A reported rent hike forced Cafe Pick Me Up out of its 20-year home at 145 Avenue A at the end of May.

Meanwhile, landlord Icon Realty apparently hasn't been renewing leases for the small shops that make up the East Ninth Street storefronts. Just two remain open… and one of them, the vintage boutique Dusty Buttons, has just put up a store closing sign.


[Photo via Bayou]

Aside from announcing sales and thanking customers, the proprietors offer a sarcastic kudos to the landlord.

"And thank you Icon Realty Management for making all of this possible! Hope your investments pay off! Coming soon, the NEW East Village!"

Dusty Buttons owner Amanda Loureiro told us that Icon served her a 30-day notice to vacate her shop last Friday.

She also shared a letter that she plans on posting to the store's Facebook page (edited a bit for length):

The first time I heard from Icon Realty we were asked to vacate for an undisclosed amount of time to allow for repairs to the building, and also offered a new lease with an unaffordable 125 percent increase for our less than 300-square-foot store. Then with no more conversation came the 30-day notice to vacate. I knew this day would come, that energy was swirling about for months. Icon bought our building last year, since then we have been looking for affordable East Village store front with no luck.

We opened Dusty Buttons six years ago in October. We moved once from across the street. My husband and I both live in the East Village. He moved here in his early 20s in 1982. I ran away to NYC at 17 in 1992 to live with a boyfriend for a while, attracted to the creative energy and a feeling of anything could be possible for a odd young girl from a small New England town. The boyfriend and I broke up and I begrudgingly moved home, with a feeling that I would return one day...

It was 2009 when I returned, very different from 1992. But that energy was still here and we found an affordable rent for Dusty Buttons. I met amazing like-minded creative people, became part of a neighborhood ... and adored being part of a community.

My husband and I are considering moving the store and ourselves to Philadelphia. The rents are lower and a creative energy feels full and strong. We may change our store a bit, more antiques ... maybe even a name change to 'Dusty and Buttons' a bit more of a duo like Tango and Cash or Hall and Oates!

July 29 is probably our last day as we have to be out by the 31st. There will be a sale, not a crazy one because we adore our inventory and want to bring it with us, but still a pretty good one! Come by and say farewell. I can't promise to not be tearful because this little shop was my baby, and saying goodbye will hurt like hell.

Icon Realty bought the building at 145 Avenue A for $10.1 million in April 2014, according to public records.

Noted

The freshly painted 145 Avenue A at East Ninth Street has been the property of Icon Realty since last spring.

Icon will never win any popularity contests around the neighborhood (go here … here … and here for some examples of why).

Which might explain why someone took to these Icon signs in two empty storefronts (leases not renewed?) under the sidewalk bridge here along East Ninth Street… the reader who sent these photos thinks that the signs have been this way for several months…

Sidewalk bridge arrives at 145 Avenue A

Workers are erecting a sidewalk bridge on the northwest corner of Avenue A and East Ninth Street right now… some debris apparently fell from a window unit on Sunday evening … closing Cafe Pick Me Up's sidewalk cafe for the time being.

There could be bigger problems with the building. According to a complaint on file with the DOB, in their all-cap style: "STEP CRACKING AT FLOORS 2 THRU 4 WITH BULGING PROMINENT AT AREA BETWEEN 2 AND 3RD FLOORS."

No other new work permits have been issued just yet.

Meanwhile, Cafe Pick Me Up remains open.

Cafe Pick Me Up sidewalk cafe remains closed

As you can see, the Cafe Pick Me Up sidewalk cafe outside 145 Avenue A at East Ninth Street has been closed all day…

This after a little drama last night around 6:30 …



… when the NYPD and FDNY responded to a report of falling debris at the building…



As you can see, part of the widow framing on the third floor fell …



No word on the extent of the damage (the DOB website is down) or when the sidewalk cafe will reopen.

Unrelated, Icon Realty bought the building last month for $10.1 million, according to public records.

Thanks to EVG reader William Klayer for the photos from last evening.