That's a wrap for Five Tacos on St. Mark's Place

[Photo by Steven]

The Five Tacos comeback has apparently come to an end. A for rent sign recently arrived on the now-empty storefront at 119 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The quick-serve taco shop went dark back in January... a sign on the door said they'd be "closed until further notice."

In February, a Five Tacos rep emailed me, saying that they'd be reopening very soon, but only for a lunch service and catering.

Anyway, it never looked all that open to the public in recent months. Five Tacos, owned by the folks behind 10 Degrees Bar on the block, debuted in January 2012.

Today is the last day for Milk & Hops Astor Place

[Image via]

After three-plus years at 779 Broadway near Ninth Street, the Milk & Hops outpost is closing after service today.

In a Facebook post, the owners of the beer-cheese shop chalked up the closure to "irreconcilable differences with property management."

And for this last day: "all draft beers will be Buy One, Get One Free until the kegs kick. Additionally, all cans and bottles will be 30% off."

Milk & Hops Chelsea and Milk & Hops Ramen Bar on the Upper East Side will continue in business.

H/T EVG reader Eric!

In the West Village, Integral Yoga Natural Foods is closing after 45 years

[Image via Manhattan Sideways]

Heading outside the neighborhood for this report... several EVG readers shared that news that Integral Yoga Natural Foods, the one-of-a-kind market at 229 W. 13th St. between Seventh Avenue and Greenwich Avenue, is closing later next month after 45 years in business.

Here's part of the message:

The retail climate has changed and is filled with overwhelming competition and challenges. Small local stores keep losing ground to big corporate chains.

We should all be proud of the trailblazing, ground breaking and revolutionary role that the food store played in the launching of the natural foods movement. Now organic and plant-based natural foods are everywhere.

The space will be made available for rent.

The last day will be on or before Dec. 23.



However, the Integral Yoga Institute next door will continue on.

So long St. Dymphna's

[Photo yesterday by Rob Mastrianni via Instagram]

Last call came and went late Saturday night/early Sunday morning at St. Dymphna's, bringing an end to the tavern's 24-year run at 118 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The remaining signs came down yesterday morning ... and later (thanks to Steven for these photos)...







No official word why St. Dymphna's closed (aside from unsubstantiated claims of a pending rent increase).

The owners, Eric Baker and sisters Patrícia and Raquel Sanguedo (Baker and Patrícia Sanguedo are married), left this message about the bar on Instagram:

Our shelves are now empty and our hearts are hurting but full of the love she gave us over the 24 years. She is way more than the four walls that held us all together. Those walls will be holding us all together for the rest of our lives even though we will no longer be inside them. Patrícia, Raquel and I and our families would like to thank all of you for making our bar and our lives a better more beautiful place to be. Thank you to you all and all the love we have is yours.

The same message is all now taped to the front gate...



The three also own Taberna 97, currently used for special events, across St. Mark's Place. At least one of the St. Dymphna's signs will live on there, per various Instagram comments.

Previously on EV Grieve:
St. Dymphna's is closing this weekend after 24 years on St. Mark's Place

The Vitamin Shoppe on 14th Street and 1st Avenue is closing

The closing signage is up on the southwest corner of 14th Street and First Avenue ... where the Vitamin Shoppe outpost will vacate the space on Nov. 17 ...



The listing for the space doesn't include the asking rent.

Nor sure why this location, which arrived in January 2009, is closing. (Leaving ahead of the L Train Apocalypse?)

This past summer, The Motley Fool listed the Vitamin Shoppe as a brand that may not make it through 2018:

Its sales tumbled for six straight quarters, and analysts expect it to post a 5 percent sales decline and a net loss for the full year. Vitamin Shoppe’s stock tumbled more than 80 percent over the past three years.

Its ongoing store closures might soften the impact on its margins, but it also weakens its brand presence against GNC. There are persistent rumors about GNC merging with Vitamin Shoppe, but combining two losers won’t make a winner ...

The Vitamin Shoppes on Broadway at Astor Place and Union Square East will remain in business.

Gotham Pizza looks closed

Several readers in recent days have noted that Gotham Pizza has not been open during its usual business hours ... with the space cleaned out here on 12th Street at Third Avenue, as these photos by EVG reader Laura K. show (and H/T @JCooper911!) ...



Gotham's phone is still in service, though there isn't any answer. The various online delivery services note that this Gotham location isn't currently taking any orders.

The pizzeria, part of a mini chain, opened here in August 2016.

Their slices were serviceable though nothing spectacular... and why bother with the excellent slices at Joe's beckoning around the corner on 14th Street. And telling — despite the proximity to five dorms (four NYU and one New School), Gotham Pizza never seemed all that busy.

The corner space last served up the FroYo via Funkiberry. There were more slices before this with AAA (New) Amici Pizza.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Funkiberry-replacing pizzeria revealed on 3rd Avenue

Hey, the Funkiberry closed on 3rd Avenue

Hey, the Funkiberry space is for lease on 3rd Avenue

Hey, Funkiberry is now open on 3rd Avenue

Hey, the Funkiberry sign is up on 3rd Avenue

Some back rent due at ZaabVer Thai on 2nd Avenue

ZaabVer Thai has been out of service at 75 Second Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street since the late spring.

A sign on the front door still claims "under renovation" while Yelp and Google list the restaurant as permanently closed.

Back on Thursday, a three-day notice arrived from the landlord... noting that the tenant owes $114,499.65 at $14,475.23 per month for the base rent ... plus charges for water ...

The Molecule Project closing next month on 10th Street

After five years at 259 E. 10th St., the Molecule Project, which offers a variety of clean drinking water alternatives, has announced that the shop is closing next month here between Avenue A and First Avenue...



Their aim, per the shop's website:

Our goal at The Molecule Project is to support good health for people and planet by promoting minimal carbon footprint, clean drinking water alternatives.

The Molecule Project offers a new model for drinking water for all, rooted in the use of the industry’s highest-grade residential and commercial water treatment, filtration and purification systems.

H/T Steven!

Rue St. Denis bids au revoir to Avenue B

Back in April, news surfaced that Rue St. Denis, the vintage clothing and accessories shop, was closing after 25 years on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

The boutique, which sold unworn vintage collections, shut down at the end of June.

EVG regular Daniel shared these photos... showing the empty storefront...



Founder Jean-Paul Buthier and his partner Riccardo Bonechi bid au revoir with this sign on the door, including the message: "Keep buying vintage. Save the planet!"



Buthier and Bonechi closed the store for a change of pace, not because of rising rents or declining sales, as The New York Times first reported.

Julie's Vintage is closing on 2nd Street

[Photo by Goggla]

The closing signs are up at Julie's Vintage, the eclectic vintage/thrift shop at 84 E. Second St. at First Avenue.

The store is expected to close at the end of the month, with a possible relocation to the Bushwick Market. A store source said high rents are behind the closure. (Thanks to Goggla for the photo and info!)

Julie Erinc, a former designer, opened up shop here during the winter of 2016.

Here's more about the place from a Sideways NYC post:

After one steps into Julie’s Vintage, it does not take long to realize that Julie, the owner, is more of an artist than a retail vendor. Headpieces adorned with recycled flowers and deer antlers, dashing 1920’s style dresses with encrusted jewelry, and incredibly creative Halloween costumes overflow the small space ...

And...

Even more impressively, she uses mostly recycled materials that she has collected in her years spent traveling the world (since the early 1980’s), a time period which includes fourteen years working as a lingerie designer.

Pink Bear Ice Cream and Steam Rice Roll has apparently closed on 14th Street

It appears that the quick-serve Pink Bear shop has closed on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Several readers (H/T Shiv and Gojira) noted the gate has been down of late during announced business hours. Both Google and Yelp report that Pink Bear has permanently closed. The phone is also disconnected.

Pink Bear opened back in the spring of 2016, and served a variety of rolled ice cream, not to mention traditional rice and noodle dishes.

Ace Hardware closes on 4th Avenue

EVG reader Sheila shared this photo from yesterday... showing an auction sign at the now-closed Ace Hardware outpost at 130 Fourth Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street...

Rue St. Denis is closing after 25 years of selling vintage clothing and accessories on Avenue B

[Photo by EVG reader Brucie]

Several EVG readers shared the news that Rue St. Denis, the vintage clothing and accessories shop, is closing on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

The boutique, which sells unworn vintage collections that span multiple decades, opened here in 1993. (The shop debuted on the Upper West Side in 1990.)

Founder Jean-Paul Buthier and his partner Riccardo Bonechi are closing the store for a change of pace, not because of rising rents or declining sales, as The New York Times reported. (The article from the Times notes how popular Rue St. Denis is for the costume designers of the film and television industry.)

No word yet on an official closing date... for now, there are sales...

Scumbags & Superstars closing this month on Clinton Street

[Photo via Instagram]

The shop/brand that sells clothing and a variety of B-movie monster pins, patches and "everything weird" at 100 Clinton St. between Rivington and Delancey is closing on April 22.

Here's part of the message that founder George Rosa posted on Instagram Friday:

I want to thank everyone that has supported the store over the years. All the regulars & neighborhood people that come [through]. First in Brooklyn & then when we moved into Manhattan to the Lower East Side. It was a wild ride! And a lot of fun times. But as you know New York City has changed drastically. And we've been doing the impossible for years now. We weren't even supposed to be here this long. But we persevered. We are a very small independent brand. Run by me & a couple of buddies. And for many reasons we will have to close up the store in the next few weeks.

We want everyone to come by the shop at least one last time & say goodbye before we close. There'll be a going away party all weekend on April 21st & 22nd for our final last 2 days. Noon to around 10 PM each day. We hope all our friends & supporters can make it out & party with us! There will be free booze & food & lots of friendly weirdos.

This is the end of the shop. But not the end of brand by any means. We are traveling every month this year to conventions.

The shop will also continue on with its online business.

Scumbags & Superstars, which got its name from the Talking Heads song "Lifetime Piling Up," started in Bushwick and eventually moved to the LES in early 2016.

After its debut in Brooklyn in late 2014, the store came under fire for what some people considered the offensive use of Native American iconography in its logo.

Last day for IQ Decor on 14th Street

The discount store, which sells everything from toys to NYC souvenirs to mops to luggage, closes it doors after the business day today here on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

IQ Decor management has been telling customers that the landlord doubled the current rent.

Thanks to KT for the photo!

Previously on EV Grieve:
I.Q. Decor closing on 14th Street

I.Q. Decor closing on 14th Street

[Photos via EVG reader Shiv]

Several EVG readers have pointed out the IQ Decor is closing on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...



Closing signs arrived last week at the store that sells discounted toys, housewares, rubber boots, cleaning products, NYC gifts, luggage, etc., etc. (Last day for now is Feb. 28.)

The Saving$ Paradise shop at 250 E. 14th St. merged with I.Q. Decor in the spring of 2016.

This closure, I believe, brings an end to any discounted shops on 14th Street between Avenue B and Third Avenue.

H/T EVG reader Jen!