Juice Press founder bringing goodsugar to 1st Street

Marcus Antebi, the founder of Juice Press, is debuting a new pop-up concept called goodsugar™at 21 E. First St.

The plant-based, wellness cafe is now part of the Kollectiv space here between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Here's more about the concept via a goodsugar rep:

• Moving beyond Juice Press, goodsugar will concentrate on eliminating single-use plastic. Products will be sold in reusable containers that can be returned for loyalty points, creating a closed-loop system we hope to see replicated by every cafe, restaurant, and juice bar in the world.

• Cold-pressed juice will be the freshest available anywhere, mixed and served on-demand rather than being stored for days in a fridge or HPP'd to extend shelf life for 3 months. 

• goodsugar offers organic vegan cooked foods, hot soups, fresh salads, and baked goods (free of gluten and refined sugars).

Kollectiv is "an urban retreat center" that features an herbal pharmacy and spa. Several juice cafes have given this space a shot dating to 2015, including NatureEs and the Alchemist's Kitchen. Kollectiv resides in the retail portion of Jupiter 21, the residential building that rose in 2012-2013 on the property that once housed Mars Bar and several other businesses.

Antebi opened the very first Juice Press one block to the east on First Street near First Avenue in 2010. While that location has closed, there are more than two dozen in the city. Antebi, who also has a goodsugar book and podcast, left Juice Press in 2019. 

Hours for goodsugar: Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find the menu here. 

The Alchemist's Kitchen takes over the short-lived NatureEs space on East 1st Street

[EVG photo from October]

A new tenant has taken over for the short-lived NatureEs, the juice bar/cafe/wellness center combo at 21 E. First St. in Jupiter 21, the residential building that rose from the former Mars Bar and several other businesses on Second Avenue and between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Signage arrived late last week for The Alchemist's Kitchen...





Here's more about them via their website:

The Alchemist's Kitchen is dedicated to connecting you with the power of plants. We work with the finest herbalists who are producing high quality botanical medicines, herbal remedies, and whole plant beauty products. We celebrate artisanship, sustainability, and conscious living. We look to support the global need to increase plant diversity, and the sharing of ancient wisdom from indigenous cultures.

We believe strongly in the education and instruction on the use of all whole plant formulations and herbal remedies. We consider our suppliers part of our extended family, interactive, collaborative....creating one chain of supply from seed to tincture. We work closely with teachers and botanical experts, many of whom are our suppliers, to educate and inform our community.

It appears they've been in business online for some time, part of the Evolver Learning Lab... and this is their first brick-and-mortar (sorry, hate that term) storefront. An EVG reader stopped by the space last week, where he found them still getting up and running. Among other items, they are selling to-go bottles of REBBL elixirs, such as Turmeric Golden Milk and Maca Mocha.

For now, the Kitchen, which will eventually include a tonic bar, has limited hours... that will expand in the week ahead...



There are also an array of events/lectures at the space coming up...(you can find that list here).

As previously reported, there were plans plan to convert the NatureEs space into a Spanish bistro. The applicants withdrew from the November 2015 CB3-SLA meeting. The name of former Mars Bar owner Hank Penza, who died this past Oct. 29, is one of four principals listed on the active liquor license for the space.



Several people had noted that the address was home to some kind of invite-only club in the basement space. Not sure of the status of that...

Previously on EV Grieve:
NatureEs calls: About the organic cafe coming to where Mars Bar 2.0 was in the works

A quick look inside NatureEs, the new organic cafe coming to 21 E. 1st St.

At NatureEs, the Mars Bar replacement that apparently is no longer open

At NatureEs, the Mars Bar replacement that apparently is no longer open

There hasn't been much, if any, daytime activity over at NatureEs, the juice bar/cafe/"wellness center" combo at 21 E. First St. in Jupiter 21, the residential building that rose from the grave of the Mars Bar and several other businesses here between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Former Mars Bar owner Hank Penza was reportedly a partner in this new venture that included a founder of Juice Press.

The cafe space was seemingly cleaned out about a month ago… the doors are always locked during the announced business hours… for at least a week in late September, there were signs on the door noting a closure for a private event...



An EVG reader noted bouncers and a line outside on several nights in early October (there is an active liquor license for the space)…



Out of curiosity, I stopped by NatureEs twice during its run … once right after it opened this past May. There was a disorganized vibe to the place, though you may expect a little chaos shortly after opening.

NatureEs actually didn't have much for sale in this huge space — six juices … a chia bowl. The (presumably?) manager, who treated me like an undesirable party guest, said they were making smoothies, but they didn't have menus yet. They also had hot soup — a lentil bean concoction, which seemed a little much on this unseasonably warm May afternoon. They had two small to-go dishes. The chia bowl and a broccoli/cauliflower mix. Neither item had the ingredients (nor the price) listed. The vegetables had a sauce, but no one knew what it was. Also, the AC wasn't working.

I returned later in the summer, when NatureEs looked more inviting…



I looked around the well-appointed space … I was the only person there, other than the lone employee…



I looked at some body oils and scented candles… it had the feel of a fake store created for a film set…



Eventually I decided to — in the name of blogalism — fork over $11 for a smoothie … the Starter Wife, featuring avocado, pineapple, spinach, ginger and coconut water, sounded appealing (enough).



The employee said of course, and disappeared into the back room. He returned several minutes later with a sheepish look and the news that he did not have any avocados on-hand to make this smoothie. Maybe come back?

Yesterday, CB3 released its roster of meetings for November, including the SLA committee meeting set for Nov. 16.

Among the items on the agenda under alterations:

• Naturees (Paulmil Cafe Inc), 21 E 1st St (alt/op/convert juice bar to Spanish bistro and add additional bar)

So it appears there are plans to convert the juice bar/spa into a bar-restaurant.

Previously on EV Grieve:
NatureEs calls: About the organic cafe coming to where Mars Bar 2.0 was in the works

A quick look inside NatureEs, the new organic cafe coming to 21 E. 1st St.

NatureEs calls: About the organic cafe coming to where Mars Bar 2.0 was in the works

The other day we were admiring the new numbers at 21 E. First St. …



… and wondering when there might be some news about the incoming business — some kind of a two-level cafe-restaurant-lounge-acai-bowl-dispensary combo.

And just like that BoweryBoogie got the scoop on the juice bar part of the space — an organic cafe called NatureEs, serving organic, all-natural, fresh, etc. items …

The NatureEs website offers some rather generic branding for the new venture…



And what of the bar-club portion? Per BB:

Even though the crew still carries a full-blown liquor license, the cellar club isn’t happening. At least not yet. Instead of libations, this space is designated as an in-house spa of sorts. Patrons can take advantage of massages and facials, so we’re told.

A Boogie birdie tells us that Naturees is two weeks from opening...

NatureEs is located in Jupiter 21, the residential building that rose from the grave of the Mars Bar and several other businesses here between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

CB3 OK'd the new liquor license here last May. During that meeting, Mars Bar attorney Frank Palillo said that the new venue will be "a variation of Mars Bar" but will keep the same name, DNAinfo reported at the time. Former Mars Bar owner Hank Penza has a stake in the rebooted business.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Will the new Mars Bar be another location of The Pink Elephant?

Work starting on Mars Bar 2.0

That's it: The Mars Bar is closed for good

Work starting on Mars Bar 2.0

Over at 21. E. First St., workers have removed the for lease sign and put up brown paper on the front windows … likely signaling the start of Mars Bar 2.0.

The city issued work permits issued last Tuesday. Nothing too exciting on the permits. Some "structural stair work" and "removal of non-load bearing interior partitions," etc.

Mars Bar owner Hank Penza — along with a new group of partners — is returning to his former home, now part of the luxury Jupiter 21 building.

The new space will be a two-level cafe-restaurant-lounge combo that will feature a juice bar upstairs with a cafe that serves items such as quinoa bowls, according to DNAinfo. And the downstairs portion will house the bar-club-whatever. (Details remain a little murky on how all this is going to work.)

The place will apparently retain the Mars Bar name, even though we spotted the architect's plans in the window with The Pink Elephant on them.



Penza's new partners are Alain Palinsky, a co-founder of Juice Press, Chris Reda, an owner of The Griffin in the Meatpacking District, and Robert Montwaid, an owner of the club The Pink Elephant.

CB3 OK'd the license for the space back in May.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Will the new Mars Bar be another location of The Pink Elephant?

That's it: The Mars Bar is closed for good

Will the new Mars Bar be another location of The Pink Elephant?

So you know that Mars Bar owner Hank Penza (along with a new group of partners) is returning to his former home at 11-17 Second Ave., now the luxury Jupiter 21 building.

The mysterious cafe-bar-club concept will be housed at 21 E. First St. adjacent to the Jupiter 21 residential entrance and the new TD Bank branch.

There's a notice on the front door about tonight's CB3/SLA committee meeting, where Penza and his new partners Alain Palinsky, a co-founder of Juice Press, Chris Reda, an owner of The Griffin in the Meatpacking District, and Robert Montwaid, an owner of the club The Pink Elephant, are on the agenda.



Here's a look at the inside … reportedly a 4,456 basement and ground floor space …



And we noticed some architectural plans on a table inside…





We'll flip the photo to make it easier to read… according to these plans, the place will be called The Pink Elephant.



This could just be a working title for the place. According to the paperwork on file with CB3, the proposed hours of this new venture are 6 a.m.-4 a.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m.-4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The application also lists that there will be 15 tables good for 80 seats ... with one bar featuring eight seats. The new establishment will employ 15-20 people. And the "All Star Security Services will be providing security guards" — "3-4 nightly."

We don't know much, if anything, about The Pink Elephant, currently located in New York at 40 W. Eighth St. Here's how they describe themselves:

The Pink Elephant is a world renowned brand geared towards high energy entertainment and exuberance for life. With locations in the US, Brazil and Mexico, the brand has come to be a favorite of jet setters, celebrities, socialites and trendsetters alike because of the level of service, sophistication, and overall entertainment experience.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen what this place will be like during the day … with the 6 a.m. opening times … and the Juice Press connection.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A few more details about Mars Bar 2.0, which doesn't sound very Mars Bar-ish at all

Jupiter 21 has a mini Jupiter in its lobby

[June 21]

Oh, over at the new Jupiter 21 residential building... a mini Jupiter hangs in in the lobby... serving as a ceiling lamp...



...which is probably better than, say, a mini Mars...

Medieval frog-gargoyle thing is gone. And we're doomed. DOOMED! (MORE DOOMED?)

When demolition commenced at 9-17 Second Ave. in December 2011, Goggla spotted the following on the plywood not to far away from the former Mars Bar...

Per Goggla: "I like to think it's warding away evil spirits..."

Indeed.

But, unfortunately, we recently noticed that this, this thing was gone.



Stolen? Removed by a worker? Eaten? We'll never know.



Evil spirits, be kind...

Here's Jupiter 21, now in orbit around Second Avenue and East First Street

This past week the remaining scaffolding and construction netting came down at Jupiter 21, the apartment-retail complex at Second Avenue and East First Street... so now you have a really good idea of what it looks like, save the street-level plywood...





Per the J21 press materials:

The building will ultimately have 65 units: 13 affordable condos, 52 market-rate studio through two-bedroom rentals, and two commercial condos. Nine of those affordable condos "have been reserved for the tenants of the original buildings displaced by the new construction" ...

And a look behind the plywood... where there will be a fucking bank ... and maybe a Mars Bar 2.0?



Anyway, here is the rendering. How did they do?

Previously on EV Grieve:

A look at 6 new or restored East Village buildings

Just a quick photo update on projects that we've been following... Photos by Bobby Williams.

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New second floor for the Iglesia Pentecostal Sarepta
701 E. Sixth St.
More details here.

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Jupiter 21
21 E. First St.
More details here.

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Supportive housing for homeless young adults and young adults aging out of the foster-care system.
710 E. Ninth St.
More details here.

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St. Brigid's
Avenue B and East Eighth St.
More details here.

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51 Astor Place
More details here.

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84 Third Ave.
More details here.

Say hello to Jupiter 21 at the former Mars Bar (for real)

[Oct. 20]

So the new apartment complex that's rising at the former home of the Mars Bar on Second Avenue and East First Street has a name — Jupiter 21.

[Pause]

Jupiter 21.

That's per the official news release that went out yesterday... Curbed had the details:

The building will ultimately have 65 units: 13 affordable condos, 52 market-rate studio through two-bedroom rentals, and two commercial condos. Nine of those affordable condos "have been reserved for the tenants of the original buildings displaced by the new construction" ...

Jupiter 21.

Can you think of a worse name for a building here? Maybe something with Uranus?

Previously.

21 E. First St. comes into view

Noticeable progress to note at the former stretch of 9-17 Second Avenue at East First Street...

Windows!

Soon enough, Mars Bar will return to the new retail space on the corner and... OK, but a handful of residents who lived in the building are getting the chance to come back and pay $10 for one of the apartments in the 12-story complex, as previously reported.