Sushi comings and goings

An EVG reader noted the recent closure (end of June) of Iron Sushi on East 10th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... a for rent sign has been up on the storefront... their Upper East Side location remains open...



Meanwhile, one block away, a sushi restaurant is opening at 350 E. Ninth St. near First Avenue...



The space was home to A.K. Shoe Repair until last August ... then a tobacco-variety shop came and went here fairly quickly.

Thanks to Steven for the photos

East Village Tobacco & Variety Shop is closing after 6 months on East 9th Street

[Photo Friday by Steven]

After less than 6 months in business, the East Village Tobacco & Variety Shop is closing this week here at 350 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. As the sign shows, there is a going-out-of-business sale.

The store sells some standard deli fare (sodas, water, cigarettes, etc.) and a few seemingly random items such as children's clothing and perfume.

The space was previously home to A.K. Shoe Repair, which closed last August. The proprietor said that he was no longer able to sustain the business after his landlord raised the rent from $2k to $4.5k a month.

H/T William Klayer

Variety shop taking over the AK Shoe Repair space on East 9th Street

[Photo by Steven]

A new business is prepping to take over the recently vacated storefront at 350 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The sign shows East Village Tobacco (Tobbaco) & Variety Shop opening soon. And variety is right: Aside from some usual deli-type items, there's promise of perfume and cloth.

The space was previously home to A.K. Shoe Repair, which closed at the end of August. The proprietor said that he was no longer able to sustain the business after his landlord raised the rent from $2k to $4.5k a month.

A.K. Shoe Repair has closed

[EVG file photo]

Earlier last month, we heard that A.K. Shoe Repair on East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue was facing a rent increase, which would leave the proprietor, Albert, either finding a new space or closing the shop that he took over from his father.

Unfortunately, the shop closed for good yesterday.

DNAinfo had more details about the situation here in an article titled "Cobbler Craft Dying Out As Rents Rise, Cheap Shoes Proliferate, Skills Wane."

In the case of A.K. Shoe Repair, Albert P. says his landlord plans to more than double the monthly rent for his space at 350 E. 9th St. from $2,000 to $4,500. Adding that to the cost of electricity and gas, $500 a month, and the price of a month's supplies, $1,500, the price of keeping his business open would amount to roughly $270 a day. With those expenses, it's no easy task to turn a profit charging no more than $20 for rubber heel replacements.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A.K. Shoe Repair needs a new home

A.K. Shoe Repair needs a new home

[Photo by Allen Semanco]

We're hearing that a rent hike will make it impossible for A.K. Shoe Repair to continue in business much longer at 350 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

EVG reader Allen Semanco spoke with Albert, who took over the longtime business from his retired father.

Per Allen:

In order to afford the higher rent, he would have to increase his business, but rent plus fixed expenses plus supplies would be $7,000-$8,000 per month. Dividing that by 24 working days per month just does not compute. Albert tells me his best hope is to find a business with a lot of space that wants to sub-rent some of it for him and his equipment.

Hopefully Albert can find ideal space around here or in another neighborhood. If A.K. Shoe Repair does end up closing, then this is the second East Village shoe-repair shop to shut down in recent weeks. Alex Shoe Repair closed at the end of July at 57 Second Ave. after Icon Realty reportedly upped the monthly rent from $4,000 to $14,000.

At some point we'll do a post on the remaining shoe-repair shops in the neighborhood... what's left of them.