On Avenue A, Benny's Burritos returns for the movies

Now, if they would just bring back the Bay Burrito, too. 

Through the magic of filmmaking, the market on the SW corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street has been dressed to look like a former tenant — Benny's Burritos.

As EVG regular Creature notes, the details include the door sticker address...

As we've noted, the Darren Aronofsky-helmed crime thriller "Caught Stealing," starring Austin Butler, has been giving parts of Avenue A a 1990s look during the shoot, which is expected to last through Friday.

Benny's shut down here on Nov. 29, 2014, after 27 years in business. The Benny's to-go spot next door closed in February 2015. (The Benny's signage stayed on the vacant space for years after the closure.)

 P.S. 

Across Sixth Street, the set dressers have added some Shepard Fairey Obey Giant art to the wall.

P.S.S. 

We also have a Nenos Pizza on the Sixth Street side at A (Amor Y Amargo)... not quite our Nino's from Avenue A and St. Mark's Place...

Signage alert on the SW corner of Avenue A and 6th Street

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Workers are installing the signage on the new market coming to the SW corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street — say hi to (if we're reading this correctly) Healthy Choice Foods Market. (Perhaps they will be just Healthy Choice for short?)

The market — featuring an ooh la la chandelier inside — is tentatively set to open this month.

As noted, Benny's Burritos closed here on Nov. 29, 2014, after 27 years in business. The storefront remained empty in the years since then.

A look at the corner market coming to 6th and A

Work continues inside 93 Avenue A on the SW corner at Sixth Street. 

As we've noted a few times (here and here), a deli/market is coming to this space. EVG contributor took these photos the other day... you can see things are shaping up (chandelier alert!)... 

The business is expected to be open this month, per a worker at the scene...

Benny's Burritos closed here on Nov. 29, 2014, after 27 years in business. The storefront has remained empty in the years since... 

Build-out at the former Benny's Burritos continues on 6th and A

Work continues over at 93 Avenue A at Sixth Street (aka the former home of Benny's Burritos).

East Village-based photographer Josh Charow shared these pics from today... 

As we reported on Nov. 1, a deli is coming to this storefront. What kind of deli? We don't know! Maybe ones that keep popping up selling beers and bongs... or maybe one that has a decent sandwich that isn't bedecked with, say, artisanal Beaufort d'été.

Benny's closed here on Nov. 29, 2014, after 27 years in business. And what will happen to those Benny's awnings? 

This is what's next for the former Benny's Burritos space on Avenue A

After nearly seven years, there's a new retail tenant on the way for the southwest corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street — the former Benny Burrito's. (Top photo by Salim!)

As mentioned last week, work has commenced inside the space... EVG correspondent Stacie Joy got a look inside the under-gut-renovation storefront the other day... 

According to workers, a deli will be taking over the space. (Not sure what kind of deli — we're guessing the usual corner variety with snacks, sodas, beers and Boar's Head.)

And some Benny's memorabilia remained...

Benny's closed here on Nov. 29, 2014, after 27 years in business.

The prime corner space has sat empty since then. At least one prospective tenant kicked the tires on the space in 2017. (The Benny's to-go spot next door, which closed in February 2015, is now the 99¢ pizza place called 99¢ Pizza.)

BTW, there is a Benny's still in existence in the West Village. 

Signs of life (again) at the former Benny's Burritos on Avenue A

For the second time (that we're aware of!) in 2021, there's activity inside the former Benny's Burritos space on the southwest corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street.

Photos from Salim (top pic!) and John Tymkiw (pic below) show some tools and signs of pending construction inside the long-vacant storefront...

Benny's closed here on Nov. 29, 2014, after 27 years in business.

The prime corner space has sat empty since then. At least one prospective tenant kicked the tires on the space in 2017. (The Benny's to-go spot next door, which closed in February 2015, is now the 99¢ pizza place called 99¢ Pizza.)

Will we finally see a new tenant here? Or will the Benny's Museum shutter again for another six months?

Benny's Burritos still frozen in November 2014 time on Avenue A

Here's your periodic reminder that a) Benny's Burritos closed almost seven years ago and b) the storefront has sat vacant since November 2014. 

Anyway, every so often the gates are up here — like yesterday! — on the southwest corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street... showing the well-preserved Benny's museum (though the menus have come down from the doors since our last look).

Benny's closed here on Nov. 29, 2014, after 27 years in business.

The prime corner space has sat empty since then. At least one prospective tenant kicked the tires on the space in 2017. (The Benny's to-go spot next door, which closed in February 2015, is now the 99¢ pizza place called 99¢ Pizza.)

Anyway, no idea why the gate seems to open every few years. The original rental ask for the spot was $22,000.

Mark Merker, who launched Harry's and Benny's Burritos in 1987, attempted a revival with Benny's Burritos & Empanadas at 86 E. Seventh St. in January 2018, but it didn't last.

Tuesday's parting shot

Earlier today on Avenue A and Sixth Street.

And on this Cinco de Mayo, a reminder that this corner space has sat vacant since Benny's Burritos closed here in November 2014...

Former Benny's Burritos week in review

Back on Monday, we had a full reveal of the long-vacant storefront that housed Benny's Burritos (RIP November 2014) for 27 years on Avenue A and Sixth Street.

There seemed to be a lot of interest on the empty-for-five-years-now space among readers.

Con Ed did some work out front on Wednesday...



Not much happened inside, though.



There's a new roll-down gate on the Avenue A side, and someone removed the Benny's sign from the space... though part of the Benny's awning remains on the Sixth Street side...



Oh, and someone quickly tagged those new roll-down gates...



In any event, the for rent sign remains up out front... with no word of a possible new tenant. There aren't any new work permits on file for the address either.

A blast from the burrito past!

For the first time in a long time the gate was open on the southwest corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street yesterday ... bringing into the view the fairly well-preserved storefront of the previous tenant — Benny's Burrito's... the menus are still posted outside the front door...





Benny's closed here on Nov. 29, 2014 after 27 years in business.

The prime corner space has sat empty since then. At least one prospective tenant kicked the tires on the space in 2017. (The Benny's to-go spot next door, which closed in February 2015, is now the 99¢ pizza place called 99¢ Pizza.)

Anyway, no idea why the gate is finally open. The original rental ask for the spot was $22,000.

Mark Merker, who launched Harry's and Benny's Burritos in 1987, attempted a revival with Benny's Burritos & Empanadas at 86 E. Seventh St. in January 2018, but it didn't last.

Benny's Burritos & Empanadas will not be reopening on 7th Street

Benny's Burritos & Empanadas has not been open of late. And yesterday, owner Mark Merker confirmed that the small shop at 86 E. Seventh St. near First Avenue has closed for good.

Merker, who launched Harry's and Benny's Burritos in 1987, opened Che Cafe last April. In January, Che Cafe went dark for several weeks ... reopening at the end of the month with a new business partner ... as well as an expanded menu featuring burritos, empanadas, tacos and chicken tortilla soup, and a new name — Benny's Burritos & Empanadas.

"The partnership didn’t quite work out," Merker said in a Facebook message. "For now I will be doing catering only."

Benny's Burritos closed on Avenue A and Sixth Street after 27 years in business in November 2014. (The Benny's to-go space next door closed in February 2015.)

The 400-square-foot space has been on the market for the past month. The listing doesn't mention the asking price, which we hear is $4,200 a month. The space was home until the fall of 2016 to Abraço, the popular coffee shop/cafe that moved across Seventh Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A look at Che Cafe, home of empanada pouches

Che Cafe returns as Benny's Burritos & Empanadas on 7th Street

Back on Jan. 10, Derek Berg spotted workers installing the Cafe Che winterized doorway on the front of the new East Village Playhouse on Sixth Street.



Not a good sign, at least for Cafe Che, which then went dark.

I asked owner Mark Merker, who launched Harry's and Benny's Burritos in 1987, what was happening with Cafe Che. He started selling empanada pocket and other items last April at 86 E. Seventh St. just west of First Avenue.


[Photo of Merker from last April by Steven]

"Right now we are in a pause," he said, and that he hoped to return in a few weeks with an expanded menu.

And yesterday, Cafe Che was back. As Jeremiah Moss first reported, the space is now going as Benny's Burritos & Empanadas.

The expanded menu will eventually include burritos and empanadas, along with tacos, chicken tortilla soup and more. Merker told me last night that the burritos will be on the menu in a few weeks.

So some good news for fans of Benny's, which closed on Avenue A and Sixth Street after 27 years in business in November 2014. (The Benny's to-go space next door closed in February 2015.)

Oh, and what about the Cafe Che winterized doorway? "That needed to come down because of a complaint called in to 311," Merker told me.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A look at Che Cafe, home of empanada pouches

[Updated] The Black Rose looks to be moving into the former Benny's Burritos space on Avenue A

Updated: This item is no longer on the July SLA docket.

The Black Rose, the bar that recently lost its space at 117 Avenue A, is looking to move a block to the south and reopen in the former corner home of Benny's Burritos, according to paperwork filed ahead of next month's CB3-SLA committee meeting.



In late April, the Marshal took possession of the bar space between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place on behalf of landlord Steve Croman. There were accusation that Croman forced the bar out, even removing the boiler.

As for Benny's, the restaurant closed on Nov. 29, 2014. The corner space at Sixth Street has sat empty since then. The Benny's awning remains up...


[Photo from yesterday]

Benny's owner Mark Merker said that they were having trouble staying afloat, as costs and rents rose while competition increased from Chipotle and other restaurants that served burritos. Benny's limped along for a few months with a smaller, mostly to-go spot next door. They closed in February 2015. This space became a 99¢ pizza place called 99¢ Pizza, which seems to do brisk business.

There's not much more information about the new Black Rose at this month. The full questionnaire isn't online yet. (Updated: The PDF of the questionnaire is here.) And it will be somewhat new given that much of the bar's interior ended up on the corner of Avenue A and Seventh Street, where Jerry launched the short-lived Tompkins Square Park Art Bar.

The July CB3-SLA committee meeting is July 17 at 6:30 p.m. at a rather strange venue — Ian Schrager's luxury Public Hotel, 215 Chrystie St.

Pop-up art show on 6th and A today

A photo posted by Peter Missing (@petermissing) on May 24, 2016 at 3:06pm PDT

Happening today starting at noon on Avenue A and Sixth Street ... at the site of the former Benny's Burritos... Previously

What you can rent the former Benny's Burritos location for on Avenue A

Benny's closed for good here at East Sixth Street back in November. The Benny's to-go space next door closed then on Feb. 28.

At the time there were some rather generic-looking for rent signs hanging above the storefront… and we never did spot a listing online for the space.

Anyway, there's now a new listing at Bond New York.

A few details:

Fully Operational Corner Location Restaurant. Super Desirable East Village Avenue A at 6th Street...
No Key Money!!!

1,300 sq ft main dining space & Kitchen. Plus a 1600sqf Basement set up as a full prep kitchen with 2 walk-in boxes

Also seating for 9 tables/18 chairs outside the cafe.

Asking rent: $22,000.



We asked about the to-go space next door. Here's what a Bond rep told us: "The to-go space can be combined or rented separately ... together with the main space it would be an additional $5,500 and stand alone it would be $6,500."

The to-go space is 450 square feet upstairs and 600 square feet downstairs. It has also its own kitchen and walk-in fridge downstairs.

So.. doing some math… both spaces together: $27,500.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Benny's Burritos is closing; will offer take-out only service (50 comments)

Images via the Bond New York website

And now Benny's to-go closes on Avenue A

[Photo by Fenton Lawless]

Benny's Burrito's closed for good after service on Nov. 29, as we first reported.

However, the small consolation was that Benny's would still offer food to go and make deliveries from a small storefront adjacent to the restaurant space here on Avenue A and East Sixth Street.

Now, though, that too comes to an end: tonight is the last night for the to-go business. (If you're thinking about ordering a last Benny's meal: They don't have everything left in stock, things like vegetables.)

Back in November, owner Mark Merker told Lisha Arino at DNAinfo that Benny's has had trouble staying afloat, as costs and rents rose while competition increased from Chipotle and other restaurants that served burritos.

Benny's first opened in the East Village in 1988.

Well...to all our customers for so many years I'd like to thank you for coming to Benny's Burritos East

— Benny's Burritos (@BennysBurritos1) February 26, 2015

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Benny's Burritos is closing; will offer take-out only service (50 comments)

Benny's Burritos closes for good after tonight

As we first reported on Tuesday, Avenue A mainstay Benny's Burritos is closing after service tonight.

However, Benny's will still offer food to go and make deliveries from a small storefront adjacent to the restaurant space here on Avenue A and East Sixth Street.

Lisha Arino at DNAinfo talked with owner Mark Merker about the closure. The restaurant has had trouble staying afloat, as costs and rents rose while competition increased from Chipotle and other restaurants that served burritos, Merker said.

No word on the next tenant. There are for rent signs now above the storefront.



Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Benny's Burritos is closing; will offer take-out only service (50 comments)

[Updated] Benny's Burritos is closing; will offer take-out only service

[Photo yesterday by Riley McCormick]

Word started circulating yesterday afternoon that Avenue A mainstay Benny's Burritos is closing after Saturday.

However, fans of Benny's Mexicali food here at East Sixth Street will still be able to order it via a to-go storefront that workers have been carving out of the existing corner restaurant and D-Lish Pita next door...



We haven't heard any official word about the closure from management just yet. Apparently Benny's had been struggling lately to make it work here. Employees received the news about the closing yesterday.

Benny's opened in the East Village in 1988... and is the latest comfortable spot to close along Avenue A ... joining 7A and the Odessa Cafe and Bar, among others.

Updated 2:43 p.m.

Lisha Arino at DNAinfo talked with owner Mark Merker about the closure.

“The world has changed,” said Merker, who opened Benny’s in late 1988.

The restaurant has had trouble staying afloat, as costs and rents rose while competition increased from Chipotle and other restaurants that served burritos, Merker said.

“It’s actually been pretty good, that’s the killer,” he said. “I would say that our traffic has been pretty consistent for the past four [or] five years, but that’s a problem. With rising costs, you need more business. It’s just the way things are going.”

The take-out space will include a few tables for diners, he said.

Updated 2:55 p.m.



EVG reader Riian Kant-McCormick notes that workers are currently loading a truck with scrap metal and equipment from Benny's...