Caracas Arepa Bar is closing its East Village outpost after 17 years

Sunday is the last day in business for the East Village location of Caracas Arepa Bar on Seventh Street just east of First Avenue.

Co-owner Aristides Barrios made the announcement on Instagram yesterday (and Eater was first to report on it):

Thank you to all who helped build this place, we did it with our own bare hands. Thank you to those who helped us navigate these 17 years... Those part of the team, now became family and those supporting us over the years, also became family...

Caracas Arepa Bar will continue on with their Williamsburg location.

Barrios and co-owner Maribel Arauj started the business of selling the stuffed Venezuelan arepas here on Seventh Street in 2003. The original location at 93 1/2 E. Seventh St. suffered extensive fire damage in September 2016, and the owners were never able to reopen in the space. 

And that storefront remains vacant, along with the former Luke's Lobster next door. This will make three consecutive empty spaces then after service on Sunday.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• After the fire: Getting Caracas Arepa Bar back in business 'may take some time' 

Caracas Arepa Bar returns for takeout and delivery on 7th Street

[Images via @caracasarepabar]

Caracas Arepa Bar reopened yesterday for takeout and delivery here at 91 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

You can order online or via their app or the old-fashioned way (the phone). Find their website here.Hours: Noon to 9 p.m. daily.

They're also selling a variety of meal kits ...

View this post on Instagram

⏭ We're #OPEN back where it all started! ⏮ >>>Get your "Arepas at Home Kit" ready to bake #arepas & the filling of your choice! Want to stock up for later? We got you! >>>NEW "Arepa box" also fillings & appetizers! >>>Plus our regular take-out menu with all the ready to eat food you know & #love >>> Check all we got for you on our website (link in bio) & thank you all for your love & support! Also on #Doordash⬅️ + #palanteBrincaElSapo #thefrogalwaysleapsforward #caracaseastvillage #arepastogo #venezuelanfood #nycstrong #stayhealthy

A post shared by Caracas Arepa Bar (@caracasarepabar) on Apr 21, 2020 at 7:32pm PDT

Caracas Arepa Bar proactively decided to close after service on March 14.

Fire-damaged Caracas Arepa Bar now for rent

[Photo yesterday by Vinny & O]

Caracas Arepa Bar apparently will not be reopening at 93 1/2 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. A for rent sign arrived on the space this week.

A fire broke out here in the early morning hours last Sept. 21. While no one was injured, the damage was extensive.

Co-owner Maribel Araujovia was blunt about the damage: "The restaurant is pretty fucked up." She expounded on that to Grub Street last September:

“It’s not just a little thing we can fix quickly, put drywall up, and keep going,” Araujo says. Getting back to business will take some time: Leases and inventory need to be looked at, and conversations need to be had with lawyers and insurers. “Maybe we’ll relocate, maybe we’ll try to rebuild this one. At this point, I’m not sure.”

Workers had been refurbishing the space... with the thought/hope that it was being done for Caracas. Looks like the work is for the next tenant.

The smaller Caracas space at 91 E. Seventh St., which debuted in 2003, remains open with limited seating and to-go orders. They also have a location in Williamsburg as well as a seasonal spot in the Rockaways for the summer.

After the fire: Getting Caracas Arepa Bar back in business 'may take some time'

[Photo by EVG reader Joaquin]

As we first reported yesterday morning, a fire broke out at Caracas Arepa Bar, 93 E. Seventh St. just east of First Avenue.

No one was injured during the fire. (The FDNY has yet to determine the cause.)

EVG readers who saw the scorched space yesterday said that it looks in bad shape.



Here's a description of the damage from co-owner Maribel Araujovia via Grub Street:

While the street-facing front of Caracas was spared, half of the restaurant — including the kitchen, bathroom, refrigeration, part of the office, and the back half of the basement — essentially “burned down,” Araujo says. Walls are ruined, the basement was flooded with a foot and a half of water, and there is currently no electricity or gas.

Arujo was more blunt with Gothamist: "The restaurant is pretty fucked up."

The damage was contained to the restaurant.

As several EVG commenters noted, the FDNY was on the scene about 2:30 a.m. after residents reported smoke.

Per Gothamist:

Tenants on the second floor, who live directly above the restaurant, smelled smoke early this morning and the fire department was dispatched to the address around 2:30 a.m. The FDNY performed some kind of investigation but didn't find anything at the time, neighbors tell Araujo. The fire department was called again at 7:25 a.m. when the same neighbors awoke to find their apartment filled with more smoke.

While dealing with the temporary loss of her business, Araujo also has questions as to why the fire wasn't discovered earlier, which could have prevented things from getting quite so bad.

For now, the smaller Caracas space is open next door for counter service and to-go orders ... here are the signs that greet customers...





There's isn't any timeline on the restaurant's return. It likely won't be anytime soon, though.

To Grub Street:

“It’s not just a little thing we can fix quickly, put drywall up, and keep going,” Araujo says. Getting back to business will take some time: Leases and inventory need to be looked at, and conversations need to be had with lawyers and insurers. “Maybe we’ll relocate, maybe we’ll try to rebuild this one. At this point, I’m not sure.”

There's also a location in Williamsburg. The Venezuelan restaurant has been open on Seventh Street since 2003.

And here's their message to patrons ...

Just wanted to let everyone know that YES, it is true that Caracas Dining Room / East Village had a big fire this early morning. No one got hurt. This location is temporarily closed but the Original Caracas (takeout next door) is OPEN and we need your support. We are assessing the situation and the future of this location is to be determined. We want to THANK everyone that has been reaching out and looking after us and to the #eastvillage community for been so great and concerned. Thank YOU Thank YOU ❤️

A photo posted by caracasarepabar (@caracasarepabar) on Sep 21, 2016 at 3:57pm PDT

[Updating] Report of a fire at the Caracas Arepa Bar on 7th Street

[Photo by EVG reader Joaquin]

The FDNY is on the scene of a reported fire at 93 E. Seventh St. just off First Avenue... coming from Caracas Arepa Bar...

MAN ALL HANDS 93 E 7 ST, MIXED OCCUPANCY FIRE ON 1ST FLR,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 21, 2016

[Photo via the LES Dwellers]

Developing...

Updated 8:10 a.m.

Some video via Joaquin...



Updated 8:25

Two photos via Allen Semanco, who noted the quick response from area fire companies got the fire under control... residents were seen evacuated the corner building...







Updated 8:31

An all-clear via the FDNY...

MAN ALL HANDS 93H E 7 ST, MIXED OCCUPANCY FIRE IN BASEMENT, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 21, 2016

Updated 11:30 a.m.

No word yet on damage to Caracas... Luke's Lobster next door announced a delay in opening ...

Safety first today. Our #eastvillage shack is closed until we know the block is safe! https://t.co/JQGbTHUBfp

— Luke's Lobster (@LukesLobster) September 21, 2016

Updated 4:30 p.m.

The Caracas to go space is open next door... here are the signs that greet customers...





Co-owner Maribel Araujo provided an update to Grub Street:

While the street-facing front of Caracas was spared, half of the restaurant — including the kitchen, bathroom, refrigeration, part of the office, and the back half of the basement — essentially “burned down,” Araujo says. Walls are ruined, the basement was flooded with a foot and a half of water, and there is currently no electricity or gas. No one was hurt, Araujo says, and the fire was contained to the restaurant.

There isn't a timetable for the return... and it could be serious enough that they need to relocate.

Caracas Arepa Bar back open after an 18-day, gas-related hiatus

Caracas Arepa Bar reopened yesterday after a gas leak kept the small Venezuelan restaurant on East Seventh Street out of commission since Aug. 8.

As DNAinfo first reported, the plumbing company that the restaurant management hired to fix the gas-pipe problem waited a week before filing the necessary paperwork with Con Ed.

Con Ed was expected to make the inspection yesterday here just east of First Avenue. Given the usual line waiting to get in last evening, all went well with the approvals.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Caracas Arepa Bar remains closed due to gas issues

Caracas Arepa Bar remains closed due to gas issues

Caracas Arepa Bar has been closed of late … DNAinfo has the story about what's going on here at 93 1/2 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The Venezuelan restaurant closed on Aug. 8 after workers smelled gas. Employees promptly called the FDNY and Con Ed.

As for the extended closure, Vanessa Maldonado, operations manager for the Caracas chainlet, blamed the plumbing company that they hired to fix the problem, per DNAinfo.

To the article:

[A]fter spending two days fixing a gas pipe, the company waited a week to file the necessary paperwork for a Con Ed inspection, all the while assuring the restaurant it was submitted, Maldonado said. Roto-Rooter also avoided her questions, she said.

“All the time they were lying to us, telling us that the papers were in, the papers are here, the person who has the papers is not here,” she said.

And…

“It has been all this unclarity,” she said. “It has been very, very vague and confusing.”

Con Ed is due to inspect the restaurant this Wednesday.

And there is a sign up for Con Ed's arrival…



There isn't any mention of the temporary closure on the Caracas website or social media properties. There is a sign up for patrons…



As the sign says, Caracas To Go is open two doors away…

[Updated] Caracas Arepa Bar closed this week for repairs; ditto for Zum Schneider

As you can see on the sign here on East Seventh Street near First Avenue... you'll have to go two doors to the west for Caracas to Go this week...

Updated 2:32 p.m.

Thanks to esquared™ for telling us about Zum Schneider on Avenue C and East Seventh Street too... Per Zum's website:

Caracas Arepa Bar closed for "a major repair"

Just the take-out shop is closed. The restaurant is still open next door. On Seventh Street near First Avenue.