The East Village Holiday Crawl is underway

The East Village Independent Merchant Association (EVIMA) and Cooper Square Committee have teamed up for an East Village Holiday Crawl for five weeks this November and December. 

There's a theme to each week highlighting different types of specialty businesses — now currently in the "books + music" week.

The organizations are encouraging residents to shop locally to support independent businesses that have had a very challenging year during the pandemic.

You can check out this link to see participating merchants and the deals they're offering through Dec. 13.

And the EVIMA Intagram account will provide daily updates. 

Are you interested in volunteering to help East Village businesses?

The East Village Independent Merchants Association in collaboration with the East Village Community Coalition are seeking volunteers to help local businesses.

Per a tweet yesterday:

COVID-19 and current social unrest have hit the East Village hard, particularly local businesses. We could use your help. Interested in volunteering around the East Village? Sign up here to help out.

Again, that volunteer form is here. (Among other things, the form asks if there are any skills or volunteer interests you would like them to know about, such as painting, carpentry, cooking or teaching.)

By my count, more than 50 East Village storefronts were damaged in recent days from either post-protest vandalism or break-ins — many of them late-night Sunday/early Monday morning.

At Ama Raw Bar, the three-month-old restaurant at 190 Avenue B near 12th Street, someone tried to break down the front door, but was unsuccessful at gaining entrance.


[Photo by Stacie Joy]

Regardless, the Ama team — Will, Harvey and Rita (above) — decided to shut down for now. They had just reopened for take-home food and drinks.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• 2 break-ins on Avenue A: Village Square Pizza, Tompkins Finest Deli & Grill

• Noting another break-in, this time at Rue-B

• The break-in at Khiladi on Avenue B

• Here's the moment of the break-in early this morning at Alphabet City Beer Co.

• A broken window and burglary at C&B Cafe

• More about the damage at B&H Dairy

Local business resources via EVIMA

The East Village Independent Merchants Association is gathering resources for local business during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Per their Instagram message:

The impacts of this unique emergency are substantial and will be ongoing. We have compiled a variety of resources that provide relief to East Village merchants at eastvillage.info.

We will continue to update this information as new programs become available in an ever-changing environment.

They are also posting concerns from local business owners on the EVIMA Instagram account...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by EVIMA (@evimanyc) on Mar 20, 2020 at 9:20am PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by EVIMA (@evimanyc) on Mar 21, 2020 at 6:10am PDT

Reminders: This workshop will offer free legal resources for East Village small business owners

Reposted from Jan. 30

Several local organizations are joining forces to provide small business owners in the East Village with free legal resources during a workshop this week at Book Club on Third Street.

Via the EVG inbox...

Many small businesses and commercial tenants have concerns about non-rent charges and how they impact the bottom line.

Cooper Square Committee, East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA) and Brooklyn Legal Services will bring free legal resources to neighborhood businesses and commercial tenants.

Join us for one or both of our upcoming sessions on non-rent charges. Lawyers will be available after each session to do one-on-one consultations.

Bring your commercial lease and your questions!

Morning and evening session available:

Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Book Club
197 E. Third St. near Avenue B

Workshop next week will offer free legal resources for East Village small business owners

Several local organizations are joining forces to provide small business owners in the East Village with free legal resources during a workshop next week at Book Club on Third Street.

Via the EVG inbox...

Many small businesses and commercial tenants have concerns about non-rent charges and how they impact the bottom line.

Cooper Square Committee, East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA) and Brooklyn Legal Services will bring free legal resources to neighborhood businesses and commercial tenants.

Join us for one or both of our upcoming sessions on non-rent charges. Lawyers will be available after each session to do one-on-one consultations.

Bring your commercial lease and your questions!

Morning and evening session available:

Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Book Club
197 E. Third St. near Avenue B

About the Messages to Go shopping bags that support small businesses in the East Village

[Rossy's Bakery & Cafe owner Rossy Caba, right]

The East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA) and FABnyc have joined forces to bring greater awareness and appreciation to small- and immigrant-owned businesses in the East Village.

Beginning Small Business Saturday (tomorrow, Nov. 29!), customers can stop by any of the participating businesses and pick up their free Messages to Go shopping bags:

● Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, 28 E. Second St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)
● Downtown Yarn, 45 Avenue A (between Third Street and Fourth Street)
● Dual Specialty Shop, 91 First Ave. (between Fifth Street and Sixth Street)
● Exit9 Gift Emporium, 51 Avenue A (between Third Street and Fourth Street)
● East Village Vintage Collective, 545 E. 12th. St. (between Avenue A and Avenue B)
● Lancelotti Housewares, 66 Avenue A (between Fourth Street and Fifth Street)
● La Sirena Mexican Folk Art, 27 E. Third St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)
● Pageant Print Shop, 69 E. Fourth St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)
● Pink Olive Card Shop, 439 E. Ninth St. (between Avenue A and First Avenue)
● Random Accessories, 77 E. Fourth St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)
● Rossy's Bakery & Café, 242 E. Third St. (between Avenue B and Avenue C)

Messages to Go is an art project by Hatuey Ramos-Fermín that creates and distributes a series of reusable shopping bags based on conversations with local business owners and advocates to draw attention to small business displacement in the Lower East Side.

EVG contributor Stacie joy shared these photos of the bag featured at Rossy's Bakery & Cafe ...

EV Pride

View this post on Instagram

Have you stopped by and grabbed your free #eastvillagepride swag at participating businesses around the East Village? Make sure when you do you ask for a limited edition EV pint glass as well! Grab em’ while ya can! Participating merchants: @evvintagecollective @shopexit9 @luckyonb @downtownyarns @eastvillageacupuncture @randomaccessoriesny @pageant_print_shop @lancelottinyc @janes_exchange Galleria J. Antonio (43 Ave A) 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

A post shared by EVIMA (@evimanyc) on Jun 20, 2019 at 1:52pm PDT

East Village Merchant Pride

[Exit9's Charles Branstool via @shopexit9]

Jimmy Carbone, chair of the East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA), shared the following information as Pride Month continues...

This year the EVIMA has produced some essential East Village Pride merchandise, including tote bags, tank tops and posters for merchant windows! Use #EastVillagePride to share your photos.

We are excited to celebrate our powerful history and our unique diversity that is so prevalent throughout the East Village.

Residents can pick up their East Village Pride swag at the following participating establishments while supplies last:

• Exit9 Gift Emporium, 51 Avenue A
• East Village Vintage Collective, 545 E. 12th St.
• Random Accessories, 77 E. Fourth St.
• Lancelotti Housewares, 66 Avenue A
• Downtown Yarns, 45 Avenue A
• Lucky Bar, 168 Avenue B
• Jane's Exchange, 191 E. Third St.
• Pageant Print Shop, 69 E. Fourth St.

A Small Business Breakfast for East Village merchants

Tomorrow morning, the Cooper Square Committee and the East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA) are hosting a Small Business Breakfast ... details via the EVG inbox...

Join us for breakfast and learn about available services and resources useful to your business.

As part of their work, Cooper Square Committee has joined with EVIMA to offer support and protection to independent small businesses

• Advocate for commercial tenants' rights
• Connect small businesses to high-quality free legal services
• Sponsor the annual Taste of East Village Festival
• Innovate small business policy with a city wide coalition of partners

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. tomorrow at the Cooper Square Committee HQ, 61 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Find more details here. RSVP here.

Introducing the East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA)

From the EVG inbox...

Introducing EVIMA

A gathering with food, conversation and more information about the East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA)
Monday, Feb. 24
7-9 pm
Ciao For Now
523 E 12th Street (between Aves A & B)
Light Snacks Provided

East Village Community Coalition (EVCC) has been collaborating with small business owners in order to create the East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA).

This meeting will be an informative, yet fun opportunity to hear about EVIMA, meet other local merchants and learn how you can join us in promoting, connecting and representing local merchants in the East Village.

While EVIMA’s main focus will be to support independently owned businesses with daytime hours, we welcome any East Village business owner to attend the meeting.

For more info ... and to RSVP, visit the EVCC website here.

[EVG file photo]