Former East Village Cheese space for rent on 7th Street

A for rent sign now hangs in the front window at the former East Village Cheese, officially bringing an end to the shop's two-plus years at 80 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

EV Cheese quietly closed in early December. On Dec. 21, co-owner Lobsang Tsultrim was spotted at the storefront along with a Remove All My Junk truck. Before some of the perishable items had been discarded, the aroma of ripe cheese had been noticeable in the adjacent storefront.

Earlier this month, an EVG reader spotted workers hauling trash bags from the building's basement. The reader said that the smell of cheese — possibly from the content of the bags — was noticeable coming up from the sidewalk cellar doors...


[Reader photo from early April]

East Village Cheese moved here from Third Avenue in September 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Neighbor: East Village Cheese, closed now for 2 weeks, is starting to smell

The nonpayment of rent notice has arrived at East Village Cheese

Concern for East Village Cheese Shop

The nonpayment of rent notice has arrived at East Village Cheese

[Photo by Dave on 7th]

As we've been noting, East Village Cheese at 80 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue has been closed since the first week of December. (Recaps here and here.)

Yesterday, legal documents from the Civil Court of the City of New York arrived on the front door with a "Notice of Petition of Non-Payment" (aka the rent is past due).

A quick look at the paperwork on the door shows that the East Village Cheese owners owe $32,697 ...



The balance goes back to July ... with the full amount of $6,489.60 due each month for rent since August, per the paperwork, which is dated Dec. 19.

On Dec. 21, co-owner Lobsang Tsultrim was spotted at the storefront along with a Remove All My Junk truck. Before some of the perishable items had been discarded, the aroma of ripe cheese had been noticeable in the adjacent storefront. (The power at East Village Cheese has also been off since early December.)

East Village Cheese moved here from Third Avenue in September 2015. By April 2016, regulars started worrying about the shop's longterm financial health. For good reason, as it turned out.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Neighbor: East Village Cheese, closed now for 2 weeks, is starting to smell

East Village Cheese remains closed

Another weekend went by without the East Village Cheese Shop being open for business at 80 Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The storefront has been shuttered since Dec. 7.

Several readers have now reported (via the building's super) that the power is off inside the shop. As one reader noted, "It's going to get gross in there soon." (If not already.)

This temporary (for now) closure has been a popular topic in EVG reader emails. Several people have been looking for cheese alternatives. One popular choice is Barnyard Cheese on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street...


[Image via Yelp]

Other East Village possibilities via readers include the Westside Market on Third Avenue at 12th Street ...





... and Union Market on Houston at Avenue A...



Previously

More concern for East Village Cheese Shop

[Photo Saturday by Derek Berg]

East Village Cheese Shop has not been open since Thursday here on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue, prompting concern from its patrons.

There isn't any sign on the door about any type of closure. The shop doesn't have any social media presence to speak of (a Facebook page still lists their Third Avenue address that they left in 2015). The phone is also out of service.

East Village Cheese moved here from Third Avenue in September 2015. By April 2016, regulars started worrying about the shop's longterm financial health. (See this post.) The place never seemed too busy. There were other quibbles, such as being cash only, the lack of evening hours (they now close at 6:30) and the lack of ambiance (one reader suggested they pipe in some classical music).

Several EVG readers emailed me about the shop's gate being down since Friday. Per EVG regular cmarrtyy:

Can't say I'm shocked if they went out of business. The store was empty or near empty when I was there. And they were also down to one employee — cutting cheese and working the checkout. Seventh Street is not Third Avenue. There's very little foot traffic ... Sad, if they have closed for good.

Hopefully that's not the case... and this is just temporary.

Updated:
The shop remained closed yesterday (Monday) and today (Tuesday).

Previously on EV Grieve:
Concern for East Village Cheese Shop

Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

[Updated] Work starts on new home of the East Village Cheese Shop

Looking at the incoming East Village Cheese shop on East 7th Street

Concern for East Village Cheese Shop

East Village Cheese Shop opened in its new home on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue last Sept. 29.

The shop's lease at 40 Third Ave. between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street was up at the end of last July, with its former neighbor Duane Reade apparently moving into the adjacent storefronts.

Based on reader comments ... and conversations with friends and neighbors, people were pleased that the store was able to stay in the neighborhood, albeit in a smaller space.

However, a few people who shop here regularly have concerns about its financial health. Per an EVG reader: "East Village Cheese went back to cash only and the minimum counter order went up to half a pound from a quarter-pound."



The reader feels as if these are bad signs... along with the fact that there's rarely anyone in the store upon the reader's visits...

The shop is usually also empty when I stop in ... and it certainly lacks the energy of the Third Avenue space. Another EVG reader felt similarly about St. Mark's Bookshop moving from Third Avenue to East Third Street .. the the store just lost something in the new location on a side street.

Said the Cheese Shop regular: "I would be so sad to lose it after the long wait for it to reopen."

Updated 4/23

A few people asked about this. The owners Thupten Tenphel and Lobbing Tsultrim, who are from Tibet, worked at the shop... and bought it from owner Alvin Kaufman when he retired in 2005.

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

[Updated] Work starts on new home of the East Village Cheese Shop

Looking at the incoming East Village Cheese shop on East 7th Street

Updated: Because East Village Cheese is really supposed to open today

That's the word from about 10 different people who walked by the Cheese Shop's new storefront yesterday at 80 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue … workers on the scene confirmed the opening today … we also heard something about free cheese samples…





Workers originally told passersby that the space would be open last Friday…

Photos yesterday by Sam Teichman

Updated 12:21

The shop is open...

[Photo by Steven]

A photo posted by giligetz (@giligetz) on Sep 29, 2015 at 8:41am PDT

Previously

Updated: East Village Cheese opens Friday

[Photo yesterday by Derek Berg]

That's the word from workers here at 80 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue… where the East Village Cheese Shop relocated from Third Avenue earlier last month.

While the space had been under renovation in recent weeks, we hadn't heard about an opening date just yet.

The shop's lease at 40 Third Ave. between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street was up at the end of July, with its former neighbor Duane Reade eventually expected to expand into the adjacent storefronts.

Updated 9/25

Word is now Tuesday, Sept. 29 for the opening…

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

[Updated] Work starts on new home of the East Village Cheese Shop

Looking at the incoming East Village Cheese shop on East 7th Street

East Village Cheese, now with an East Village Cheese sign

Still no word on an opening date just yet here at 80 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... but this is a good sign, so to speak.

Updated 9:15 a.m.

Two photos showing how the interior is shaping up...





Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

[Updated] Work starts on new home of the East Village Cheese Shop

Looking at the incoming East Village Cheese shop on East 7th Street

[Updated] Work starts on new home of the East Village Cheese Shop

Work got underway yesterday at 80 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, where the East Village Cheese Shop will relocate at some point this month... per the signage that arrived on the door yesterday...



The shop's lease at 40 Third Ave. between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street is expiring. Rumor is the Duane Reade on the corner of Third Avenue and East 10th Street will expand into the adjacent storefronts along here.

At this point we do not know when the Third Avenue shop will close and the new East Seventh Street location will open.

Updated noon:

Thanks to the various readers/commenters who pointed out the Third Avenue location has closed. The shop hopes to open on Seventh Street in another two weeks.

Warwick and Framus Custom Shop was the previous tenant at 80 E. Seventh St.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

As we reported on May 27, East Village Cheese was going to relocate this summer to East Seventh Street.

There's now a sign up at the shop at 40 Third Ave. between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street with a few more details on the relocation…



Their current lease expires at the end of July. In January, we heard that the Duane Reade on Third Avenue at East 10th Street was going to expand into adjacent storefronts on that block, forcing out several businesses, including East Village Cheese and Excel Custom Framing. (Excel has found a new home on Third Avenue, which we will write about in a separate post.)

The Cheese shop owners had considered a move to Avenue A and East 13th Street, though that plan never materialized.

The new East Village Cheese will be at 80 East Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, which was the former home of Warwick and Framus Custom Shop.

H/T East Village Eats

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

Rumor: East Village Cheese Shop relocating to East 7th Street

[Photo via]

As previously reported, East Village Cheese Shop has until July 31 on its current lease at 40 Third Ave. between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street.

According to Off the Grid, the owners had considered a move to Avenue A and East 13th Street. However, that plan never materialized.

Now comes word that the shop, which has been at its current location for nearly 20 years (after starting on East Ninth Street), will move to East Seventh Street.

An EVG reader left this comment the other day on our previous East Village Cheese post: "They told me they are moving to 7th St betw 1st and 2nd."

And yesterday a reliable source told East Village Eats specifically that the shop will relocate to 76 E. Seventh St., former home of Warwick and Framus Custom Shop, which closed at the beginning of the year.



In January, we heard that the Duane Reade on Third Avenue at East 10th Street was going to expand into adjacent storefronts on that block, forcing out several businesses, including East Village Cheese Shop and Excel Custom Framing. There aren't any permits on file yet with the city to indicate any expansion/renovations here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

We got word last month that the Duane Reade on Third Avenue at East 10th Street was going to expand into adjacent storefronts on that block, forcing out several businesses, including neighborhood favorite East Village Cheese, in the process.

We were told shortly after that the owners had secured a new storefront on Avenue A and East 13th Street — the former Kim's Laundromat & Cleaners on the southeast corner…


[Photo from Jan. 17]

In a feature at Off the Grid yesterday, East Village Cheese co-owner Lobsang Tsultrim confirmed the upcoming closure and move. Tsultrim said that his lease lasts until July 31, with a move coming after that.

Per Off the Grid:

“Rent is going up, cheese is going up,” Tsultrim said. “If I have to move, I have to spend money. I don’t know if it’s going to work.” They have to move the equipment and fixtures, he said, and the new space is smaller. The store’s practice is to buy cheese for, say, $2 per pound, then sell it for $4 per pound where other stores will mark the same product $10.

“They’ve got the money and they’re trying to take over. We’re trying to help the East Village. It’s all about the money, you know,” he said. “We’re trying to help the Village – that’s why we’re having a problem.”

Updated 2:21 p.m.

Ugh. Off the Grid spoke again today with Tsultrim, and they've amended their blog post to the following:

On Feb. 25 Tsultrim clarified that, while he had been considering taking over the former Kim’s Laundromat at 208 Avenue A at 13th Street, that space no longer seems viable and his search for an East Village location is ongoing.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese

A tipster tells us that the Duane Reade on Third Avenue at East 10th Street is expanding, and will gobble up the adjoining spaces that include the 21-year-old Excel Art and Framing Store and East Village Cheese.

The owner of the Frame Shop received word this past Saturday that his lease will not be renewed; "that a handshake deal was already made with Duane Reade in early December."

Per the tipster: "Both of these small businesses are very important to the community."



The convenient store and clothing boutique Project 36 have already been emptied out ahead of the expansion…



The tipster noted that there's already a huge Walgreens on Astor Place. Not to mention the recently expanded Walgreens on East 14th Street and Fourth Avenue … and the Duane Reade locations on East 14th Street and Third Avenue … and East 14th Street and Broadway.

And this won't be the first time that Duane Reade looks to KO beloved neighborhood businesses.