Tuesday's parting shot

A message of support on the burned-out Essex Card Shop gate at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street. (Read our fire coverage here and here.) 

The note is for the shop's longtime manager, Jayant "Jay" Patel ... seen below in this photo by Stacie Joy from June 2020 when the business relocated here from 39 Avenue A. 

Jay and everyone at the shop are fine. The storefront has been destroyed, though. The fundraiser to help to rebuild and cover expenses is here.

Information about a crowdfunding campaign to help the fire-damaged Essex Card Shop

Photo by Steven 

A two-alarm fire destroyed the Essex Card Shop late yesterday afternoon at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street. (The cause is under investigation.) 

Saba Aslam, the daughter of owner Muhammad Aslam, launched a crowdfunding campaign for the family-owned business. (Her uncle Jay Patel is the manager and her sister Mehnaz Noreen is retail sales manager.) 

Per the campaign:

This fundraiser can really help this small business pick themselves up again and recover from this. Every single corner of this store is burned, damaged, and destroyed. I am 27 years old now, and I have seen this store as a part of my family ever since I was a little girl. Let us all please come together as a loving community, and help this small business rise from its ashes!

Find the campaign here. 

Here's a look inside the storefront last night before workers board it up... photos by Stacie Joy...

Scenes from the fire today at 47 Avenue A

More than 100 members of the FDNY responded late this afternoon to a two-alarm fire at the Essex Card Shop at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street. 

The FDNY had the fire under control in less than an hour. Two firefighters sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Thankfully, there weren't any other injuries reported. 

The popular Card Shop, which relocated here in June 2020 from a block to the south, was destroyed. Next-door neighbor Exit9 received some smoke and water damage but remains structurally intact. (Read our previous post for more details.) 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

EVG contirbutor Stacie Joy was quickly on the scene after the fire was reported around 4:45 and shared these photos...

As you can see, the Card Shop is in ruins...

 

Saba Aslam, the daughter of owner Muhammad Aslam at Essex Card Shop, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help rebuild the business. Find the link here.

[Updated] Fire destroys Essex Card Shop on Avenue A

Updated: Saba Aslam, the daughter of owner Muhammad Aslam at Essex Card Shop, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help rebuild the business. Find the link here.

The FDNY is responding to a two-alarm fire that started inside the Essex Card Shop shortly after 4:30 p.m. at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street.

It was a frightening scene as thick black smoke hugged the east-facing wall of the Ageloff Towers.

The early word is that the shop has been destroyed.

No word just yet to damage other businesses here or the apartments above in the Ageloff Towers.

Shot this video clip at 4:52 p.m.

We'll continue to update...

Updated 6:45 p.m. (photo below by Steven)

Everyone is reported to be safe. EVG contributor Stacie Joy spoke with Muhammed and Jayant at the Essex Card Shop. Unfortunately, the shop is in ruins. Jayant said that he smelled smoke coming from the bathroom in the rear of the store and immediately called the FDNY. Both of them said they were grateful that no one was hurt.

In addition, they both said that they would come back from this.

Next door at 51 Avenue A, everyone is safe at Exit9, which sustained minor water and smoke damage. Downtown Yarns appears to be OK as well.

A fire official told Stacie that the cement ceiling and brick walls in the storefronts served as a firebreak and prevented further damage to the building.

We've heard reports of residents who had to evacuate the 13-floor Ageloff Towers above the shops. The resident reports say that this was done safely, and there weren't any reports of injuries. No word on damage to the residential units above the shops. 

EVG reader Eric FG shared this photo of Jayant shortly after the report of the fire...

An open door at the former Essex Card Shop on Avenue A

Several readers pointed out that something (or something?) pushed in the front door at the former Essex Card Shop at 39 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street... offering access — as of this morning — inside the very empty city-owned storefront...

The card shop moved to 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street in June 2020. And whatever happened to their great old sign?

So long to the Essex Card Shop signage on Avenue A; Pac Lab on 1st Street

Back on Thursday, a reader shared the above photo... showing workers removing the old Essex Card Shop signage from its former storefront on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street. 

And here's how the storefront at the city-owned No. 39 looks now...

Essex Card Shop moved one block to the north to 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street last June. A shop regular says that the owners were keeping the sign, but it wasn't going to fit above the new location. 

In other old signage news... the old Pac Lab signage was removed last week from 37 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Per the Anthology Film Archives: "Pac Lab was a true NYC staple, as well as the last local resource we had for same-day processing of Super-8mm and 16mm film. Over the years Pac Lab proved itself to be a company that possessed as much character and quirkiness as its clients." 

Pac Lab closed at some point in 2014 or 2015.

Essex Card Shop is now open in its new Avenue A home

As previously noted, Essex Card Shop has moved from its longtime home at (the city-owned) 39 Avenue A one block to the north at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street...

The new outpost is now open, and EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the space where co-owner Jayant Patel was at the front counter...



...and here's a look around as the staff continues to stock the stationery shop, which will also include a few of the household items that the previous store here — 99¢ and Up Magic Deals! — carried...













... and from Saturday, a few photos of the old storefront being packed up...









Previously on EV Grieve:
"Desperate Endeavors" leads to the Essex Card Shop on Avenue A

Today is the last day for the Essex Card Shop before a move up the block

Essex Card Shop closes after today at its longtime home at 39 Avenue A... ahead of a move less than a block away to between Third Street and Fourth Street...



As previously noted, the eclectic shop is moving one block to the north to the now-vacant storefront at 47 Avenue A (the former Essex 99-Cent Store owned by the same folks).

We also noted how much we liked the shop's sign and pleasantly cluttered exterior.

The storefront has also caught the fancy of local artists, including Delphine le Goff ...



... and Joel Holland ...



As for the sign, a shop regular says that the owners are keeping the sign, but it likely won't be hanging above the new location.

Essex Card Shop is moving to a new space on Avenue A

Essex Card Shop, home to one of the neighborhood's greatest business signs — film developing! art supplies! luggage! — is on the move... they are in the process of relocating here on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street ...



... one block to the north, where the short-lived and currently closed Essex 99-Cent Store (same owners!) was for about nine months...



And here's another look at the Essex Card Shop sign from the personal collection of EVG...

'Desperate Endeavors' leads to the Essex Card Shop on Avenue A

Essex Card Shop on Avenue A is arguably the best mom-and-pop shop in the neighborhood. And today, its owner, Jayant Patel, celebrates the theatrical release of a movie based on his life. Patel serves as the executive producer of "Desperate Endeavors," which is playing at the Quad Cinema on East 13th Street.

The movie is adapted from Patel's 1991 book, "Seeking Home: An Immigrant's Realization." A little about the plot:

Derived from a true story, the film "Desperate Endeavors" revolves around the misadventures of newly arrived immigrant Ram Patel to NYC in 1973. Attempting to extricate himself from a self-dug hole, 'Ram' encounters more obstacles than he can count, and ultimately finds a remedy to his numerous problems by encountering a spiritual adviser, legendary 'Dada Bhagwan' played by Bollywood star Gulshan Grover. Also stars Michael Madsen, Robert Clohessy, Ismail Bashey & Samrat Chakrabarti.

If you've been in the store at any time in recent weeks, then you likely received a flyer for the movie. Several readers told me about the movie... apparently this word-of-mouth is how the book ever got into the hands of a filmmaker — through a customer in the film business who heard about the book and passed it along...

I look forward to seeing the film... even though I may know how it ends...

And now, a way to support a local business and buy (allegedly) the greatest pen ever

We turn the floor over to EV Grieve contributor Dave on 7th for a moment...

I just wanted to take this opportunity to further spread my message of the Fisher Space Pen, which I was able to purchase for $21.95 (a good price) at the Essex Card Shop, a great local merchant.

I recently lost my first one after many years of daily use. There is a joke that the Americans spent millions on creating a pen and the Soviets used pencils. It's better than a pencil. It never breaks down, it fits in your pocket. I'd buy you one if I knew you.

Woo! Free pens on Dave!