Essex Squeeze has closed its 5th Street outpost

Photo by Steven

Essex Squeeze has been dark in recent weeks... and now comes word that the juice-coffee shop has permanently closed here at 300 E. Fifth St. just east of Second Avenue.

Sources tell EVG contributor Stacie Joy that the closure was "due to a rent increase and lack of business."

The cafe, run by LES natives and childhood friends Cedric Hernandez and Charles DeLaCruz, opened its first outpost in Essex Market in 2020. There's also a location in Dekalb Market Hall in Brooklyn.

The EV location opened in March 2022.

This space was previously Idlewild Coffee Co., which closed after just two months in business during the summer of 2020. The owner blamed the presence of the 9th Precinct's police barricades at the time for greatly reducing his foot traffic.

Idlewild took over from another coffee shop — Southern Cross Coffee, which shut down in September 2019 after two and half years in service.

Openings: Essex Squeeze on 5th Street

Essex Squeeze debuted last week at 300 E. Fifth St. a few steps to the east of Second Avenue. (We first reported on this arrival back in November.) 

The cafe, run by LES natives and childhood friends Cedric Hernandez and Charles DeLaCruz (previously an operations manager at Katz's), specializes in a variety of fresh-made juices, smoothies and bowls ... not to mention coffee. You can check out their menu here. 

There are two seats in the front window ... though it's mostly a to-go spot. 

Essex Squeeze opened an outpost in the Essex Market in 2020.

The EV location is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a 9 a.m. open on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Essex Squeeze bringing coffee, juices and smoothies to 5th Street

Updated March 9, 2022: The shop is now open!

Essex Squeeze, which started at the Essex Market last year, is opening a shop on Fifth Street just steps east off Second Avenue...

The cafe, run by LES natives and childhood friends Cedric Hernandez and Charles DeLaCruz (previously an operations manager at Katz's), specializes in a variety of fresh-made juices, smoothies and bowls ... not to mention coffee. You can check out their menu here. 

This space was previously Idlewild Coffee Co., which closed after just two months in business during the summer of 2020. The owner blamed the presence of the 9th Precinct's police barricades at the time for greatly reducing his foot traffic.