A food and clothing drive Saturday afternoon in Tompkins Square Park

East Village-based artist and entrepreneur P.J. O'Rourke is hosting a food and clothing drive on Saturday afternoon from 1-4 ... at the Ninth Street/Avenue A entrance to Tompkins Square Park. 

During those hours, he'll be collecting new or gently used warm-weather clothes for men and women... as well as non-perishable food items. (He plans to donate the food to the Loisaida CommUnity Fridge and Pantry at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on Avenue B at Ninth Street; he was finalizing the outlet for the clothing.)

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A visit to FlyeLyfe on 11th Street

A holiday market for P.J. O'Rourke II on Avenue B

East Village-based artist and entrepreneur P.J. O'Rourke has a new pop-up market space at 199 Avenue B between 12th Street and 13th Street ... where he is selling his brand of hats, prints, T-shirts, hoodies (the New York Fuckery ones are in) and other original designs (the brand goes by P.J. O'Rourke II)... 

The storefront debuted on Friday for the holiday season. You can check his Instagram for hours.  (He also has online sales.) 

In 2012, O'Rourke started selling his merch on the L train via a mobile art cart. He was on a month-to-month lease on 11th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue for nearly 15 months before moving to a pop-up space on Broadway back in the summer ... but not before some drama with an investor. 

Previously on EV Grieve:

• A visit to FlyeLyfe on 11th Street 

PJ O’Rourke regroups with a pop-up space on Broadway

P.J. O'Rourke has proven to be as resilient as he is creative. 

As EVG contributor Stacie Joy reported back in April, O'Rourke, an East Village-based artist and entrepreneur, had moved into a new high-profile storefront on First Avenue to sell his FlyeLyfe brand of hats, prints, T-shirts and other original designs. 

Unfortunately, O'Rourke found himself locked out after one day following a dispute with his "so-called business partner." (Read that post here.) 

However, as Stacie reports, he recently found a new home at 815 Broadway just south of 12th Street. The storefront is a permanent pop-up space leased by people and organizations to throw events. So, on those days, O'Rourke won't be at the address. He announces his schedule on Instagram. He also has online sales.

Stacie stopped in the other day to find O'Rourke at work with a heat press with new designs for T-shirts, hoodies and tank tops. The brand is now known as P.J. O’Rourke II ... 

In 2012, O’Rourke started selling his merch on the L train via a mobile art cart. He was on a month-to-month lease on 11th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue for nearly 15 months before moving to First Avenue ... and now on Broadway.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• A visit to FlyeLyfe on 11th Street 

The EVAC, an arts venue, replaces FlyeLyfe on 1st Avenue after 1 day in business — why?

Reporting and photos by Stacie Joy

The EVAC is in the works for 215 First Ave. just south of 13th Street. 

According to Steve Hirsch, who's opening the EVAC (East Village Art Collection), the space will be an art gallery with music, spoken word, painting, sculpture, photography and "maybe even a small Calder show." 

"We want to work with the community and showcase East Village artists," said Hirsch, whose LinkedIn profile describes him as having a 25-plus year career in apparel design and merchandising and being "an industry innovator." "There are no galleries on First Avenue in this area."

The EVAC's arrival means that East Village-based artist and entrepreneur P.J. O'Rourke's FlyeLyfe, which moved to this storefront from 11th Street last month, will not be continuing on from this location — after just one day in business. 

According to Hirsch, who was involved with securing the new FlyeLyfe storefront with the goal of expanding the brand: "We had a change in the business plan. We're no longer working with P.J. O'Rourke — we're going in a different direction." 

And this quick turn of events took O'Rourke by surprise. In an interview and subsequent email exchange, O'Rourke described his version of the story. He didn't mention Hirsch by name, referring to him instead as his "so-called business partner," who first bought a print from O'Rourke when he was still hustling his T-shirts, hats and other original designs from the L train.

Hirsch, he said, helped him secure the first FlyeLyfe storefront on 11th Street before Avenue A and First Avenue.

"When it came time to scale up, he offered 215 First Ave. if we signed a partnership. I obliged hesitantly, but obliged nonetheless based on his word of helping it scale 'worldwide.' The new LLC was signed on Jan. 26, and the grand opening was March 19," O'Rourke said. "After hiring a few employees, he decided to make a very authoritarian person in charge of handling and managing employees. The employees were intimidated amongst other things with 'even if you’re not here, you're being filmed.' All this time of preparation, my job was to be the artist and not worry about any of the management and set up at the shop."

O'Rourke said that he "had to put faith and trust into the process." While the grand opening day on March 19 was a success, a "verbal altercation" the night before between a friend of O'Rourke's and Hirsch at the storefront apparently soured relations. Hirsch and the "authoritarian person" allegedly said that the friend wasn't welcome in the space. 

Later on the opening day, according to O'Rourke, his "business partner" then shut down the space.

"I immediately left ... in complete shock. I even came back a couple of hours later and was berated by the authoritarian figure and completely undermined. He said 'you just fucked up, I have been talking to local artists, and we have no problem turning this into an artist space without you,'" per O'Rourke. "I went back to get my stuff ... Not only had they locked me out, but my belongings were also inside and my partner told me it was his. They papered up the entire store, and now a couple of weeks later, they are trying a fly-by-the-seat art gallery, while leaving my livelihood at stake. And that's factually what has happened to me at this point. I really just need to get my stuff back so I can make my living again."

In a follow-up call, Hirsch, whose LinkedIn profile lists him as director of operations for FlyeLyfe, denied this version of the events.

"I have no comment on what Mr. O'Rourke had to say. Mr. O'Rourke's statements are not facts," Hirsch said. "He presented his version of the story, I presented something different." 

He then ended the call by saying "this conversation is over."

For now, O'Rourke is in a holding pattern. You can follow the FlyeLyfe website or Instagram for updates. In the interim, O'Rourke said that he has been working on creating NFTs.

The new location of FlyeLyfe opens today on 1st Avenue

Photo from Wednesday by Stacie Joy

The new location of FlyeLyfe has its grand opening today at noon at 215 First Ave. just south of 13th Street.

This is a big move for East Village-based artist and entrepreneur P.J. O’Rourke, who had been selling his original design T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, masks, prints, patches, bags, magnets and caps from a small storefront on 11th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

O’Rourke first started selling his creations on the L train via a mobile art cart in September 2012.

And now he's set up in a two-level space that was previously occupied by a Dunkin' Donuts. 

Previously on EV Grieve:

A visit to FlyeLyfe on 11th Street

FlyeLyfe on the move to 1st Avenue

This past November, when EVG contributor Stacie Joy visited artist and entrepreneur P.J. O’Rourke at FlyeLyfe on 11th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, the East Village resident had hopes to move to a more high-profile spot in the neighborhood for increased foot traffic and exposure.

That is now a reality... O’Rourke recently signed a lease for a new, larger space at 215 First Ave. just south of 13th Street to sell his creations — original design T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, masks, prints, patches, bags, magnets and caps ... all printed in house...

... Stacie stopped by the new storefront the other day to find O'Rourke setting up shop...

He plans to be ready for an official opening in early March.

In 2012, O’Rourke started selling his merch in the subways via a mobile art cart. He was on a month-to-month lease on 11th Street these past 15 months.

The idea of an artist selling his original designs from a space previously occupied by a Dunkin' Donuts would have been all but unimaginable not too long ago... with higher rents forcing small businesses to shutter, and with seemingly only chains able to afford the spaces.

Previously on EV Grieve:

A visit to FlyeLyfe on 11th Street 

A visit to FlyeLyfe on 11th Street

I’m meeting artist and store owner P.J. O’Rourke at FlyeLyfe, 434 E. 11th St. between First Avenue and Avenue A, to see what the 35-year-old East Village resident is showcasing at his 13-month-old shop.

He’s selling his original design magnets, tees, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, masks, prints, patches, bags and caps, all printed in house. I’ve seen his stickers around the neighborhood, especially Dr. Fauci the Chronic 2020 and Wuhanalds, but it’s the Trumpkashi, a mashup of Tekashi 6ix9ine and Donald Trump that is getting the most attention while I am visiting...

O’Rourke previously sold merch in the subways via mobile art cart, what he calls his “subway hustle” and a bit of that hustle remains as he sits outside his storefront and calls out to passersby, holding up favorite designs and asking if they want to pay by cash, card or Bitcoin. “NY saved my life,” he tells me. 

“The access to foot traffic is why I am successful. I need the exposure of living in a city with a concentration of so many people. This is especially important if, like me, you don’t have money.”

FlyeLyfe has a month-to-month lease for now, and O’Rourke plans to keep the store in the neighborhood, but hopes to move to an on-the-Avenue spot for increased foot traffic and exposure.

You can keep up with the store here. The shop is open from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.