A winning bid for Theatre 80; a vow to keep fighting for the building

The owners of Foxface, current residents and former commercial tenants of the building housing Theatre 80, were reportedly the high bidders for 78-80 St. Mark's Place during its bankruptcy auction on May 9.

As The Village Sun first reported, business and life partners Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat put in the winning bid at $8.8 million under a single-purpose entity. 

Kushnir and Lahat have lived in an apartment in the building just west of First Avenue since 2005. They later operated the popular Foxface specialty sandwich shop from the front window in late 2018, drawing crowds and a positive review from Pete Wells at The New York Times. 

The quick-serve shop closed last September and planned to relocate ahead of the bankruptcy proceedings here to a larger space at 189 Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street. They are now running Foxface Natural, which debuts this coming Wednesday.

There is some recent legal history between the two parties. LIK Hospitality (dba Foxface) filed a lawsuit against owner Lorcan Otway and the William Barnacle Tavern at the address in March 2021. 

Meanwhile, Village Preservation is continuing its efforts to have the building landmarked. Per a recent newsletter: 

We are deeply saddened to report that [on May 9], lacking intervention from the city, 78-80 St. Mark's Place, the longtime home of Theatre 80, was sold at auction ... This is a tragic loss for our city and neighborhood, and particularly tragic for the Otways, the long-time proprietors of the building and theater.

However, this need not be the end of this story. The Otways are still urging the city to intervene to take possession of the building and allow it to be operated by a nonprofit which would continue the work of Theatre 80, and we are still fighting to have the historic building landmarked, so no matter who the owner is, we can ensure this piece of our city’s history is not destroyed. We will continue to work to try to ensure that the cultural vitality embodied by Theatre 80 and the history embodied by this building survive. 

There's also a petition in circulation, now currently titled, "Mayor Adams, SAVE THEATRE 80 with Eminent Domain!" As of last evening, more than 8,000 people have signed it. 

New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs has also supported the theater's survival efforts. In April, the office expedited granting a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status to Historic 80 Saint Marks Inc., which opened the venue up to receiving various grants. 

Kushnir told the Sun that the building needs a lot of work. As for future commercial tenants: "Our first preference is to work with the preservation/theater groups to see if we can find a viable solution for keeping a community space alive in the building."

Meanwhile, the longtime owners, Lorcan Otway and his wife Genie Gilmore Otway, were ordered off the property by a court-appointed bankruptcy trustee on April 5. They have been staying in a room on Ninth Street provided by Father Pat, a longtime friend.

As previously reported, the Otways had been battling in recent years to save the space, which housed Theatre 80, the William Barnacle Tavern and the Museum of the American Gangster. (Lorcan had lived here since age 9 when his father bought the buildings to create an Off-Broadway theater in 1964.)

The two-building property was sold off to satisfy a $12 million loan in default via Maverick Real Estate Partners. (Our previous posts here and here have more background.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy ran into the Otways in Tompkins Square Park last week. Lorcan said, "The fight is not over."

Previously on EV Grieve

• A look at Theatre 80 last night before marshals seize the historic East Village venue

• Local elected officials speak out to landmark Theatre 80 ahead of auction

Foxface closing Friday ahead of a move to new Avenue A space

Photo from 2019 by Stacie Joy 

Foxface, the specialty sandwich shop inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place, is closing this Friday ahead of a move to Avenue A.

As previously reported, Foxface has been working on a new outpost at 189 Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street. This location will be open in a few weeks, per an email sent yesterday to Foxface customers. 

The owners, East Village residents Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat, said the new spot "will be a bit of everything (but perhaps not a sandwich shop). We hope to see you there very soon." 

The original Foxface opened in late 2018, drawing a positive review from Pete Wells at The New York Times.

The move also comes as Theatre 80, the historic East Village property that houses a performance space, the William Barnacle Tavern and Museum of the American Gangster, will be forced to close in the weeks ahead for a bankruptcy auction. This article in the Post from last month has more about what has transpired at the iconic space. (More background here.)

Owner Lorcan Otway's father bought the adjoining properties, 78 and 80 St. Mark's Place, in 1964.

Checking in on Foxface Al Fresco on St. Mark's Place

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

During the COVID-19 crisis, Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat, the owners of Foxface, have continued to be creative with their the shop inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theater 80 on St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue.



Back in the spring, the East Village residents introduced several new offerings, including Provisions, a pantry of sorts, and the Foxface Farm Stand, where you can order farm-fresh items such as eggs, dairy, meats and honey. In addition, there's the Bread Stand, where fresh baked bread is available.

Now they've unveiled Foxface Al Fresco, a curbside dining option with a summer seafood menu, including local oysters and lobster from Maine. Lorcan Otway, Theater 80's owner and the proprietor of the William Barnacle Tavern, is offering a selection of wines and cocktails.



Ori told me that he had carefully set up the restaurant’s outdoor cafe to the city’s code, only to be told by the Department of Transportation that it was no longer following specifications and that they had 24 hours to correct the situation and to be in compliance, then reapply for approval. He was also told the restaurant faced hefty fines if they didn’t comply.

Foxface was featured in the Times last week. As Pete Wells reported:

Mr. Kushnir lost two days of business, he said, in addition to the more than $3,000 he had to spend on new, 18-inch-deep planters. "Anybody who tried to do the right thing the first time, and is trying to do the right thing now, is spending thousands of dollars on this," he said.

The couple show me the new planters they had built, and the repurposed plywood from the places that had boarded up during the pandemic. They speak about the research they conducted at the greenmarket before buying a tent, and about the confusing and fluctuating governmental requirements for restaurants to operate under PAUSE.

Our conversation is cut short by the arrival of the reservation-holders eager for their 5:30 dinner reservations...





For now, Foxface is open Thursday through Saturday... they are serving sandwiches from noon to 4 p.m., and dinner from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Keep tabs on the hours, menus and specials via Instagram. (And they are promising something special for this Sunday.)

Foxface is selling sandwiches again

[Photo from April by Stacie Joy]

For the first time in six weeks, Foxface will once again be making some of their signature sandwiches from their outpost at 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue.

Today and tomorrow, they'll be serving The Smoking Fox and Of Montreal. You can order online and schedule your preferred pickup time.

In recent weeks, Foxface stopped making their sandwiches while introducing several new offerings, including Provisions, a pantry of sorts, and the Foxface Farm Stand, where you can order farm-fresh items such as eggs, dairy, meats and honey.

Meanwhile, for more information on local businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, check out the interactive map created by the East Village Community Coalition (EVCC) along with residents Perry Leung, Paul Gale and Zhi Keng He ... the EVG link is here ... the EVCC link is here.

Foxface introduces new offerings, including the Foxface Farm Stand

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

In recent weeks during the COVID-19 crisis, Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat, the owners of Foxface, have stopped making their signature sandwiches from the shop inside Theater 80 on St. Mark's Place.



Instead, the East Village residents have introduced several new offerings, including Provisions, a pantry of sorts, and the Foxface Farm Stand, where you can order farm-fresh items such as eggs, dairy, meats and honey. In addition, there's the Bread Stand, where fresh baked bread is available.

Sivan walked me through how it works.

For starters, visit their website at this link to place an order for pick up at Foxface, 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue, Friday through Sunday noon to 4 p.m.



Provisions features pantry items, canned foods and their homemade pastrami, among other items, that are available to order any time before the weekend pick up.

The deadline for the Bread Stand is 10 a.m. on Wednesdays for pick up on Friday.

The order deadline for the Farm Stand, which will soon feature fresh produce, is 9 a.m. on Tuesdays.

Ori and Sivan test and curate everything they sell.

"We guarantee top quality and freshness," Sivan told me. "The farms we use are all nice small family operations less than 100 miles away."

Here are the eggs that I purchased and picked up on Saturday...



You can find more details and see photos of their offerings via the Foxface Instagram account here.

Hit sandwich connoisseurs Foxface opening a new venture in the former Harry & Ida's space on Avenue A

Foxface, the tiny shop for adventurous sandwich seekers at 80 St. Mark's Place in Theatre 80, is opening a new venture on Avenue A near 12th Street.

East Village residents Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat made the announcement on Instagram this morning... offering details on what they have planned for the former Harry & Ida's Meat and Supply Co., where owners Julie and Will Horowitz closed on Nov. 25 after four-and-a-half years of business.

View this post on Instagram

Dear Friends, Sometimes things just fall into place. Ever since we opened Foxface we've been daydreaming of a space nearby where we could smoke, ferment, dry, cure and otherwise transform ingredients in ways that do not fit in our tiny kitchen. Our dream "nearby" was probably in industrial Brooklyn, but then, out of the blue, @willhorowitz stopped by for a sandwich and casually mentioned he and @shweetums might be looking to pass on their smokehouse a few blocks away... You can imagine that we were doing all sorts of happy dances inside while trying to keep our cool fox faces. 🦊 💃🕺... This felt like it won't just be great for us and our sandwiches (and @sivantokyo's sanity whenever @orikushnir comes up with yet another loopy idea), but also like it would be a way to keep the cultural asset that Will & Julie have given the neighborhood from being replaced, in all likelihood, by a bro bar. (not that we have anything against bro bars - we have everything against them) We ramble, but to TLDR: We're happy to announce that in spring 2020 (we hope), @Foxface_Provisions will be opening as a smokehouse, tasting room, and preservation commissary in the space that once housed @harryandidas on Avenue A. See you there soon, and at Foxface in the meantime!

A post shared by Foxface (@foxface_nyc) on Dec 18, 2019 at 8:23am PST

So look for Foxface Provisions — a smokehouse, tasting room and preservation commissary — later in the spring of 2020. They will keep the small current space at 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue, which they opened late last year. Pete Wells is among the fans of Foxface.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

Acclaimed pastrami purveyors Harry & Ida's will close this month on Avenue A

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Updated the original post from today...


From time to time we'll take a look at some recently available retail space... such as 189 Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street.

The 950-square-foot (plus basement) storefront, which previously housed Harry & Ida's, has a monthly ask of $9,500, per the listing... which notes this is a "Heavily Trafficked East Village Location" with a "Close Proximity to Tompkins Square Park."

The Harry & Ida's Meat and Supply Co. closed on Nov. 25 after four-and-a-half years of business.

The New South Philly at Foxface

The latest creative offering at Foxface on St. Mark's Place caught the eye of EVG contributor Stacie Joy ... the New South Philly, featuring kangaroo loin, caramelized onion, green pepper and fontina sauce...



Available for a limited time, along with the Paint It Black with cuttlefish and black lentils.

The tiny shop for adventurous sandwich seekers at 80 St. Mark's Place in Theatre 80 is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m., then 5:30-9:30 p.m. ... and noon to 9 p.m. (or when they sell out!) on Saturday and Sunday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

Foxface now selling sandwiches 6 days a week with addition of Tuesday service

[Photo by Stacie Joy]

Foxface continues to expand its hours of operation.

The unique sandwich shop inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theatre 80 is now open on Tuesdays...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Foxface (@foxface_nyc) on Nov 11, 2019 at 7:17am PST

So moving forward, Foxface is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m., then 5:30-9:30 p.m. ... and noon to 9 p.m. (or when they sell out!) on Saturday and Sunday.

East Village residents Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat opened Foxface, 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue, late last year. Pete Wells is among the fans of Foxface.

H/T Steven!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

Longer hours now for Foxface on St. Mark's Place

[Photo by Stacie Joy]

You now have more hours in the day in which to try Foxface, the small sandwich operation inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theatre 80 that East Village residents Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat opened late last year.

The owners announced extended hours for Foxface, 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue, starting today. So moving forward: Wednesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m., then 5:30-9:30 p.m. ... and noon to 9 p.m. (or when they sell out!) on Saturday and Sunday.

Visit this link to see the daily sandwich specials and to order ahead. They've seen an uptick in business since Pete Wells at the Times filed a favorable review of Foxface in late August.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

Pete Wells visits Foxface

[Photo by Stacie Joy]

Late last year, East Village residents Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat opened Foxface, a small sandwich operation inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place.

And for his latest review at the Times, Pete Wells pays a visit... and he liked what he found.

Lately I have fallen under the spell of an East Village restaurant called Foxface. The cooking there is hard to pin down, geographically. Stopping in a few weeks ago, I ate Low Countryish wild red shrimp on grits, with sweet corn off the cob and a potent saffron-lobster sauce. More recently, I had skinless pork sausage inspired by sai ua, the spicy and tangy specialty identified with the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. The soft tripe I enjoyed the other weekend had been simmered with ’nduja, the fiery and malleable Calabrian sausage, and then covered with a few thin shingles of shaved pecorino.

He also describes the unique (and small!) work environment in which Kushnir and Lahat create their sandwiches...

Like the fox in the logo, Ms. Lahat has coppery hair and wears cat’s-eye glasses. She prepares the orders in the room behind the window, which measures 48 square feet. Inside the building, under the stairs, Foxface has a second room. Mr. Kushnir thinks it could be as large as 14 square feet.

A variety of equipment is stowed in the two rooms, including three induction burners, a roaster, a smoker and a dishwasher. After business hours, some of it comes out as Mr. Kushnir supervises the more time-consuming roasts and stews. He describes the food that he and Ms. Lahat cook as “dishes we like to eat, reimagined as sandwiches.”

In the end, the review reads a lot more positively than you might think for one star (it is a NYT Critic's Pick).

Meanwhile, read our Q-and-A with the owners at the link below...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

H/T Steven!

Noted

The East Village residents who run Foxface, the sandwich shop at 80 St. Mark's Place, reported the following today...

View this post on Instagram

I hope this lovely couple get to enjoy the ipad they snatched from us today.

A post shared by Foxface (@foxface_nyc) on Mar 9, 2019 at 1:16pm PST

... and the money shot...

Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

[All photos by Stacie Joy]

Late last year, East Village residents Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat opened Foxface, a small sandwich operation inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place.



The space — featuring a narrow sliding window facing the sidewalk with a small counter inside the door — became available after Feltman's moved out last fall after two-plus year peddling hot dogs from here.

The situation seemed ideal for Kushnir and Lahat, who are married and live in the building here at No. 80 between First Avenue and Second Avenue. A few of the ingredients were even grown in the garden behind the building.

After several weeks of limited hours, the two are now opening Foxface (as of yesterday) for business five days a week (see below for schedule).

Here's Ori on how Foxface came about:

We first moved into the building exactly 15 years ago, and have watched [owner Lorcan Otway] revive the theater and the bar after the Pearl Theatre left.

This past October we had just come back after spending five years in Japan where we had some fun with pop-up restaurants, and we'd been toying with the idea of opening something in New York when Lorcan told us that Feltman's was leaving to focus on his retail business.

We didn't know exactly what it was that we'd do there but the appeal of the commute and operating a mom-and-pop shop in the neighborhood was such that we just told Lorcan we'll take the space. We went ahead and renovated the kitchen, developed an initial menu of sandwiches and started serving food to the street and into the William Barnacle Tavern while working on seating arrangements, a nice wine list and other improvements.

We try not to make too much of a point about our background, the ingredients we use, etc., as we feel the food should speak for itself, but I will say that we must be the only place on St. Mark's Place using hot sauce made from chili peppers grown on the block, so their commute is as short as ours.



On the reception so far:

The first few weeks have been great, despite the cold weather. We opened quietly ... but feedback has been very positive and it's a joy watching people loving your food, coming back for more, and sending their friends over. The local business community has also been amazingly supportive — shout out to Abraço, and to the very friendly team at the Holiday.



On the menu:

We're trying to serve five sandwiches every day, with one or two new ones introduced every week, and a soup or stew during winter. I think the Smoking Fox (smoked boneless rib, coleslaw, pickles, homemade spicy sauce) is going to be there permanently as people love it, but otherwise we'll just keep changing with the seasons.

View this post on Instagram

Peter Peter - Egg, kabocha, gruyere, brie, pumpkin seeds.

A post shared by Foxface (@foxface_nyc) on Dec 29, 2018 at 1:13pm PST

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Foxface is located inside Theatre 80, 80 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Hours — Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 12:30-3p.m.; 6 p.m. until sold out. Saturday and Sunday: 1 p.m. until sold out

You can find their daily menu and other updates via the Foxface Instagram account at this link.

Thanks to Stacie Joy for all the photos!