The NYPD yesterday removed some of the barriers surrounding the southwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place… making it a little easier to access the businesses on Second Avenue that have been able to reopen after
the explosion that killed two people and destroyed three buildings on March 26.
In this week's issue,
Crain's New York Business looks at how the local merchants are struggling since reopening.
Paul's Da Burger Joint was able to starting serving again on Monday at 131 Second Ave. Here's owner Matt Wardrop:
His problems are compounded by a lack of business-interruption insurance, which would have covered losses for the days the restaurant was closed. Insufficient coverage is a frequent problem for small-business owners, who are always looking to cut what can seem like nonessential costs.
"If you're on a mom-and-pop scale, a business-interruption policy is so expensive, if you never need it, you lost a lot of money paying for it, so you take your chances," Mr. Wardrop.
Also:
But even on streets that aren't barricaded, and where stores didn't have to close for four days, the disruption of the neighborhood's foot-traffic patterns is continuing. The maze of barricades and fire trucks has cut business by 50% at New Yorkers Foodmarket, on Second Avenue between East Sixth and East Seventh streets, according to owner Michael Schumacher. That's added up to a $50,000 loss of sales during the past week.
Unlike Paul's Da Burger's insurance policy, Foodmarket's does include business-interruption coverage. But Mr. Schumacher said it doesn't extend to a slowdown in business caused by disruptions somewhere else.
The last time his store was in this much trouble was after Superstorm Sandy. But the supermarket owner says this disaster is worse.
"With Sandy, there were no businesses open, and afterwards everybody opened up at the same time," Mr. Schumacher said. "Business came right back. I don't know if business is going to come back, because people are finding other stores to go to."
Taqueria Diana,
Ramen Misoya and
Himalayan Visions also reopened along here last week. Meanwhile, … B&H Dairy remains closed. In a Facebook message yesterday, B&H said "we will reopen by next week." Apparently the health department gave them the go-ahead, now they are just waiting for gas service.
As for when the entire block will be open, let's go back to
Crain's:
A spokeswoman for the Office of Emergency Management said that full access to [the] block — the west side of Second Avenue between St. Marks Place and East Seventh Street — will be restored once debris removal and the investigation of what is being treated as a crime scene are concluded. She could not provide a date.
