Presenting the Shops on East Fifth Street

Last July, the owners of three businesses had to vacate their storefronts due to a structural issue in the building at 300 E. Fifth St. just east of Second Avenue.

S & P Liquor & Wine eventually moved to Second Avenue after one false start reopening in the storefront … while Jamie the check-cashing guy, whose family owned the business for 68 years, had to shut down at the end of 2014 as repairs dragged on. He had been operating for five months from a secure van outside his shop. (Not sure what happened with the third place — Today's Cut hair salon. Updated: They moved to East Seventh Street just west of Avenue A.)

Now that the old businesses have moved on, the landlord has refurbished and rebranded the space, which is now going by The Shops of East Fifth Street, per the for lease sign that recently arrived…



As you can see, the space is divisible … though no food. We didn't spot the listing just yet online.



Thanks to EVG reader Steven for the photos!

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 small businesses temporarily closed due to structural issues at 300 E. 5th St.

Today is the last day in business on East 5th Street for Jamie the check-cashing guy

[Photo from August by James Maher]

Back in July, the owners of three business had to vacate their storefronts due to a structural issue in an apartment above in 300 E. Fifth St. just east of Second Avenue.

Since then, Jamie the check-cashing guy, whose family has owned the business for 68 years, had been operating from a secure van outside his shop.

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to make it work as repairs dragged on in the building.

Today is his last day.

The check-cashing business has been at the current address for 58 years … and on East 10th Street for 10 years before that. Jamie's grandparents opened the shop in 1946.

We interviewed him for our Out and About in the East Village feature back in September.

My grandparents used to take me into the store when I was 8 years old. They had four stores. All the brothers and my grandfather had a store. There was another store on Broadway and Bleecker. I was always taken to that store. That was where my grandmother would take me, away from my grandfather and uncle. I was always the guy running up the bills, when everything was pen and paper. On the weekends if I didn’t run out fast enough it was, ‘You’re helping grandma today.’ That was how I got started.

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 small businesses temporarily closed due to structural issues at 300 E. 5th St.

S & P Liquor & Wine back in business on East 5th Street for real

OK, back in October we pointed out that S & P Liquor & Wine at 300 E. Fifth St. just east of Second Avenue had reopened after the city closed the business for a structural issue in one of the apartments in the building above…

Unfortunately, they had to close again for further repairs in October.

But! EVG readers Steven and Moe both told us that S & P reopened last Friday … in total, they missed about four months of income due to the city-mandated closure.

While this is good news for S & P, Jamie the check-chasing guy next door is still operating from the van outside while waiting for repairs to be completed in his storefront.

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 small businesses temporarily closed due to structural issues at 300 E. 5th St.

Gutting the check-cashing shop on East 5th Street

The saga continues for three small businesses on East Fifth Street just east of Second Avenue... back in July, the shopkeepers had to vacate their storefronts due to a structural issue in one of the apartments above in 300 E. Fifth St.

This week several readers noted that Jamie's check-cashing storefront has been gutted... as these photos via Derek Berg show...



Jamie, whose family has owned the business for 67 years, has moved his operation to a secure van outside his shop... He is understandably frustrated, but remains hopeful that he can return soon... workers are strengthening the ceiling and floor joists.

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 small businesses temporarily closed due to structural issues at 300 E. 5th St.

S & P Liquor & Wine back in business on East 5th Street

Back in late July, the city ordered three small businesses on East Fifth Street just east of Second Avenue to vacate their storefronts due to a "structural" issue in one of the apartments in the building above…

Goggla tells us that the liquor store has returned … they haven't fully restocked the shelves just yet (the landlord made them move their stock from the basement to a warehouse). However, they are still able to make deliveries.

Unfortunately, Jamie the check-chasing guy is still operating from the van outside his storefront. (Today's Cut hair salon remains closed too.)



Last month, Jamie offered us this explanation about the situation:

What happened was there was some construction being done [in the building] and a person put their foot through the ceiling. The person below them had enough and finally called the fire department and police department. Because of the condition of the place, the fire department looked, didn’t like what they saw, didn’t see any permits, and they went around the whole building. By the end of the day, it was everybody out — full vacate.

Updated 8:28 p.m.

Read the comments... looks as if they will have to close again for some repairs...

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 small businesses temporarily closed due to structural issues at 300 E. 5th St.