Christmas Eve, Astor Place

Jerry Delakas at Jerry's Newsstand, site of one of the more positive neighborhood stories this year.

Photo by Kelly King

Why Jerry's Newsstand will be closed for a few days

Been a pretty banner year so far for Jerry Delakas ... as the city gave him a new lease on the Astor Place newsstand that he has operated since 1987.

Unfortunately, as you can see in the above sign, there's a temporary setback. Jerry has bronchitis and won't be able to reopen the newsstand until he recovers.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

How 1 resilient East Village resident helped save Jerry's Newsstand

How 1 resilient East Village resident helped save Jerry's Newsstand

[Photo by Michael Paul via Facebook.]

On Dec. 10, East Village resident Kelly King read the news that the city shut down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place. She was devastated. For her, Jerry Delakas was a familiar face in a neighborhood that continued to quickly evolve, and not always for the better.

A subsequent photo that Jeremiah Moss published that day at Vanishing New York brought her to tears.


[Photo via Jeremiah Moss]

Jerry told Jeremiah that the city did not tell him they were seizing his stand he had operated here outside the downtown 6 entrance since 1987. (Jerry sublet the newsstand, and the city later reportedly blocked his attempts to transfer the license to his name.)

On Dec. 11, King made flyers and hung them on the shuttered newsstand. She decided to hold a rally the next day for Jerry, who was still coming to the newsstand every day as he always did.

"I am going to stand up for him. I am going to give what I have to give," King, who first moved here in 1985, told us that day.

The early rallies were sparsely attended… A Fox reporter showed up on Astor Place, though it turned out that she was doing a story about customer names on the cups at the Starbucks behind the newsstand


[Photo by Michael Paul via Facebook.]

Still, King and several residents, including East Village photographer Michael Paul, Judy Rosenblatt as well as CB2 member Marty Tessler, continued to stand out in the cold and hand out flyers and encourage people to call the Public Advocate's office. They also created a Save Jerry's Facebook page.

Anyway, you likely know the rest of the story. Jerry's plight eventually picked up momentum in the media. With the help of lawyer Arthur Schwartz, who worked pro bono, and the intervention of Mayor de Blasio, the city agreed to reopen the stand (though Jerry has to pay a $9,000 fine).

Now that Jerry's Newsstand is back up and running, we asked King a few questions via Facebook about why she decided to fight on his behalf...

What initially inspired you to help Jerry?

Jerimiah Moss's photo on your site of Jerry locked out in the cold made me cry. I saw Taylor Mead being aggressively forced out of his home. I regretted not protesting [what was happening] to Taylor Mead. When I saw Jerry, I was so sad — and mad.

Was there a point where you thought that there wasn't any chance to get a new license for Jerry?

I never felt there wasn't a chance. Never. I just made the commitment to try as long as it took. You have to be committed.


[Photo from Dec. 22 via the Save Jerry's Facebook page]

What do you think was the turning point for Jerry?

Rev. Billy and his choir were a real turning point for Jerry. [Rev. Billy turned out for a rally on Dec. 22.] It helped balance out the abuse that Jerry was suffering. That really rebuilt his spirit. Something lightened up. He made more people aware of the situation in the community.


[Photo via the Save Jerry's Facebook page]

Personally, what was the highlight for you in helping Jerry this past month?

The highlight was Jerry giggling to himself ... after the open house at Gracie Mansion on Jan. 5. He was giggling over my pushing past all the "no's" at the gates of the open house with the little Jerry's Newsstand that we made to give to the Mayor. There were all these "no's," but somehow we got to "yes." He was giggling thinking about it. Seeing him appreciate the odds, and the results, to giggle thinking about it. That was the best.


Photo by Michael Paul via Facebook.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Helping Save Jerry

City says Jerry Delakas can operate Astor Place Newsstand

A celebration at Jerry's Newsstand this afternoon

There is a Celebration Rally today from 3-5 p.m. at Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place… in honor of his new license with the city…

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Helping Save Jerry

City says Jerry Delakas can operate Astor Place Newsstand

Photo by Michael Paul via Facebook.

Jerry's Newsstand is back open for business today, and this was his first customer

It's Daniel buying a soda ... Jerry Delakas is open for business again today after the city closed his newsstand nearly five weeks ago for "operating illegally" ... he won't be fully stocked up with newspapers and what not for another day or so...

You can read this piece by Colin Moynihan in the Times from Tuesday for all the background on what transpired here.

Photo by Hawkeye Bulletin.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

City says Jerry Delakas can operate Astor Place Newsstand

Jerry Delakas is back inside his Astor Place newsstand

[Photo via Animal NY]

At 11:47 this morning, a locksmith let Jerry Delakas back into the newsstand outside the downtown 6 entrance on Astor Place that he has operated since 1987.

As we first reported on Dec. 10, the city shut down the newsstand for "operating illegally." Delakas never had the license transferred to his own name after the city blocked numerous attempts by the family who held the license to do so.

Yesterday, the city agreed to issue Delakas a license. One stipulation: He must pay a $9,000 fine over the course of the next year.

No word on exactly when he's going to start selling stuff again... but he's back.

Animal NY has more on this morning's events here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Helping Save Jerry

City says Jerry Delakas can operate Astor Place Newsstand

Thank you, and good night

Jerry Delakas on Astor Place this evening… hours after learning that the city will let him reopen the newsstand that he has operated since 1987.

Photo by Michael Paul via the Save Jerry's Newsstand Facebook page.

City says Jerry Delakas can operate Astor Place Newsstand

[From the Save Jerry's Facebook page]

A long, contentious battle battle between Jerry Delakas and the city is over. There was talk earlier today that Delakas would be able to continue to operate the newsstand at Astor Place as he has done since 1987.

As Serena Solomon reports this afternoon at DNAinfo, the city has agreed to issue Delakas a license. One stipulation: He must pay a $9,000 fine over the course of the next year.

Per DNA:

"I think it shows a different stance on small business [under de Blasio], and a lot of those smaller businesses that have been set upon by city government should find this encouraging to fight back," said Advocates for Justice lawyer Arthur Schwartz, who is representing Delakas.

Delakas must pay the city $1,000 for a new license before he can reopen, plus the first $1,000 out of a $9,000 fine, according to legal documents.

He has to pay another $3,000 in May, $2,000 in August and $3,000 by Nov. 1, according to the documents.

The newsstand could be back open as soon as Wednesday.

As we first reported on Dec. 10, the city shut down the newsstand he has run the past 26 years for "operating illegally." Delakas never had the license transferred to his own name after the city blocked numerous attempts by the family who held the license to do so.

On Jan. 5, Mayor de Blasio promised to have his aides look into the situation with the newsstand.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Helping Save Jerry

Report: Jerry Delakas receives 2 weeks to reach deal with city to operate Astor Place newsstand

Some potentially good news to pass along. The city has granted Jerry Delakas two weeks to reach an agreement with the city to continue operating the newsstand at Astor Place, Serena Soloman reports this afternoon at DNAinfo.

Per her article:

"This will give us two weeks to work things out," said Arthur Schwartz, an attorney from Advocate for Justice, which is representing Delakas. "If someone else gets in that would be a big mess."

Schwartz also filed a petition Wednesday in an ongoing effort to get the 64-year-old Delakas temporary approval to operate the newsstand — his only source of income — while the city makes its decision.

Schwartz said the fight for Delakas to be granted his own license by the Department of Consumer Affairs will be "an uphill battle," because he had been operating under the umbrella of a former owner and never had the license transferred into his name.

"He will only get his license back if the mayor intervenes," Schwartz said.

Mayor de Blasio is said to be aware of the situation with the newsstand, which Delakas has operated since 1987.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Helping Save Jerry

Newsstand vendor Jerry Delakas meets Mayor de Blasio

By now, you likely know the situation with Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place outside the downtown 6 entrance.

On Dec. 9, the Department of Consumer Affairs shut down the stand that Jerry Delakas has operated the past 26 years before he could file an appeal with the city to stay in business. (Find more background about this ongoing legal battle here.)

On Sunday, Jerry was one of the thousands of New Yorkers to stand in line to meet Mayor de Blasio at Gracie Mansion.



In total, he waited three hours…



He eventually got to meet the mayor.

From the Save Jerry's Newsstand Facebook page:

Jerry met new mayor Bill de Blasio who said of Jerry's Newsstand to Jerry "Great place!" Paraphrasing the rest: after being told of lock out, de Blasio said he 'is aware, there is a great injustice, and then instructed his aides to 'get on it immediately.' ... Jerry then spoke to aid who took from him the specifics of the case.

Jerry and East Village resident Kelly King also presented the mayor with a mini Jerry's Newsstand. (Jeremiah Moss has a lot more details today on the mini stand and the meet-and-greet with the mayor.)



Meanwhile, there is word that State Supreme Court Justice Carol E. Hull will hear arguments tomorrow "on whether the stand should be reopened while the appeal is pending," as The New York Times put it.



And Jerry's supporters are holding a "We Got Your Back" rally tomorrow morning at 9 on the steps of New York County Courts at 60 Centre Street ahead of the hearing.

You can find more information at the Save Jerry's Newsstand Facebook page.

Meanwhile today, Colin Moynihan files a piece for the Times on the case and the changes that Jerry has seen on Astor Place since he started at the newsstand in 1987.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Helping Save Jerry

There is a Save Jerry's Newsstand Rally today

[Photo by Michael Paul]

There is a rally today from 4-6 at Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place outside the downtown 6 entrance.

On Dec. 9, the Department of Consumer Affairs shut down the stand that Jerry Delakas has operated the past 26 years before he could file an appeal with the city to stay in business. (Find more background about this ongoing legal battle here.)

Last Sunday, an estimated 100 people (including Rev. Billy) gathered for a rally here…


[Photo via the Save Jerry's Facebook page]

A few other updates about the situation via the Save Jerry's Newsstand Facebook page:

This past Monday, Arthur Schwartz, Jerry's attorney, petitioned Judge Carol E Hull for a hearing on the violation of his due process ... "and we wait to hear if she will hear his grievances."

Meanwhile, as we mentioned in a previous post, a resident who lives nearby continued to rip down the signs of support from Jerry's Newsstand every night… the resident waited until Jerry left the area to remove the signs… well, one night last week, Jerry apparently stuck around and staked out the newsstand… he caught her in the act. They talked, and she agreed to stop. No word on why she continued to do this.

You can find more information at the Save Jerry's Newsstand Facebook page …

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Helping Save Jerry

Helping Save Jerry

From the EVG inbox… several people here and on Facebook asked if there was a way to help out Jerry Delakas, who the city locked out of the Astor Place newsstand that he has operated the past 26 years… several residents have come together to set up the following...

There is now a contribution box at The New York Copy Center at 34 E. Seventh St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (cash only, no checks). All proceeds will be given to Jerry.

Please use PAYPAL to send money to this email.

And there's another rally today from 4:30-6 p.m. at Jerry's shuttered newsstand outside the downtown 6 at Astor Place.

You can find more information at the "Save Jerry's Newsstand" Facebook page …

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Over on Astor Place outside the downtown 6, Jerry Delakas remains businessless. As we first reported last Tuesday, the city shut down the newsstand he has run the past 26 years for "operating illegally." (Long story. Find a good recap here.)

East Village resident Kelly King and Community Board 2 member Marty Tessler have been helping organize support for Jerry. Last night, a "Save Jerry's Newsstand" Facebook page arrived … and there's another rally tomorrow afternoon from 4:30-6 p.m.

However, time is running out. Word is Jerry has until Saturday to pay the city $37,000 to keep his newsstand … or he will have to permanently vacate the space. Of course, the city shut down his newsstand 11 days ahead of the deadline, preventing him from making any revenue.

NY1 had a report on this situation last night:

“We're about to file our appeal when they slapped the padlock on, and as far as we're concerned he was entitled to stay here until his appeal was decided, we think it's a violation of his due process rights,” said Delakas’ lawyer, Arthur Schwartz.

Councilwoman Rosie Mendez says Delakas deserves to keep operating, this is his only source of income and he's the sole provider for a sick brother.

“In this great city, one of the things we're known for I think, is sort of having compassion and looking at when there is an exception to policy, I think this would be the case,” said Mendez.

Meanwhile, there are rumblings that some residents who live in the building above Starbucks want the newsstand to go away. There are also stories of a female resident who rips down the signs of support from Jerry's Newsstand every night.

At Jerry's Newsstand today

East Village resident Kelly King and a handful of other folks handed out flyers today outside Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place… they were hoping to raise awareness about the stand that Jerry Delakas has operated since 1987. (The Department of Consumer Affairs shuttered the stand for "operating illegally" following an ongoing legal battle. He has a little more than a week to appeal the ruling that he fork over $37,000 or vacate.)

Delakas was there as well, and spoke to a reporter from the Daily News, who stayed on the scene a good hour… East Village-based photographer Michael Paul shared these photos...





There was also a reporter there from Fox 5, though she was filming a segment about Starbucks.

East Village resident holding rally this morning in support of Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place

Late yesterday afternoon, East Village resident Kelly King put up these signs on the currently shuttered newsstand that Jerry Delakas has operated since 1987 next to the downtown 6 at Astor Place.

As we first reported on Tuesday, the Department of Consumer Affairs shuttered the stand for "operating illegally" following an ongoing legal battle. He has a little more than a week to appeal the ruling that he fork over $37,000 or vacate.

Delakas was unaware that the city was going to seize his stand, as Jeremiah Moss learned. As Jeremiah noted, Delakas saw the broken padlock, and initially thought that he had been robbed.

So King is taking it upon herself to hold a rally this morning at 11 outside the newsstand. (She says that Delakas will be there as well.)

"He is not a fancy type to have the deep legal education to fight corruption off — he is a newsstand man. He is a villager. He is one of our own," King told me via Facebook. "I am going to stand up for him. I am going to give what I have to give."

And she hopes that some other residents will also be able to to stop by to show support for Delakas today...



EVG reader dbs shared these photos from last night...

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

[Photo via Jeremiah Moss]

As we reported earlier today, the city shut down the newsstand that Jerry Delakas has operated on Astor Place since 1987.

Jeremiah Moss walked by today to find Jerry standing, rather bewildered, in the snow outside the newsstand.

He showed me the broken padlock he found and said, "I just got here. I thought someone broke in." Someone did. It was the city that broke Jerry's lock and put on a lock of their own so he could not open for business today.

Jerry has 11 days to appeal the recent ruling that he vacate his space.

As mentioned earlier, the Department of Consumer Affairs decided in November that in order to have the license, Jerry has to pay $37,000 within a month. Has the city considered that it might be difficult to make that payment if he can't open for business?

Head to Jeremiah's Vanishing New York for more on this development.

City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The city continues its assault on Jerry Delakas and the newsstand that he has operated on Astor Place since 1987. The latest: The city shut it down yesterday for "operating illegally."



You probably know the back story by now: He has operated the stand here for 25-plus years. However, he's not the legal license holder. He has been subleasing the newsstand from the family who held the license. Per previous published reports, it was the dying wish of the woman who held the license to allow him to operate the stand and designated him as heir.

But that has never sat well with the city, who has spent a lot of money arguing over and over again that Delakas isn't a family member, so he doesn't have succession rights.

According to a Nov. 26 post at the Save Jerry page on Facebook:

I just received bad news ... unfortunately [the Department of Consumer Affairs] decided that in order to have the license Jerry has to pay $37,000 within a month.

Back in February, he was denied his license again by the State courts. They granted him the right to remain at the newsstand until the end of this mayoral administration.

That is now looking less likely.

Update: Ugh. Here's some more on the story.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Expect to see Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place through Mayor Bloomberg's last term in office

Expect to see Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place through Mayor Bloomberg's last term in office

[Via Jerry's Newsstand on Facebook]

You know the story of Jerry Delakas, who has been running the newsstand at Astor Place since 1987. As the Daily News put it in April 2011: "The city is booting Jerry Delakas, 62, .... because he's not the legal license holder. That decision contradicts the dying wish of the woman who held the license, happily allowed him to operate the stand and designated him as heir."

In the eyes of the city, this is an illegal arrangement. Last fall, the city retained — for free — the services of powerhouse international law firm Proskauer Rose for the eviction process. Previously, the city used a Law Department attorney. "The lawyer handling the matter worked on it while part of the city’s Public Service Program for young attorneys before she left to go into private practice," a city spokesperson told the Post last September. "It made complete sense for her to continue on the case given that she’d worked on it since its inception."

From the Daily News in 2011:

Outraged neighbors say the chain-smoking character with a thick Greek accent and heart of gold has become a neighborhood institution. "Jerry's here rain, snow, sleet, blistering heat," said Larry Schulz, 68, who lives across the street. "He's just a real important part of our community. We think the world of him."

We haven't heard much since then about the situation. In the comments the other day, EVG reader BT mentioned that Delakas suffered a serious hand injury last fall.

Here's the latest on the situation with the city, based on information passed along by director Nicole Cimino at a Feb. 9 screening of "The Paperhouse Report," a 25-minute documentary about Delakas.

In short: He was denied his license again by the State courts. They granted him the right to remain at the newsstand until the end of this mayoral administration. He and his lawyer are planning on contacting the next mayor's administration to see if they have any desire to see Jerry keep his newsstand.

So Bloomberg is out at the end of the year... so you can expect to see Delakas here for perhaps the next 12 months at the very least... And he is on his third physical newsstand now... the one that he had starting in 1987 (his brother Aris is pictured in the photo directly below...)





The one that he upgraded per city requests in 1993 ... (which he says cost him $55,000)



And his current home, which the city Cemusa'd in 2007...

[Photo by James Maher from January 2012. Find more photos here]

Read more about Jerry's situation at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York. You can watch the documentary at Vimeo here. Like Jerry's Newsstand on Facebook here.

[Archival newsstand photos via "The Paper House" website]

The city really wants Jerry Delakas out of Astor Place

[Photo by James Maher from January. Find more photos here]

Apparently the city will stop at nothing to evict longtime Astor Place newsstand vendor Jerry Delakas. The Post reports this morning that the city has retained — for free — the services of powerhouse international law firm Proskauer Rose for the eviction process. Previously, the city used a Law Department attorney.

Said the steamed attorney for Delakas: "What this means is that while Proskauer could have used its pro-bono time toward protecting battered women or saving someone from execution, deportation or eviction. Instead, that time was taken up assisting the city in conducting an eviction!"

Delakas has been in the space for 25 years. He has been subleasing the newsstand from the family who held the license. However, in the eyes of the city, this is an illegal arrangement.

A city Law Department spokesperson told the Post: "The city must decide who can operate newsstands in a fair and evenhanded way. The fact that Mr. Delakas flouted the rules for so long cannot — and should not — be the basis for denying another vendor an opportunity that's rightfully his or hers."

As for retaining an attorney who works for a firm charging upwards of $800 an hour:

"The lawyer handling the matter worked on it while part of the city’s Public Service Program for young attorneys before she left to go into private practice," the spokesperson said. "It made complete sense for her to continue on the case given that she’d worked on it since its inception."

Does this make complete sense to you?

Read more about Jerry's situation at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York.