A new front window era at Le Fournil

On May 30, during a vandalism spree along Second Avenue, someone smashed the front window at Le Fournil, the French bakery at 115 Second Ave. at Seventh Street.

And yesterday, after four months of plywood-induced darkness inside the shop, Le Fournil introduced a new window... and thanked patrons for their support this summer in an Instagram post...

Green days: A neighbor helps a neighbor on 2nd Avenue

In other storefront news... Le Fournil was among the local businesses to suffer damage last Saturday night... someone smashed in the bakery's front window here at 115 Second Ave. at Seventh Street.

For now, cardboard and plywood cover the former window space. To help make the exterior look a little more inviting, Sunny Hwang, the owner of Sunny's Florist a block away on Sixth Street, donated some plants and flowers for Le Fournil's sidewalk, EVG contributor Derek Berg reports.

Windows smashed at Le Fournil, and other small businesses along 2nd Avenue

[Photo last night by Jackflashnyc]

A handful of protestors — said to be remants of the day's early peaceful demonstrators — smashed windows along Second Avenue last night. Le Fournil, the French bakery at 115 Second Ave. at Seventh Street, was among the local businesses to suffer damage.


[Reader-submitted photo]


[Photo this morning by Steven]

There were unconfirmed reports that someone attempted to start a fire out front. (Several trash cans and mattresses along the Avenue were set ablaze.)

Ownership shared this on the Le Fournil Instagram account...

View this post on Instagram

#WewillSurvive @lefournilnyc #i❤️baguette

A post shared by Le Fournil Bakery NYC (@lefournilnyc) on May 30, 2020 at 11:06pm PDT

Other damaged storefronts include B&H Dairy...



And further south on Second Avenue ... Cooper's Craft & Kitchen (all photos below by Steven)...



Plant Food & Wine...



The Gray Mare...



Kona Coffee...

Reader appreciation: Le Fournil Bakery

Via the EVG inbox:

The wonderful French bakery, Le Fournil, is open for takeout! They are selling delicious French pastries, some savory items and bread. I bought some indulgent items from them Saturday. Le Fournil's pastry lifted my spirits as only pastry can.

Le Fournil is at 115 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street (in the former Moishe's space). Their posted hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Closed Mondays.)

Want to share an appreciation of an East Village business that remains open? Send us an email here. (We'll see how this goes!)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Le Fournil Bakery NYC (@lefournilnyc) on Mar 26, 2020 at 8:40am PDT

Another look at Le Fournil, the French bakery now open in the former Moishe's space on 2nd Avenue

Here's a quick follow-up to yesterday's post about Le Fournil, the French bakery that opened yesterday in the former Moishe's space at 115 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

EVG contributor Steven took these photos, showing the gut-renovated interior... gone is the wood paneling and stuck-in-time homey vibe that Moishe's offered ...




[Photo by Derek Berg]

We're still waiting to find out more about the operators here (and if they will put up their own exterior signage) ...

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Updated 1/6

Per Gothamist, the owner is Jean-Francois Hebert, a third-generation baker from Normandy, France, who's been living in New York for eight years and working at places like Felix in SoHo and Cafe du Soleil on the Upper West Side.

Gothamist has more on the tiles that they unearthed here too.

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A quick take based on reader comments here and on social media — overall people seem to be happy that there's a new bakery that actually sells bread (and not more cookies and other sweets) ... there were a few grumbles about prices. Early taste tests were all positive.





... and an upclose shot of the menu via Eden...



Moishe's bake Shop closed back on March 5 after 40-plus years in business. In December, investor Jay Schwimmer picked up a 21-year lease for the entire three-story building with the option to buy it from Moishe Perl, who has been the owner since the mid-1970s. There's still nothing in public records indicating a sale — just a memorandum of lease.

No one seemed to know exactly what was going to happen with the space (including Mr. Perl, whose narrative changed in various media interviews), though EVG commenter GadgetFreak nailed it with news of a French bakery in a comment on March 25.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: After 40-plus years, Moishe's Bake Shop has closed on 2nd Avenue

The mystery of Moishe's

An update on the former Moishe's Bake Shop