3 for-rent signs along a once popular stretch of 7th Street

A rather sad state here on Seventh Street just east of First Avenue ... where for rent signs (now all via the same broker) hang in three consecutive storefronts that previously housed bustling quick-serve restaurants.

Most recently, Caracas Arepa Bar closed in early November at 91 E. Seventh St. The original location at at 93 1/2 E. Seventh St. suffered extensive fire damage in September 2016, and the owners were never able to reopen in the space, which has remained vacant. 

In the middle, the first outpost for Luke's Lobster's closed in October 2019.

Both Caracas Arepa Bar and Luke's carry on at other locations. These small spaces on Seventh Street seem ideal for other new businesses just starting out. 

As Luke's founders Luke Holden and Ben Conniff wrote in October 2019: "It's time for 93 E. 7th Street to help launch someone else's dream, and we can't wait to visit and support it."

After 10 years, Luke's Lobster is closing its East Village outpost on Oct. 31

After 10 years of operating in the East Village, Luke’s Lobster is closing their original operation at 93 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue at the end of this month.

While business is strong for the ever-expanding brand, the small space on Seventh Street no longer fits the company's vision for a Luke's dining experience.

Founders Luke Holden and Ben Conniff discuss the impending closure and share the story of their origins here via a blog post at the Luke's Lobster website.

It's hard to believe it's been over 10 years since we first walked into the space formerly known as "Sousa's Closet," a recently closed consignment shop at 93 E. 7th Street. It wasn't exactly what we would have envisioned for a lobster shack — just 225 square feet in one little room, with a tiny bathroom in the back corner that also served as an office. The walls and ceiling were painted an inexplicable combination of dark brown and light blue.

The space was cooled by an old window AC unit, and there was about enough electricity to power that and the overhead lights, and that's about it. But with the shoestring budget we had, this little shoebox was the biggest and best space we could find to launch Luke's Lobster.

In just 30 days, we and our friends and family did the best we could to turn that closet into an approximation of a lobster shack. We painted the walls a (slightly) better yellow, decorated with Luke's actual lobster buoys and traps from his time on the water, and added the basic mechanics: a dish sink, some electrical power, fridges, and a toaster. On day one we were slammed, and the seed for a growing business was planted.

It's been amazing and humbling to celebrate our 10th Anniversary this month. But there is one accompanying bit of sad news that we have yet to share, and that is the closing of our original location at 93 E. 7th Street at the end of this month.

Our 10 year lease is up, and we have had to think carefully about the space's future. As we've grown in New York, we've focused on building unique shacks that truly evoke the feeling of Maine, and with each one we've made changes that make our guests happier, including more space to sit and enjoy your meal. And over time, our guests have increasingly chosen those other Luke's locations to share their everyday celebrations with family and friends.

It would have been easy to just sign a lease renewal and keep our pocket of nostalgia going on 7th Street. But our responsibility to provide the best possible experience for all our guests and make the right decision on behalf of those 600 teammates and lobstermen partners outweighs that nostalgia (rest assured the whole 7th Street team has jobs at our other locations).

We hope that all our friends in the neighborhood will continue to visit us just a short walk away at our Union Square location [University Place between 13th Street and 14th Street] after we close on Oct. 31. We'll never lose the memories that our 7th Street location afforded us over the last 10 years, but we're lucky to still have the core of that day one team working with us toward the same mission today, and to have lasting friendships with those who have moved on. It's time for 93 E. 7th Street to help launch someone else's dream, and we can't wait to visit and support it.

Today, Luke’s Lobster has more than 30 locations across nine U.S. cities and internationally in Japan and Taiwan.

Here's a look back at our first EVG post on Luke's when the homemade coming-soon signage arrived in August 2009...

Luke's Lobster rolls back in business after temporary closure

Luke's Lobster is back in action (as of Friday) after a fire broke out on the fifth floor of 93 E. Seventh St. just east of First Avenue on Dec. 27.

Luke's originally thought they'd be closed for several weeks... turned out to be just one.

No one was injured in the fire. The FDNY has yet to disclose the cause of the fire on the fifth floor.

Report of a fire at 93 E. 7th St.; Luke's Lobster temporarily closed for several weeks

[Photo last night by Lauralynn]

The FDNY responded to a report of a fire on the fifth floor of 93 E. Seventh St. just east of First Avenue last evening. (Eden tweeted about it here.)

EVG correspondent Steven shared these photos from this morning...





Luke's Lobster is the retail tenant on the ground floor...



The fire (obviously) caused them to close early last night. No word on the extent of the damage in the building... and to the restaurant. There weren't any reports of injuries.



Luke's will be closed for the next few weeks... [Updated 1/6 — Luke's is back open!]

Due to a fire in the building (everyone’s ok), our #eastvillage shack will be closed for the next couple of weeks to fix the damage. Stay tuned here for further updates, and check us out on #UniversityPlace in #UnionSquare to get your fix. 🦞

— Luke's Lobster (@LukesLobster) December 28, 2018

This is the second fire this week to temporarily close a restaurant. Fiaschetteria Pistoia is currently closed following a fire Sunday night at 647 E. 11th St. at Avenue C.

In September 2016, a fire broke after inside the Caracas Arepa Bar next door to Luke's at 93 1/2 E. Seventh St. The owners decided not to reopen the restaurant.

Luke's Lobster goes more art house

East Seventh Street.

Previously

Get a Taste of East 7th Street this weekend

Via the EVG inbox...



Find more info about the tickets and the participating restaurants right here.

Oscar bait at Luke's Lobster

Spotted this week outside Luke's Lobster on East Seventh Street…



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Previously!

Today in Jimmy McMillan sightings

The folks at Luke's Lobster on Seventh Street noted the presence of The Rent Is Too Damn High Party leader Jimmy McMillan this afternoon...

The car is often a giveaway...

Luke's Lobster now a selling point for East Village apartments

Here's a listing for a bedroom apartment on East Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B ... the usual blather... but one selling point jumped out at us...

Steps from Lukes [sic] Lobster

Wonder if the real-estate types know that Luke's delivers?

Luke's Lobster has headed for dry land

Seventh Street near First Avenue. Via Elizabeth Frayer.

Why well-groomed men of America now know about Community Board 3

First spotted this item over at Eater ... Ben Conniff, co-owner of Luke's Lobster on Seventh Street, wrote a piece for GQ about the eatery's attempt to get a beer/wine license from the CB3/SLA.

"Community Board Approval: Unlike the legal system, which makes decisions based on objective analysis of evidence, community boards prefer to rule by arbitrary gut feelings. In January I watched the board tear apart the underdressed owner of a family pizza restaurant because of a paperwork error he made five years ago. When it was my turn to go before the board, I wore a tie. Approved!"

The guy who owns Luke's Lobster is smart

Luke's Lobsters over on Seventh Street near First Avenue opened last fall... and, judging by the crowds, people seem to love the place...

Anyway, I only know a little about the owner, 25-year-old Luke Holden ... he joined forces with the help of his father, Jeff, owner of the seafood supplier Portland Shellfish in Maine. (Luke grew up in Maine and spent his summers lobstering...) The press has mentioned Luke worked at a bank before starting his restaurant ...

Anyway, here's something for all you Luke's groupies... an interview with Luke, who did his undergrad work at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University where he double-majored in finance and small business management, from Vault's Career Blog...

VAULT: You’ve just left a career in investment banking to own and operate your restaurant full time. Which firm did you work for, and what was your position?

Lucas Holden: I was a third-year analyst at CS Capital Advisors (formerly Cohen and Steers Capital Advisors) before leaving to start Luke’s Lobster. The investment banking team specializes in M&A capital-raising and restructuring services principally dedicated to the real estate investment trust (“REIT”) space.

You may read the rest of the interview here...

Luke's helping Ray's

From Neighborhoor. Spotted at Luke's Lobster on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Avenue A...

Coming soon to Seventh Street: Luke's Lobster

On Seventh Street near First Avenue between the two Caracas Arepa Bar locations.

UPDATED: Oops, didn't realize that Grub Street reported on this a little earlier this afternoon... they have a lot more information on the owners, two former lobstermen.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Dead Lobster