Mara's Homemade sets closing date

Thanks to the multiple tipsters who passed along this link... As previously reported, Mara's Homemade, the Cajun eatery on East Sixth Street, is closing for a number of reasons, including:

We accepted a short term lease to give us time to re-locate or negotiate a longer term with our current landlord. Since that time, the BP explosion took place, bike lanes were installed on First and Second Avenues which reduced parking and the signs of future property tax increases have occurred.

Meanwhile, May 14 is their last day ... and they're opening a new place in Syosset, which might be a better fit for all those people who apparently drive to Mara's to eat.

Previously.

Mara's Homemade blames their closing, in part, on the East Village bike lanes

Word is getting out this afternoon (via Twitter and Eater, for starters) that Mara's Homemade, the Cajun eatery on East Sixth Street, is closing at the end of April.

Via a letter linked to on Twitter, they mention multiple factors for the closing.

But the reason for closing that might generate the most discussion?

We accepted a short term lease to give us time to re-locate or negotiate a longer term with our current landlord. Since that time, the BP explosion took place, bike lanes were installed on First and Second Avenues which reduced parking and the signs of future property tax increases have occurred.